The Bainbridge Island City Council approved the city manager to execute a professional services agreement for design and public engagement as part of the future Bucklin Hill Road to Fletcher Bay Road non-motorized improvement project at its Nov. 12 regular business meeting.

The city reviewed three firms and determined Tool Design Inc. as the most qualified, which won a contract for $309,062. The city intends to receive public input by offering in-person and virtual meetings. Council will be provided with final recommended alternatives and a summary of public comment in the first quarter of 2026, with construction slated for summer 2027, per city documents.

Chris Wierzbicki, city public works director, provided the council with additional project information.

“So part of what we are doing with this contract work is we want to make sure that we are making consistent facilities between both portions of this corridor so someone can go all the way from Blakeley Avenue all the way down to Bucklin Hill Road on a consistent type of facility,” he said. “So we’re going to be looking overall at this entire corridor as we look to just build this one section.”

Funding for the project is a combination of $1.4 million in local funds in the capital improvement plan and federal grant funding, which has been previously secured and is available in June 2026, Wierzbicki said. The city will also begin the design process for the project next year.