POULSBO — The 4th Avenue “goat trail” is being improved.

For some time now, residents of Poulsbo Village have been complaining to City Council members about the lack of a safe walking path on 4th Avenue NE, between where the paved sidewalk ends at Arbutus Court and doesn’t begin again until two blocks later at Willet Lane.

The narrow dirt trail in between the two intersections was a “glorified goat trail,” according to Public Works Superintendent Mike Lund.

“When I was younger, there were big rocks [in the trail], a real tripping hazard,” said Jacob Todd, a Public Works crew member who was directing traffic at the site. “A lot of older folks use this trail and right now it’s all ‘humpity bumpity’.”

On June 20, Poulsbo Public Works crews started leveling and widening the rugged path. When they get done with that, crews will put down gravel. The work should be finished by next week, depending on the weather.

“A lot of older people go for walks and walk their dogs along here,” Lund said. “People who have electric carts were having to drive in the street, which was really dangerous.”

“When we get done, it’s gonna be a lot nicer,” Todd said.

— Terryl Asla is a reporter for the Kitsap News Group. he can be reached at tasla@soundpublishing.com. Kitsap News Group intern Hannah Chisholm contributed to this story; she is a Running Start student at Kingston High School.

Poulsbo Public Works employee Richie Sardoff mans the shovel while Jerry Dakota on the backhoe begins the process of removing top soil, rocks and roots from the 4th Avenue footpath. Once the trail was leveled, a layer of gravel was put down. Terryl Asla/Kitsap News Group