Build it and they will come.

While that might be the premise of a classic baseball film, it also applies to the popular Foothills Trail. As boosters continue adding to the ribbon of asphalt, it is blanketed by walkers, joggers and bicyclists, from serious athletes to families out for a Sunday stroll.

But those who enjoy the trail can only go so far. The White River, as it flows between Enumclaw and Buckley and makes up the King-Pierce county line, provides a beautiful-but-daunting physical barrier.

Getting a span across the river has long been on the trail enthusiasts’ wish list. All it requires is a pot of money. That, and the political desire to make things happen.

The Metropolitan King County Council took a step in that direction Sept. 8, unanimously approving an interlocal agreement through which King County and its partners will seek funding to get a bridge across the river.

While a cooperative approach – involving both King and Pierce counties, as well as Enumclaw and Buckley – has long been talked about, recent developments a bit west have jump-started discussions. As the state’s Department of Transportation oversaw construction of a replacement bridge over the Puyallup River, the fate of the old bridge centered upon its potential use on the Plateau.

The old bridge sat just north of downtown Puyallup and not long ago was scooted to nearby, vacant property. The massive steel structure is in a holding pattern until its future is decided.

“This is innovation and cooperation at its best,” said King County Councilman Reagan Dunn, who represents the city of Enumclaw on the Council and sponsored the legislation. “The bridge from SR 167 has been removed and we’ll see if using it as a trail bridge on the Foothills Trail near Enumclaw is possible.”

The agreement adopted by the county council is between the two counties, two cities and the DOT. It sets a framework for the five partners to plan, design and construct a nonmotorized bridge that would connect segments of the trail north and south of the river.

“Enumclaw eagerly awaits the connection of two counties, four cities and one town, all linked together once again,” Enumclaw Mayor Liz Reynolds said in a prepared statement. “The Foothills Trail bridge across the White River will connect these communities through a beautiful trail system where the railroads that once transported goods and products to and from our city give way to a corridor promoting health, wellness and outdoor enjoyment.”

The Foothills Trail consists of 30 miles of trail segments in Pierce County and southern King County along a former Northern Pacific Railway Company rail corridor. The river constitutes one of the few gaps in the system.

The adopted ordinance calls on the groups wanting to close the gap to review potential options. The agreement does not commit any of the members to make financial commitments, but outlines a process for the five entities to work together on grant applications, planning and design.