Drawing of bridge over N Columbia Blvd shared by Portland Parks bureau at an open house in 2020.
(Mapp: PP&R)
I have some very good news for anyone Portland who breathes: the Parks bureau says they’re committed to building a bridge over North Columbia Blvd at Chimney Park — a key element of the 40-Mile Loop and link in the North Portland Greenway that will connect St. Johns to Kelly Point Park and beyond.
Back in November, trail advocates were dismayed to learn that Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) claimed a $3-4 million funding shortfall meant they could only build a standard, at-grade crossing to get trail users over the busy, high-speed, industrial truck traffic on Columbia Blvd. The bridge had been planned for years, much of the funding had been secured, and design was well underway when the announcement was made.
The official shift in stance came via the City of Portland’s Freight Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, February 1st. Portland Bureau of Transportation Resources Manager Mark Lear told committee members he talked to PP&R Trail Planning Manager Brett Horner and learned that he was “feeling pretty positive about a grant they’re going to apply for.”
Specifically, PP&R plans to apply for a grant through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a federal grant program administered by the State of Oregon.
Asked to confirm this news, a PP&R spokesperson told BikePortland today that, “Our staff have taken the necessary steps with ODOT [Oregon Department of Transportation] and Metro to resume the design effort and will continue looking for supplemental funding sources as the project moves forward.”
Stay tuned and watch the official project website for opportunities to support this project and provide feedback on the design.
