Eight years after it was first conceived, a piece of the Salmonberry Trail will be officially opened to the public this Saturday.
The one-mile long segment of paved path is known as the Hoquarton Trail. It was constructed as part of a $36 million Oregon Department of Transportation-funded highway project where Highway 6 and Highway 101 intersect at the northern end of historic downtown Tillamook.
Salmonberry Trail Foundation Director Alana Kambury confirmed with us today that the they consider this path the first official mile in the 86-mile project that will eventually connect all the way to the Banks-Vernonia Trail in Washington County. Kambury says several board members of the newly formed STIA nonprofit will be attendance at a major event Saturday hosted by the Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce.
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According to SalmonberryTrail.org, “The mile-plus paved multi-use trail will utilize an old east-west railroad spur that ran along the south bank of Hoquarton Slough connecting Goodspeed Park east of downtown with the developing Hoquarton waterfront core area.”
The new trail not only connects to the Salmonberry, it will also help revitalize the waterfront along the slough and offer locals a safe, carfree way to get downtown. Read more about this exciting development via the Tillamook Headlight Herald.
CORRECTION, 5/3 at 6:30 am: This story originally stated that Alana Kambury is the executive director of the Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agency (STIA). That was incorrect. She is the executive director of the newly formed Salmonberry Trail Foundation, a nonprofit partner of STIA. I regret the error and any confusion it caused.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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Nice! The best news of the day!!
(I am already starting to dream of a nice car-free and carefree bike tour camping trip through this future route to the sea.)
Lots of work and money needed to restore this line. Trees, brush, washouts, landslides. And, I wonder what happened to that old geared locomotive that sat abandoned and covered with brambles for decades on a siding about a third of the way into the rail line from the east? It’s gone now, and I can’t imagine how whoever managed to get it out of there. There are no trails or roads. Just the overgrown rail line and most of the tracks were gone.
Meth is a powerful motivator for scrappers…assuming the floods did not take it first…
Looking at the photo, that pavement doesn’t seem to meet the new AASHTO standards. Has Oregon turned its back on following those? AASHTO finally got something mostly right (14′ bike path width minimum with another foot added when there is significant pedestrian traffic). It would be a shame if our habit of making bike infrastructure overly narrow based on the old standards stays in place when everyone recognizes the need for better paths.
This is very exciting!
Have there been cost estimates of doing the whole trail? I heard certain parts would require some engineering to accomplish.
Unfortunately when the funds become available there will be years of public meetings held for every mile that is allocated. Then engineering studies and more hearings until the funds are depleted.
But enough about the Columbia Crossing…
Stay positive everyone. First steps are difficult steps and construction means these first steps were taken a long time ago. There will be engineering, NEPA requirements, landslides, floods, thorns, and thieving otters (just checking if you are still with me) but the finished project will be freaking awesome. These efforts take time but are totally worth it. Thanks #BikePortland for the great news!
Leif Erickson, to other unpaved roads and trails to skappose – then CZ to Vernonia, lunch in Vernonia, to Salmonberry. Retrun trip = Logging roads from Tillamook to Wilson river trail, more logging roads back to Banks Vernonia, Pumpkin Ridge and home… pretty good mostly off road loop.
CORRECTION, 5/3 at 6:30 am: This story originally stated that Alana Kambury is the executive director of the Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agency (STIA). That was incorrect. She is the executive director of the newly formed Salmonberry Trail Foundation, a nonprofit partner of STIA. I regret the error and any confusion it caused.
It will be good for people of all abilities to move as freely as cars.