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September 30, 2020
Kitsap County joins Leafline regional trails coalition
Kitsap County is pleased to announce the launch of the Leafline Trails Coalition, in partnership with King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, non-profit organizations, community groups, businesses and trail advocates, who are committed to expanding and connecting nearly 450 miles of trails throughout the central Puget Sound region. The result will be an integrated trails network that provides more equitable access to safe places to walk and bike, offering reliable and healthy transportation options, and growing the region’s economy.
“Connecting Kitsap’s already extensive trails network to those throughout the Puget Sound region creates new recreational and transportation options for our growing communities,” said Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder. “Being a part of the Leafline Trails Coalition is a fantastic opportunity to partner with neighboring counties to expand awareness of local parks and connectivity of non-motorized commuter routes, improve public health and increase accessibility to our natural resources.”
The Leafline Coalition has four objectives:
- Build a resilient trails network that offers safe, reliable, and healthy transportation options that connect to high-capacity transit.
- Connect more communities to the region’s trails, prioritizing those communities that are currently underserved.
- Strengthen the region’s economy by creating jobs and tourism destinations, and better connecting commuters and customers.
- Improve public health outcomes by providing more convenient, equitable access for outdoor exercise, active transportation and open space.
Major trails projects throughout the region – including the Sound-to-Olympics Trail in Kitsap County – are ready for federal infrastructure investments for planning, design and construction to further stimulate economic growth. Other partner projects include the Centennial Trail, Eastrail, Foothills Trail, Interurban Trail and Mountains-to-Sound Greenway Trail.
Kitsap County recently learned it was successful in obtaining nearly $2 million in federal funds towards construction of a portion of a 10-foot-wide, shared-use path, as part of the north segment of the Sound-to-Olympics Trail through the 3,500-acre Port Gamble Forest Heritage County Park. The paved, ADA-accessible trail will ultimately connect Kingston and Bainbridge Island (and their ferry terminals) to the Hood Canal Bridge. A feasibility study for the Port Gamble project was created in 2018. Design and permitting is expected to get underway in 2022.
Evolving from the King County Regional Trails Summit in October 2018, the Leafline Trails Coalition is inspired by and modeled after a national movement of trail coalitions harnessing collective impact by leveraging resources, fostering partnerships, and growing public awareness of trails.
To learn more, check out the Leafline Trails Coalition video and visit the Leafline Trails Coalition website. Information on regional trails planning is available from the Puget Sound Regional Council here.
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