More details have emerged about the official dedication of the three bridges project on the Springwater Corridor Trail.
[From the official invitation]
Officials will gather on October 19th from 10:30-12 noon at the SE 19th and Ochoco trailhead.
Scheduled to appear are Portland Parks & Recreation Director Zari Santner, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Milwaukie Mayor Jim Bernard, Metro Councilors Rex Burkholder and Brian Newman, and City Commissioner Sam Adams.
There will also be live music by the Sir James McDonald Pipe Band.
Metro has also announced their “Three Bridges Grand Opening Celebration: Making Connections” which will happen on May 19th. Stay tuned for details on that event.
Thanks for reading.
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does the three bridges gap actually open up after this event? or is it still closed at the springwater trailhead at 45th due to the ongoing sewer upgrade hoo-hah?
i have friends who have moved down there recently, and in the few times i’ve been near that big chain-link fence at 45th & Johnson’s Creek, i’ve seen a heck of a lot of bicyclists either banging their heads against it or climbing right over it with their bikes, combat cyclocross style.
the 19th is my birthday, but if i can’t actually ride across the three bridges until May, then i don’t see the point of showing up …
The bridges gap is open, but the sewer project area is still closed off. From the west end, you can ride to the trails that go up to Johnson Creek from the east end of the 3 Bridges project area. I don’t know how far east you can go before hitting a fence (or if you even hit a fence)
I’ll take a ride by there later this week when I get a chance and post the results to this thread.
The sewer work is scheduled to be complete –and the trail reopened — by November 1st.
for info go to:
http://www.portlandonline.com
and search “Lents Interceptor”
There’s a “sneaker” route (actually not all that sneaky) that’s a bit more direct than the bike detours shown on the website, plus you get to use the 3 Bridges. Heading east, about 300 feet after you cross the third bridge (over the RR), you can bear off to the right on a path that quickly connects to Sherrett St. – follow it east, turn left at 32nd, and you’re at the Johnson Creek Blvd. bike lanes – continue east on JCB to pick up the trail again at 45th.
OK I am confused. I have only ridden Springwater Corrider along the river. If I were heading out of downtown, is it past Sellwood? I can’t read the street names on the maps at all.
SKiDmark,
continue past (under) the Sellwood Bridge on the trail. Take a left (east) where the trail ends a few blocks after the Sellwoood Bridge, at Umatilla. Follow Umatilla to 19th, then hang a Right (south) and go about 4 blocks & you’ll run into the trail entrance. Follow it east and you’ll cross the 3 bridges in short order.
SKiDmark – you can then take it all the way to Boring. Once you get to Gresham, the crappy chipseal becomes lovely smooth asphalt and it is a nice ride. Until then it is a headache-inducing joltfest, esp. if you’re riding skinny tires and/or an aluminum frame.
as a sellwood resident, i think this is kind of exciting, but it would be great if the city added some type of signal at Linn & Ochoco instead of having to come at it from the north.
Randy, Portland Parks & Rec is currently seeking funding for the “Sellwood Gap” (the unpaved/undeveloped part of the trail between Umatilla & 6th and Ochoco & 19th. I’d guess that the trail crossing of SE 17th would include a signal, as they’re seeking $1.6 million, but wouldn’t swear to it.
Thanks for the info. I will try to be at the bridge opening.
Jeff,
Why does the City find it “disappointing” that the bicycle counts are low on the westside, but spend their money on the eastside? I realize the $1.6 million in this case is for Parks, not PDOT, but it seems like a common occurrence…
We have a whole lot of bike lanes over here. I know there is a bike path next to the 26 freeway but I can’t figure out how to get to it, so maybe the $$$$$ should be spent on science.
um signage…
I think that bike path on Hwy 26 was paid for by ODOT…
So I thought the bridge opening thingy was today and I went out there and once again the issue of signage came up. there is one sign, as you leave the bikeway , telling you that it resumes one mile up the road. If someone on here had not directed me to turn on 19th I would not have known where to turn as there is no sign. I don’t know what it is about Portland and the lack of signage for anything. Maybe it is because I come from a tourist town, San Diego, where you can go from anywhere to anywhere by simply following signs.
So if anyone knows how to get from TV Hwy. (Canyon Rd) to that bike path along 26 I’d love to know…..
It’s not terribly easy to get to the bike path from Canyon Rd, at least I haven’t found a good way…
I usually take Walker from Hillsboro heading east…. make a left on Park Way (past Nike just a bit). Make an immediate right to stay on Park — follow Park past Cedar Hills Blvd and up a steep hill to Marlow (this is where the sky bridge from Sunset TC touches down for those who may be heading west via Cornell/Barnes…) Make a right on Marlow, then one block later make a left on Wilshire. Follow Wilshire across Hwy 217 and make a left at Knollcrest. One block up you will see a turn out that is the trail head of the Hwy 26 bike path. It is completely unmarked and very well hidden. You can take it all the way to the zoo (you’ll need to cross the overpass at Camelot), then from there you have to take Washington park roads to get the rest of the way downtown (very annoying) or ride the shoulder of Hwy 26 (legal once construction gets done but scary at times) from the zoo to the PGE park exit.
Ooops, in the parentheses, I meant “those heading EAST from Cornell/Barnes” — my bad.
Does anybody have any details on the current status of closing the Sellwoood Gap? I read in the Sellwood-Moreland Bee this week that the owner of the Oregon Pacific Railroad is proposing to trade a trail easement, presumably next to the rail line, for 11 acres of land in Oak Bottom Wildife Refuge so he can construct a railroad museum. Thanks.
Mat