The dream of a long trail connecting the Deception Pass Bridge and the Clinton Ferry Terminal is slowly becoming a reality, piece by piece.

On Sept. 17, the Island County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to initiate a $3.725 million project to extend the popular Rhododendron Trail, an ADA and non-motorized path on the west side of Highway 20 that runs through Coupeville and connects to the Kettles Trail.

The commissioners agreed to allocate funding for the preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisition and construction of the new phase of the trail, which connects Rhododendron Park Road to Patmore Road south of Coupeville. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, according to information presented at the meeting.

The addition of a 1.5-mile-long and 10-foot-wide paved trail would give guests at Ryan’s House for Youth easier and safer access to the town by foot, Assistant Director of Public Works James Sylvester said.

In addition to protecting pedestrians and cyclists from vehicle traffic, the trail might help reduce carbon emissions, encourage healthy outdoor activities and lead potential customers to Coupeville’s businesses, according to the presentation.

Phase 1 of the project linked Main Street in Coupeville to Jacobs Road, where Phase 2 further extended the trail to Rhododendron Park Road, according to the presentation. During the meeting, Sylvester said the department will determine if the extension project is feasible enough before moving forward and spending an estimated total of $3.725 million, most of which is funded by a combination of grants. The development of engineering plans and draft bid documents will cost the county $450,000 from the Road Funds.

In the past, he said, the project stalled due to right-of-way challenges with the state Department of Transportation, but he hopes the county will have better luck this time. As an alternative, the trail could be moved further away from the highway and behind the properties near that section of the road, taking users to the same destination while providing a nicer view, he said.

Commissioners Janet St. Clair and Melanie Bacon said they were in favor of the project.

On her frequent drives on Highway 20, Bacon notices young people walking to and from Ryan’s House and worries for their safety. St. Clair asked if the project allowed pedestrians safer access to the bus stop across the street from the nonprofit organization, but Sylvester said it would only help southbound commuters.

While supportive, Commissioner Jill Johnson shared some concerns about the project, the biggest being the fact the trail ends on “the least safe area of the highway” where there is no shoulder. She asked if instead ending the trail on Morris Road — which is about half a mile away from the trail’s end on Patmore Road — would be safer. It would also lower the cost of the project, she said, saying she wasn’t thrilled about the price tag but was willing to look past the fact that the county continues to make multi-million dollar trail projects in its least populated areas.

Sylvester said he shared the same concern about safety, but the decision had been made before his time. Still, he said, Public Works will consider alternatives.

Johnson pointed out that the project would make more sense if the trail was on the same side of the highway as the multi-million dollar trail connecting the Clinton-Mukilteo ferry to Ken’s Korner. This poses the question of how trail users can cross the highway safely once the trails connect.

Johnson was also concerned about the possibility of residents demanding the trails to be removed due to the nearby Naval Outlying Landing Field being loud and posing a safety risk to trail users. Similar complaints in the past have led her to voting against trail projects, she said, adding that the Navy came before the trails.