By Kevin Hanson-The Courier-Herald
When it comes to connecting the Foothills Trail by completing a vacant stretch between Enumclaw and Buckley, the spirit appears willing but the finances are weak.
That’s the opinion of Enumclaw Mayor John Wise following last week’s presentation by King County Parks at the public library. Perhaps two dozen citizens showed up Aug. 20 to see hear the county’s preliminary plans for adding a mile of paved trail south of the Enumclaw city limits.
Wise is buoyed by the fact that all seem to agree completing the gap between the Plateau communities is in everyone’s best interest.
“We’ve been working on this for six years,” Wise said, noting that Buckley Mayor Pat Johnson is a booster, while both King and Pierce counties support the philosophy behind a continuous trail that would wind from Enumclaw to Puyallup.
“From what I understand, it’s one of the county’s priorities,” Wise said, referring to King County leadership. County Councilman Regan Dunn, whose district includes the Enumclaw area, has expressed his support.
But there are about a million reasons why the trail won’t immediately appear south of Enumclaw: The price tag for a one-mile stretch of trail is pegged at a minimum of $1 million, Wise said.
Connecting Enumclaw and Buckley has two distinct elements, Wise said. First is completion of one mile of trail that would begin at the Enumclaw trailhead at Warner Avenue and travel south; phase two would involve building a bridge across the White River.
As explained last week by the county’s consultant, King County’s envisions a paved trail 12 feet wide, or 2 feet wider than the city’s trail. The county also plans on making the trail shoulders a bit wider. But the high cost, Wise said, stems from the fact that the new section of trail would encounter a couple of creeks; and when water is involved, the cost climbs.
With plans on the table, the only missing piece of the puzzle is cash. Wise said Plateau constituents have joined King County officials in Olympia, lobbying for money necessary to turn trail dreams into pavement.
Lacking a financial commitment, there are no firm plans or a definite timetable for new trail construction.
Reach Kevin Hanson at khanson@courierherald.com or 360-802-8205.
