The Renton Reporter posted an article today about the new Lake to Sound trail that is a central part of our city’s Bikes and Trails Master Plan. The Lake to Sound trail proposal is getting a lot of traction, thanks in large part to County Councilwoman Julia Patterson and County Executive Ron Sims, and the support of several south King County cities. The trail would go through five cities and two transit centers, and is largely in place except for a critical missing link in Renton.

Yesterday I participated in a press conference to share with the media about county/city plans to design and build this missing link with County Open Space money.

Here is the story from the Reporter’s Emily Garland.

City Council has recently been reviewing the Renton Trails and Bicycle Master Plan, as a start to implementing and funding a more unified system of trails for non-motorized transportation. Fr anyone who likes to ride a bike, this is a major step in improving the trail situation in our city.

Like in so many other pursuits, the funding is our next big hurdle. However, this Master Plan will make it easier for us to qualify for Federal, State, and regional non-motorized transit grants. That is, unless we have a unified plan with distinct projects, it is hard to get other agencies to send funding our way.

Our geographic situation, at the south end of the lake and the confluence of several valleys and transportations corridors improves our chances for regional funding. For instance, we have a good shot a getting a trail funded which would connect the Lake Washington trail system with the Green River trail system (to run parallel to 7th street through downtown, then near the railroad tracks, and connect near Fort Dent).

Read the report here

And the report appendices here