(Photo © J. Maus)
Multnomah County confirmed today that the biking and walking path on the Morrison Bridge will re-open permanently on December 5th. The path has been closed since early June while contractors work to replace the bridge’s steel grating due to safety concerns.
The project was supposed to be completed by mid-September but has been delayed due what The Oregonian refers to as a “messy environmental and bureaucratic fight.”
The Oregonian reported this morning that the holiday shopping season has provided the County with impetus to temporarily open two standard vehicle lanes in each direction. However, “in early January, the old detours and path closures will return, and motorized traffic will be reduced to two lanes once again,” says The O.
After reading that story, I contacted County spokesperson Mike Pullen. He said the biking and walking path will open on December 5th, and unlike the rest of the bridge roadway, “it will not close again.”
This is very good news for thousands of people who rely on the Morrison Bridge as a key connection from the Central Eastside to downtown (and vice versa). Bike advocates spent 12 years pushing for better bike access on the bridge and it has been painful to have it taken away after such a long wait!
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For more on this project, see our Morrison Bridge story tag and read coverage in The Oregonian.