Waud Bluff Trail Project Goes Through City's Pre-Application Conference, Inches Closer to Realization

UPDATED 9/22/2011

Plans for the Waud Bluff trail—a quarter mile paved path and pedestrian bridge that will connect N. Willamette Boulevard by University of Portland to North Basin Avenue on Swan Island—have now gone through the City’s pre-application conference, moving the project one step closer to realization.

The Waud Bluff trail originally received $1.2 million in 2004 from the Oregon Department of Transportation through a Transportation Enhancement grant that was matched at 10-percent locally by Portland Parks & Recreation, but has since been stalled due to a variety of issues.

The project is considered a pivotal connection in the Swan Island Trails Action Plan, the North Portland Greenway Plan, The Willamette Greenway Plan and the Portland River Plan. The trail will serve as the sole walking trail connection to Swan Island from three North Portland neighborhoods: Overlook, Arbor Lodge and University Park. The trail will also someday help connect the North Portland Greenway: an intensive system of trails starting at the Eastbank Esplanade heading north through the Rose Quarter, the Swan Island Industrial Park, University of Portland, Cathedral Park, Bybee Lake, Smith lake, and eventually to Kelley Point Park (the meeting point of the Willamette River and Columbia River).

Waud Bluff Trail Plan. Courtesy: North Portland Greenway

While the specific project only covers a small distance of the entire trail system plan, many believe its completion will help jumpstart the rest of the project. A needed boost considering the City original adopted the Willamette Greenway Plan way back in 1979.

“The Waud Bluff trail is a crucial part of the North Portland Greenway because of how steep the trail is [14-percent grade],” said Kathleen Wadden, a project manager with Portland Parks & Recreation.

Wadden noted that this project was likely to be completed first because of the difficult terrain and the subsequent safety issues. Considering the slope of the trail, and the fact that it is used by 40 to 80 people a day already, it is important to get this project done for the safety of the environment and the users of the trail. It will also allow for the trail to be open year-round (it is currently closed through the winter due to bad conditions).

difficult terrain and safety issues make this project a priority

The project will be built in two phases. The first phase will consist of constructing the upper portion of the trail and the pedestrian/bike bridge that will go over a Union Pacific second way railroad tracks at the base of the bluff. Due to the slope, retaining walls will be built on the hillside of the upper trail. The trail will be 10’ wide and paved. The grade-separating bridge will be made of weathered steel and will be 70’ long and 23’ tall. There will be stairs opposite of the hillside with a bicycle tire gutter to help move bikes up and down them. The bridge will not be accessible by wheelchair or to those with physical disabilities. Construction of the first phase is set to begin sometime this summer, with a tentative completion set for sometime in the fall.

Before construction of the first phase can begin, Parks & Recreation still has to solve the issue of the pedestrian crossing on Willamette Boulevard at the access point of the trail. This has been the most discussed issue by surrounding neighbors at the two recent open houses. Considering the proposed crosswalk is located directly after a 90-degree blind corner (that nearby residents already feel is dangerous), neighbors are worried that motorists won’t have time to stop for crossing pedestrians or other motorists waiting for people to cross the street.

“We want to put a crosswalk at the top of the trail and possibly move the bus stop [located to the southeast of the trailhead] closer to the crossing,” said George Lozovoy, Waud Bluff project manager with Portland Parks & Recreation. “PBOT [Portland Bureau of Transportation] looks at every corner like this as a place for pedestrian crossing so they are comfortable with the plan for a crosswalk, but the neighbors seem to be a little weary.”

The proposed crosswalk [at the orange fencing] is of concern to residents

He continued, “We definitely don’t want to build something that nearby residents feel is dangerous, so we will be doing our best to look at all sides of the issue and come up with something that works for everyone.”

The second phase of the project will consist of building out the bottom half of the trail along a vacant road from the bridge to N. Basin Avenue, and implementing a stormwater management system for the entire trail. Parks & Recreation has a tentative plan to start the construction of this portion of the project in late summer of 2011.

The project will be constructed in two phases because the Bureau of Environmental Services is currently installing a large sewer pipe in the ground where the bottom portion of the trail will eventually be. Due to this inconvenience, BES awarded the project with a Community Benefits Opportunity Grant worth $192,000 that can go towards the construction of the lower trail.

The lower portion of the trail and where it continues on the other side of the tracks

Parks & Recreation also has plans to increase native vegetation along the trail, including oak and madrone trees. Invasive and non-native plants were removed from the upper portion of the bluff several years ago. Lozovoy believe that no trees will have to be removed in the construction of the trail.

Project cost estimates are currently at over $2 million. Lozovoy noted that at this moment there is an $800,000 shortfall, something he hopes to have figured out by the time the second phase of construction starts. He mentioned future federal stimulus monies as a possible solution.

Other possible snags in the project timeline include the Type Two Environmental Land Use Review that the project will be subject to (the Bureau of Developmental Services’ site development department noted two possible soil contamination sites on the property with levels of mercury and persistent halogenated hydrocarbons); as well as the logistics of building a trail on property owned by three different entities: City of Portland’s general services, Union Pacific and the Port of Portland.

One aspect of this specific trail that sets it apart from the other proposed trails along the North Portland Greenway is that it serves a utilitarian purpose in addition to its use as a recreation and nature trail.

Even when closed, there's evidence people use the trail to access Swan Island

“One major aspect of this project that I haven’t heard you talk about at today’s meeting [City pre-application conference] is that the trail is used primarily to connect North Portland residents to their jobs on Swan Island,” said Lenny Anderson, president of the Swan Island Transportation Management Association, a project of the Swan Island Business Association charged with expanding transportation options for Swan Island Employees through better transit service, increased pedestrian and bicycle access, and expanded rideshare opportunities. “We see this as a job access trail with the hope that one day it helps connect the greenway.”

The 40 to 80 people that currently use the trail on a given day are primarily made up of employees from nearby businesses. These include employees of the Daimler Trucks plant, the Coast Guard and UPS. Other nearby employees—Adidas, for example—use the current trail for mid-day exercise and recreation.

Anderson also noted his desire to see some of the great viewpoints from the trail implemented and strengthened within the design.

“In my opinion, there is a great view of the shipyard that shouldn’t be lost in this design,” he said.

The shipyard view from the bluff

Parks & Recreation is also in the process of designing another bike/pedestrian bridge further north along the proposed greenway trail system that will connect Chimney Park to Pier Park. The project is about 18-months away from construction, and is considered an important step in the realization of the North Portland Greenway.

Although funding is still sparse for long sections of the North Portland leg of the Willamette Greenway, these current projects are big steps. The City hopes to have the Eastbank Esplanade connected the Cathedral Park in the next ten years.

For more information on the efforts made by citizens to complete the North Portland Greenway, or to find out how to get involved, please visit the web site: http://www.npgreenway.org.

For more information on the Waud Bluff trail project, please visit the web site: http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=51450.

UPDATE 9/22/2011: "Waud Bluff Trail Construction Begins in North Portland"
By Cassandra Koslen, NeighborhoodNotes.com

UPDATE 3/24/2011: "Waud Bluff Path Final Design Heads to ODOT; Crucial Step Forward for North Portland Greenway"
By Amanda Waldroupe, NeighborhoodNotes.com