Northeast Portland Photo Gallery | Residents get a look at the Sullivan's Gulch Trail plan
Photo by Shannon L. Cheesman, KATU.com Producer/Reporter
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PORTLAND, Ore. - An idea to build a trail that runs from the Gateway area to the Eastbank Esplanade drew the attention of some Northeast Portland residents who showed up at an open house Wednesday evening to see what it's all about.
Sullivan's Gulch Trail would be a 5.6-mile multi-use trail running along Interstate 84 connecting Interstate 205 to the Willamette River across from downtown Portland.
It's an idea that's been around for awhile - it first appeared in the city's transportation plan 16 years ago, according to the Portland Bureau of Transportation. Last summer the project finally got under way after some federal funds became available to begin the planning.
Right now this is in the early stages - while the city has determined the trail is feasible, there is no funding for the work at this point and it hasn't even gone before the City Council for their approval.
And like any major project, there are a lot of things to consider. For example, the city doesn't own all of the land where the trail would go. Union Pacific Railroad actually owns the majority of the land - 64 percent. The City of Portland owns 26 percent, the Oregon Department of Transportation owns 4 percent and 6 percent is owned by private property owners. So getting access to the land will take some work.
But the folks who are heading up the Sullivan's Gulch idea are moving forward and were happy to meet with local residents Wednesday night to talk about the proposed project.
Next month they plan to review community input and share their plan with committees and groups that have a vested interest, like the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. They also hope to have a cost estimate by that point and then by April, be able to bring the idea before the City Council.
Related Links
- BikePortland.org, Jan. 9, 2012 - Sullivan's Gulch misses out on funding opp: Here's what made the cut
- The Portland Tribune, June 30, 2011 - Sullivan’s Gulch Trail waits to get on track
