downtown Portland.
(Photo: Ben McLeod)
Heavy rains have caused a landslide that’s just a few feet away from the paved Springwater on the Willamette trail. Reader Ben McLeod sent us a photo of the situation a few hours ago. McLeod tells us the slide is located just about 300-500 feet south of the Ross Island boathouse.
Portland Parks spokesperson Beth Sorensen says their staff is already aware of the slide and a geotech engineer with the Bureau of Environmental Services is “continually monitoring the situation.” Sorensen adds that “People should exercise caution” in the area. Signs saying, “Unstable banks – Stay on paved trail” have already gone up, but the trail is not closed at this time.
The Springwater Trail provides a crucial link between downtown and Southeast Portland and the Sellwood neighborhood. A closure of the trail for any length of time would be a major inconvenience. We’ll keep you posted if any closures are announced.