County staff and state and federal partners told the Collin County Trails Advisory Committee that marbled murrelet habitat and DNR permitting practices are constraining the plan to build a separated 10‑foot Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) segment on the Forks–La Push corridor.

Justin (DNR) and county staff explained that the westernmost two DNR parcels west of the Bogachiel River include occupied habitat and that DNR considers ebikes to be motorized in current policy, a point that further complicates plans for a shared-use paved corridor. County staff told the committee the state right of way in the affected section is roughly 60 feet and that ‘‘it might not be possible to have the full shared‑use standard to have a separated 10‑foot wide trail with shoulders and drainage’’ in those parcels.

Committee members and staff agreed on next steps: do a topographic and engineering sketch showing where a trail might fit in the existing right of way, then bring that schematic to Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and DNR for consultation. County staff said they will also ask Western Federal Lands, the federal project lead on parts of the corridor, to help restart cultural and environmental surveys that DNR has not allowed on its parcels.

Will Habel, Palm County Public Works, summarized why the county cannot yet commit to a design: ‘‘We haven’t done enough work to say we can’t put it in there yet, but that’s what we need to do next,’’ and he urged staff to draft trail sketches before further DNR consultation. Staff noted that if a trail were confirmed in the state right of way, provisions exist to protect that corridor if the highway is later widened.

Ending

County staff said they will prepare preliminary engineering sketches and pursue coordinated meetings with WSDOT, DNR and Western Federal Lands. The committee recommended involving state active-transportation staff and continuing outreach to the trail user community.