205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 06/07/2017 - The City of Ellensburg is currently working to connect discontinuous segments of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. The extension of an existing segment of the John Wayne Reconnect trail will occur east of Alder St., approximately 2,600’ from 18th Ave to the south side of Greenfield Ave. The 18' wide trail cross section will consist of 9' of pavement and 9' of crushed rock top course surfacing with landscaping along both sides of the trail section. The project began May 1 with construction anticipated to be completed the end of June. It is a portion of the 4.6 mile long John Wayne Reconnect trail that will connect the missing link of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail from its trailheads at Water St and Alder St.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) parks and trails promote physical activity and community engagement. In fact, access to trails address many public health problems and encourage residents to participate in physical activity and to do so more often. Physical activity helps control weight, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, improve mental health and mood, and increase chances of living longer. (CDC) In Kittitas County, most residents are aware of the “John Wayne Pioneer Trail.” The John Wayne trail is part of the Iron Horse Trail, according to Washington State Parks who oversees the path. Once a part of the Milwaukee Railway bed, the 100 mile long John Wayne Pioneer Trail meanders through a variety of ecosystems and geological zones and provides activities from hiking and biking to cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The City of Ellensburg has several projects that would be considered “complete street” projects, or projects that address providing transportation for all users from pedestrians to motorists. On January 27, the City of Ellensburg was selected for the Complete Streets Award from the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) and was awarded $250,000 in funds to construct complete street projects in Ellensburg. Those projects are slated to begin in August or September, which includes multiple sidewalks being connected within the city limits. For more information about Ellensburg’s Complete Streets visit https://ci.ellensburg.wa.us/787/Complete-Streets-Ellensburg or for information about the TIB funding, visit http://www.tib.wa.gov/grants/completestreets/completestreets.cfm. To get more information about how the Kittitas County Public Health Department has worked with complete streets, please call (509) 962-7515.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Kasey Knutson, Public Information Officer, 509-962-7515