ANACORTES — Work has started on the Guemes Channel Trail, which follows the north shoreline of Fidalgo Island and will eventually provide a more pedestrian-friendly connection between the city’s west side and downtown.

The first phase of the trail will be almost half a mile long and stretches along the shoreline of the San Juan Passage and Woolworth subdivisons. City officials also plan to connect the trail to the Tommy Thompson Parkway, which follows the shoreline of Fidalgo Bay.

People who live in newer developments in the city’s Ship Harbor area, east of the Washington State Ferry Terminal, will be able to walk out the doors of their homes and stroll or bike a short distance to the Guemes trail, said Gary Robinson, Parks and Recreation director.

However, it could be a number of years before the first phase of the trail is extended along the city’s northern shoreline to the Thompson parkway in the east.

City officials say that as opportunities present themselves, they will work with the owners of previously developed land to obtain trail easements.

“We’re pretty committed to it, and we’re going to do all we can to make it happen,” Robinson said.

The city already offers residents and visitors roughly 60 miles of trails including in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands. The Guemes trail will add to that total.

The first phase follows an old railroad grade that was installed toward the end of the 19th Century and abandoned in later years, Robinson said.

The total cost to build that phase wasn’t available this week. However, much of the bill is being picked up by developers who have built shoreline subdivisions, including San Juan Passage or Portalis, on the Guemes Channel. Helping with the trail was a condition required to constructing homes in the area, which is zoned for commercial marine businesses.

The half-mile stretch will be 12 feet wide in most areas and paved, like the Tommy Thompson Parkway.

Crews also will clean up areas of the beach and plant vegetation to protect the spawning areas of forage fish, such as surf smelt and sand lance, which are eaten by salmon. Signs will be added to explain to walkers about the ecosystems of the marine environment and nearby wetlands.

City officials have been working to get the Guemes trail to the construction stage since the Thompson Parkway was finished about five years ago, Robinson said. Completing those trails were goals set by city officials after receiving feedback from resident surveys, he said.

“The two things that people rate highest that they like to see, … is they want to have access to the water and they want places to walk and run and ride a bike,” Robinson said. “We think this is just an excellent opportunity to provide that access to the water.”

* Marta Murvosh can be reached at 360-416-2149 or .

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