PORT ANGELES — Clallam County will apply for a $380,000 grant to build a paved segment of the Spruce Railroad Trail at Lake Crescent.
The three commissioners Monday directed public works staff to pursue the Transportation Enhancement Program funds from the state Department of Transportation.
A $51,300 local match would be required.
The new segment drops from the crest of a hill above private homes near the Lyre River trailhead to a historic railroad grade on the north shore of the iconic lake.
Clallam County will build the segment in 2015 with or without the grant. The funds would simply reduce the county’s share of the cost.
“These are monies that are distributed through the Peninsula RTPO [Regional Transportation Planning Organization], so we’re competing against a limited number of agencies here, and we’ve got a project in the works,” county Transportation Program Manager Rich James told commissioners.
“Right now, it’s entirely financed by [county] road fund projects.”
The scenic Spruce Railroad Trail will be widened and paved for bicyclists and other nonmotorized trail users.
As it stands, the trail is popular with hikers and equestrians but is not suitable for cyclists or those with disabilities.
The new look of the trail will feature an 8-foot-wide asphalt foundation with 3 feet of gravel.
Two historic railroad tunnels will be restored as part of the long-planned project.
Clallam County received a $999,000 grant from the state Recreation and Conservation Office in 2008 to help Olympic National Park restore the Spruce Railroad Trail.
After years of resistance from park officials about paving the trail, the county in August 2013 signed a memorandum of agreement with the park to cooperatively plan, permit, fund and construct the new trail.
The 4-mile path will become a highlight of the Olympic Discovery Trail, which will eventually span the North Olympic Peninsula from Port Townsend to LaPush.
Clallam County broke ground on the easternmost section of the Spruce Railroad Trail earlier this year.
The project is funded in multiple segments in the county’s six-year transportation plan.
Once completed, the Spruce Railroad Trail will provide safe passage around Lake Crescent away from the traffic of U.S. Highway 101.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsula dailynews.com.
