Metro, City purchase land to build trail in Baltimore Woods

Baltimore Woods looking south
with St. Johns Bridge in the background.
(Photo: NPGreenway)

Metro and the City of Portland have collaborated to purchase six acres of land north of the St. Johns Bridge where they plan to extend the Willamette River Greenway Trail by over one-third mile. The $1.9 million purchase was made possible by Metro’s 2006 natural areas bond measure, the City of Portland’s Grey to Green initiative.

The land is an area known as Baltimore Woods and is located adjacent to N. Decatur Street at North Caitlin Avenue. A statement from Metro says the purchase will “help fill the gap between Cathedral and Pier parks.”

Trail alignment through Baltimore Woods.

Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder, who celebrated the purchase with citizen advocates from the Friends of Baltimore Woods over the weekend, said, “Today’s investments lay the groundwork for many wonderful walks and bike rides.” Metro worked with two City bureaus, Environmental Services (BES), and Parks & Recreation to make this deal happen.

Since funding came in part through BES and their Grey to Green program, the City plans to “re-green” the land in addition to building a trail. Baltimore Woods is home to a rare stand of white oak trees and associated wildlife habitat.

Baltimore Woods looms large in the trail alignments recommended by NPGreenway, the local non-profit pushing for the completion of the Willamette River Greenway Trail into North Portland. Back in March, Metro allotted $444,800 in federal funds for a master plan study of the northern section of the Willamette River Greenway Trail. With the acquisition of this land, yet another chunk of that future trail is just waiting to be built.