The Salmonberry Corridor project is moving ahead with as much steam as the Southern Pacific railroad cars that used to rumble through it in the early 1900s.
The project aims to re-open the derelict, 86-mile rail corridor to recreational use. When complete, it will connect the existing Banks-Vernonia rail-trail with the city of Tillamook on the Oregon Coast via a combination of paved and natural surface paths. Amazing huh?
You might recall our story back in June that teased a few of the potential design concepts being drawn up by project consultants. Now, as of last week, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has released the Salmonberry Corridor Draft Concept Plan (PDF, 44MB).
In that plan (which was funded by Cycle Oregon) are detailed before/after renderings that give us our best view yet of what it will be like to use the new paths once they’re built. We’ve pulled them out of the 125-page document for your convenience. Check them out:
Looks pretty great huh?
If you’d like to tell OPRD what you think of this plan, please consider making a comment. You can either leave a comment on the official blog, or email State Trails Coordinator Rocky Houston at rocky.houston@oregon.gov. Another way to weigh in and learn more is to attend the Metro hearing when the plan will be presented on September 25th.
For more info, browse our past coverage or head over to the Salmonberry Corridor project blog.