for nearly seven months.
A section of NW Thompson Road between Cornell and Skyline Blvd has been closed since January and Multnomah County says they still don’t know when it will re-open. This portion of Thompson is very popular for people bicycling from northwest Portland up into the West Hills because it provides a low-traffic connection to Skyline Blvd (not to mention a nice climb).
The closure came after a landslide caused by heavy winter rains threatened to erode the shoulder and one of the traffic lanes. County spokesman Mike Pullen says they don’t have the money to make needed repairs to Thompson, or an existing landslide on NW Newberry (which hasn’t resulted in a full closure).
I asked Pullen for an update on the Thompson closure. “It’s been very slow,” he said. “We’re in the process of making a decision where it looks like we can only afford one repair this year.”
Pullen said they are considering opening Thompson up with just one lane and installing a temporary traffic signal.
The complete repair of Thompson would cost more than the County could afford this year and Pullen says it won’t happen until 2012. The temporary, one-lane option however, could be up and running by the “end of summer.”
Could the County re-open the road to bikes only? “I think we’re interested in having all modes be able access the road,” says Pullen.
Do you ride on Thompson? If so, has this closure impacted you?