A proposal for the town’s long planned for bicycle path will soon be submitted to the state Department of Transportation for review and funding consideration.

“We’ve been working on this for what, twenty years?” Selectman Stephen Cushing asked. “We’ve finally got our act together except for some fine tuning.”

Marion Pathways Committee members Jeff Oakes and Kirk Coykendall met with Selectmen Tuesday night to seek board approval on a project initiation form to be sent to the transportation department.

Submitting the form is the next step in a process that would eventually allow the town to solicit funds from the federal and state government to build the path.

While construction funds might become available, the town would be responsible for some engineering and design fees.

Starting at the Mattapoisett/Marion town line, the path would follow an abandoned rail line that passes near the Brew Fish Restaurant before entering Washburn Park. The 3.8-mile path would be located entirely on town-owned land and end on Point Road near an I-495 underpass.

The Marion portion of the trail is part of a proposed extension of the Mattapoisett trail that connects to Fairhaven's bike path. Oakes said he’s hopeful transportation officials will seriously consider funding part of the Marion path, as it may eventually become part of a lengthy trail intended to link Providence with Provincetown.

“So it’s a benefit we’re connecting to the other towns?” asked Selectman Jody Dickerson.

“Oh, definitely,” Oakes said.

Oakes asked the board to send the form to the Department of Transportation by Oct. 16 to give state officials time to consider the proposal. On Nov. 6, a state project review committee will review Marion’s application along with several others.

“[The review committee] only meets two or three times a year,” Oakes said. “We want to get on their radar and that would put us in the queue for funding.”

Town Administrator Paul Dawson said before the project initiation form is formally submitted, edits must be made regarding a section on how easements were applied for on town-owned property.

“We need to make some very minor changes to the language,” Dawson said. “We shouldn’t have any problems submitting this before Oct. 16.”