Commissioners designate county parcel P19107 as right of way for Rosario Road roundabout project

Skagit County commissioners on Oct. 6 approved a resolution designating county parcel P19107 as part of county road right of way to support the planned intersection improvements at Marine Drive, Rosario Road and Marine‑Y Drive on Fidalgo Island.

Devon Willard, project manager with Skagit County Public Works, explained the designation is necessary for right‑of‑way certification required by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Local Programs for a federally funded Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant. The county received $2,600,000 in HSIP funding (federal; staff said no local match was required to date) to reconstruct the intersection to improve safety and reduce serious crashes.

Nut graf: Staff said the parcel designation clarifies ownership and access for construction of a planned roundabout or other safety realignment at the intersection; design work is underway and staff are aiming to complete design in 2026 with construction bidding in 2026 and a 2027 construction window.

Willard and County Engineer Tom Wheaton described the site history: Rosario Road dates to 1931 and Marine Drive was established earlier in the 20th century; the county previously purchased a strip of land at the center of the junction and is now consolidating right‑of‑way to facilitate a T‑intersection/roundabout realignment. The proposed right‑of‑way limits shown in public exhibits would convert two small county parcels into continuous road right‑of‑way; staff said design work was at about the 60 percent stage and included stormwater and tree‑preservation considerations.

Ending: The board voted to designate parcel P19107 as county road right‑of‑way and authorized staff to proceed with design and the WSDOT right‑of‑way certification process; staff noted the project must be completed under HSIP schedule requirements (federal grant completion date Dec. 31, 2029).