The idea of a trail or a walking path is being redefined to fit this urban community, and soon residents and visitors will be able to explore West Seattle neighborhoods on foot through a system of community created pathways.

What started as a project by the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association more than two years ago to expand the Longfellow Creek trail east and west through the Delridge corridor has bloomed into a partnership with several community groups, the National Park Service, and the non-profit Feet First.

Based on the Green Crescent Trails concept in the Morgan neighborhood, a connection of trails and parks, the idea was to pursue the question, among others, "where do you walk and why?" said Chas Redmond, a member of the Morgan Community Association.

The West Seattle Walks map, now in its final development stages, was created from that basic question and through input gathered from the community. Trails in West Seattle are now defined as being sidewalks, streets with no sidewalks, staircases and "primitive" paths within most of the parks.

"Thousands of hours of volunteer effort have gone into this project at this point and there's no neighborhood or community association we haven't partnered with in getting community input and community feedback," said Redmond, who has championed the effort.

The Seattle-based pedestrian advocacy organization Feet First is creating the map with grant funds recently awarded from the city's Climate Action Now program. That will publish about 20,000 copies of the map after an additional round of community input this month.

Another distribution round will bring copies to businesses, schools and community organizations.

"Ultimately, we would like to see this map in the hands of everyone who lives in or visits West Seattle," said Redmond.

The finished map will be folded to about the same size as a Metro bus route schedule.

A version is circulating the community now for public comment and the revised map will be distributed later this month. Besides trails, it features descriptions of all the neighborhoods, organizations and popular features in West Seattle.

On a recent near-spring day, Redmond scouted out what will be the first of 23 locations for informational kiosks around West Seattle, which will display the walking map and lead to nearby paths.

The first kiosk, yet unknown in shape and size, will be installed somewhere in the right of way in front of the Delridge Library at the corner of Southwest Brandon Street and Delridge Way Southwest. Next to the library, a neighborhood service center and bus stops, it was an obvious first choice, said Redmond.

"We want them where people aggregate and where there is good lighting," he said.

Feet First Executive Director Rebecca Deehr and planners with the Seattle Department of Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian Program were on hand to help with the logistics of where a sign could safely be placed.

A series of meetings held last year helped define locations for about 250 "wayfinding stations," directional signs that will lead to the kiosks. But the approval of a $94,000 city matching fund grant is needed to pay for the design and installation of the signage.

The first kiosk will act as a pilot for the project and be paid for with funds the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association received from King County. It's tentatively scheduled for installation by the end of June.

Redmond said the city has been supportive of the trail system project and sees the potential for citywide adoption, as it fits in nicely with goals included in the pedestrian master plan. Deehr hopes the success of the project will promote pedestrian safety awareness and lead to improvements in infrastructure.

"It's already having the intended effect, which is bringing people together," said Redmond.

For much more detail visit http://homepage.mac.com/credmond/westseattlewalks/WestSeattleWalks.html.

Rebekah Schilperoort can be reached at 783-1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com.