Johnson Parkway Project
The Sound to Olympics Trail (STO) is a long-term vision to create a paved, separated multi-use trail across Kitsap County, ultimately linking the Seattle ferry terminals with the Olympic Discovery Trail and forming part of the cross-country Great American Rail-Trail. While much of the trail remains to be built, Johnson Parkway in Poulsbo represents one of its most significant completed segments.
Johnson Parkway Project Includes:
- a new SR-305 roundabout,
- nearly a mile of new roadway,
- more than 4,000 feet of shared-use trail,
- sidewalks,
- a bicycle/pedestrian tunnel beneath SR-305,
- fish-passage improvements on Bjorgen Creek,
- wetland restoration,
- planting more than 7,500 native trees.
June 17, 2023 ribbon cutting
On June 17, 2023, the City officially opened Johnson Parkway with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Mayor Becky Erickson, Suquamish Tribe Chairman Leonard Forsman, project partners, and local artists.
Why Johnson Parkway matters to the Sound to Olympics Trail
Although only about a mile long, this section solved one of the most difficult obstacles for the future trail:
- It created a grade-separated crossing of busy SR-305 using the tunnel.
- It linked neighborhoods, schools, and transit stops.
- It established the route the future STO Trail will follow north along Noll Road.
- It also became part of the planned Great American Rail-Trail, a nationwide trail connecting Washington, D.C., to Washington State.
The North Kitsap Trails Association has described the Johnson Parkway project as creating more than one mile of separated Sound to Olympics Trail, complete with landscaping, public art, and the SR-305 underpass.
Continuing work after 2023
Johnson Parkway was never intended to be the final project. It serves a visible piece of the regional trail network. It provides safer travel for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians while laying the foundation for completing the Sound to Olympics Trail through Poulsbo and beyond.
West Sound Cycle Club Support
Diane Iversen and Paul Dutky (WSCC Advocacy) are active with the North Kitsap Trails Association (NKTA), one of the principal nonprofit organizations advocating for completion of the Sound to Olympics Trail over many years.
