Progress!!  Today (August 29, 2016) the Board of County Commissioners voted to approve the signing of a contract with the Washington State Recreation and Conservation  Office (RCO), to fund completion of an evaluation process to identify a preferred route for the ODT from Discovery Bay at the intersection of SR-20 with US 101 to the trail's intersection with the Larry Scott Trail at Milo-Curry Road.  Here's a copy of the County Administrator's recommendation to the Commissioners, which was adopted by the Commissioners as part of their Consent Agenda:

At the same meeting, the BOCC also agreed to the signing of an amendment to an agreement with the RCO for funding of the restoration and trail construction project for the Discovery Bay shoreline section of the ODT running from Old Gardner Road to Salmon Creek. Together with the ODT-Eaglemount section, this will allow non-motorized trail users to safely travel from Old Gardner Road to Port Townsend

During the public hearing prior to the vote, Jeff Chapman, Jeff Selby and I all spoke in support of these two agenda items.  I also urged the Commissioners to considering asking for financial support from the federal government for maintenance of Eaglemount section of the trail, since this section will be shared with the federal Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail.

After the public hearing, Commissioners Sullivan and Kler both expressed support for the trail and satisfaction  that it was now moving ahead after a period of gestation (my word).  Commissioner Johnson -- who has been a strong supporter for the ODT -- was excused from attendance at this special meeting, but I'm confident he would have joined with the orther Commissioners in expressing support.

Now, the next step is for the County to engage the consultant and get started on the process of identifying the preferred route.

I gave now been working on this project for a little over a year.  If I am going to ride the ODT-Eaglemount section on my 80th birthday, we need to get it built in the next four years and 362 days!