Stretching from Marquam Bridge south to the River Forum Building, a quarter-mile segment of the path along the Willamette River in Portland’s South Waterfront District could soon become a reality thanks to a donation of river-side land from Williams and Dame Development. The City of Portland has designed a path which will offer complete separation of bicycle users from pedestrians along the corridor. The project hopes to “set the tone for the quality of open space” in the growing, but somewhat isolated, South Waterfront District.
With fencing set up, Portland Parks and Recreation prepared to begin construction in June 2012, starting with excavation of soils. However, with the riverbank restoration phase complete, the project’s next steps may be threatened by a current lack of funding. Project management has been unsuccessful in obtaining enough money for the total cost of the project, and has determined that costs can no longer be cut without compromising quality or promised commitments. Before proceeding with phase two, the upland improvements, project management will have to reevaluate the budget and identify the means to fill this funding gap.
Project Managers: Allison Rouse 503-823-5598, Irene Bowers 503-823-2419
For updates and more information, visit the project website here. To receive meeting notices and project updates, join the South Waterfront Greenway Notification List.
