We were honored by a visit from Congressman Derek Kilmer in August, to celebrate the $16.13 million federal RAISE grant for local and regional trail design.

Kilmer walked the Sound to Olympics Sakai Pond Connector with the Parks & Trails Foundation, city and park officials, and local trail boosters to mark the amazing grant, which brings big-time dollars to Bainbridge Island to continue designing the STO north to the bridge.

Said the Congressman: “It has been said that roads segregate, and trails integrate. I like that notion, because what we’re really celebrating is connection. Connecting Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap counties. Connecting cities and tribes and all those points along the way. Connect recreationists to nature, people to jobs, students to schools.”

A refresher: Earlier this year, the PS2P Collaborative – an initiative led by the Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation with the North Kitsap Trails Association and Peninsula Trails Coalition, and representing 13 cities, counties, Tribes and port districts – earned a $16.13 million federal RAISE grant for trail planning and design.

The grant funds design of 34 different projects, building new trails and filling gaps between existing ones, to complete a 200-mile trail and greenway from Winlsow to LaPush. Bainbridge Island receives $1.7 million of the grant, to fund 100 percent (that is, build-ready) design of the STO from Sakai Park north to Koura Road, and 30 percent design of the remaining 4 miles north to the bridge.

Exciting stuff! And a giant momentum-builder toward our shared vision for a community connected by trails and sustainable transportation.

“The point isn’t to design it,” City Manager Blair King said, “the point is to build it.”

Hear, hear! Thanks to our Bainbridge Island elected officials and city staff, and our many partners for their support of this forward-thinking, climate-positive trail initiative to connect our communities through sustainable transportation.

“I think of all of this as being a fabric, our parks and trails, and our nonprofits are the weavers bringing it all together and bringing private dollars,” said Mary Meier, Parks & Trails Foundation executive director. “We knew that we had to dream bigger, had to reach out to our partners at the Peninsula Trails Coalition and North Kitsap Trails Association to get this done. Thank goodness for them and all the people who support us, and our great partners.
“Let’s keep doing it. Let’s do more of this.”

Watch a video by the City of Bainbridge Island on RAISE grant celebration with Congressman Kilmer here.

Find out more about the Puget Sound to Pacific vision here.