Grant helps Metro and the City of Portland build bike/pedestrian connection in North Portland
Metro news release: Sept. 30, 2009
Contact: Heather Coston, 503-813-7552, heather.coston@oregonmetro.gov
The Oregon Department of Transportation has awarded almost $1.5 million to Metro for the final design and construction of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge that will connect Pier Park to Chimney Park in North Portland. A critical component of the Willamette River Greenway Trail (North Reach) and 40-mile Loop Trail, the bridge will provide a safe, non-motorized connection for North Portland neighbors to Chimney Park. Portland Parks & Recreation will contribute funding for the project and maintain the bridge after it is completed.
"We are so excited to get this grant. The bridge will connect Chimney Park with the community, greatly improving neighborhood access to recreation and nature," said Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder. "We need pathways like this so people can get where they want to go – like to the park – without using their cars."
"North Portland residents have long asked for a link between Pier and Chimney Parks," notes Portland Parks Commissioner Nick Fish. "This bridge will not only connect the parks, but also provide a valuable connection between the region's network of transportation trails that serve both pedestrians and cyclists."
The 14-foot-wide, 100-foot-long pedestrian bridge will be constructed over existing Union Pacific railroad tracks. Once in place, it will set the stage for completing a gap in the regional trail system that separates North Portland from the 2,000-acre Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area, the Rivergate District – a large employment area, Kelley Point Park, the Columbia River, the Columbia Slough and a network of hundreds of miles of local and regional trails.
The project is supported by several organizations including The 40-Mile Loop Land Trust, Portland Parks & Recreation, St. Johns Neighborhood Association, Friends of Smith and Bybee Lakes, Smith and Bybee Natural Area Management Committee, Friends of Baltimore Woods, North Portland Greenway and Friends of Peninsula Crossing.
Metro, the regional government that serves 1.4 million people who live in the 25 cities and three counties of the Portland metropolitan area, provides planning and other services that protect the nature and livability of our region.