Seattleites love loops -- look no further than the crowds that gather at Green Lake to walk, ride or roll around the lake on clear days.

But to the frustration of bikers and hikers, many of the city's trails and paths lead nowhere, end abruptly or force them to backtrack.

Now, a plan to complete and landscape the routes connecting parks has been revived and has a new champion -- the Seattle Parks Foundation.

The six-year-old foundation, which already has raised $20 million for a long list of park projects, was looking for a new challenge. It found one when staffers blew the dust off Bands of Green, a 16-year- old plan to connect trails, boulevards and paths in the city. The private parks foundation paid to have the plan updated last year and is releasing it to the community to build momentum and political support.

Because most of the trails and boulevards are on city property, getting the project done is up to Seattle officials, but much of the work could be done in conjunction with other sewer, utility or road projects over the years, foundation members said.

The plan offers more than 50 specific projects, touching nearly every neighborhood.

"It is all ambitious. I didn't say we would have it all done next week," said Doug Walker, chairman of the foundation's Green Connections Committee.

"Cost isn't a factor as much as the will to do it. That is the more formidable obstacle," said Walker, a dedicated cyclist and hiker.

"We are going around and trying to meet with the council and the Mayor's Office to make sure that the political will is there."

The plan calls for finishing a circle of paths and trails around the edge of the city to take full advantage of water and mountain views. But the trails also loop inward, crisscrossing the city to link parks, lakes, streams and urban vistas.

More complex plans include creating a continuous route linking a planned loop around Lake Union Park to the Seattle Center, the Olympic Sculpture Park and the waterfront. Others are simpler: removing debris from a dead-end path or planting trees along a trail.

The original Bands of Green plan was done by the city in 1990 and integrated into a comprehensive plan in the early 1990s. The work on the Burke-Gilman Trail and the Chief Sealth Trail, under construction in South Seattle, as well as several smaller neighborhood projects came from that plan, said Ken Bounds, superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation.

"One of the things we know is that this city is well-developed and buying new land for parks is difficult," said Bounds, who is retiring at the end of the month. "By helping people make safe and comfortable connections by bike or foot, you can bring them closer to the parks without building more parks."

Connections to Lake Union, the waterfront and the Seattle Center would make them easier to reach without traversing the Mercer Mess, he said.

"All the people moving into downtown will have access to wonderful park facilities," Bounds said.

The next step is getting support for Bands of Green from organizations that can help get it done. The foundation will focus on raising awareness and building momentum.

Karen Daubert, Seattle Parks Foundation executive director, said the plan already has enthusiastic support from city officials, department heads and representatives from the Port of Seattle. The plan also meshes with Mayor Greg Nickels' plan to fight global warming, released in September. His green-city vision includes increasing the city's tree canopy and improving sidewalks, trails, bike paths and stairways to encourage more walking and biking.

Bands of Green has roots in the Olmsted brothers' park plan developed for the city more than a century ago. That plan described an "emerald necklace" of parks and vantage points linked by landscaped boulevards and paths to create a sense of continuity. Parks and playfields were built, but many of the trails and boulevards weren't finished or were lost to development.

The new plan includes recommendations from neighborhoods and regional reports.

Daubert calls Bands of Green "Olmsted Plus."

"It raises the visibility and usability of the park system overall, creating more loops -- and people love loops -- and helps people get out to enjoy the parks more," Daubert said.

"We thought, let's do a really comprehensive plan, something that is a lot more detail-oriented," she said.

Jonathan Pryce, a recreational and commuter bike rider in Seattle for 26 years, said the city's bike routes have improved in the past 20 years as more have been completed. But, he said, some could be safer.

Too many bike lanes run alongside parking strips, raising the risk of bike riders being "doored" by people getting out of their cars, he said.

"You are compelled to ride farther out into traffic than you want to," he said.

"I want these things to be functional, not just pretty, not just nice for a Sunday ride. I want to get to work, too," Pryce said.

Foundation members worked with representatives from the city's Department of Transportation, which is releasing its own Seattle bicycle master plan for public review in a few weeks.

"I think the two plans go in the same direction," said Wayne Wentz, director of traffic management for the city. "They overlap an awful lot."

Chuck Ayers, executive director of the Cascade Bicycle Club, said he hasn't seen the Bands of Green plan yet, but he is involved in the city's bike master plan.

"People like that idea of knowing they are on track," he said.

Soundoff (Read 14 comments)
What do you think?