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East County
Beaverton
North Portland
The Waud B luff Trail Project in north Portland has hit a major milestone with the construction o f a bridge linking the steep bluff overlooking Swan Island to the industrial
area below. The trail will dramatically shorten the time it takes to ge t to the Willamette River landmark for thousands o f bike and foot commuters and visitors.
T railfor B ik esand Feet
Waud Bluff project
moves to completion
A trail connecting travelers from Swan Island
to North Willamette Boulevard is expected to be
complete by the end of the month.
After six years of outreach and planning, work
on Waud Bluff Trail began in 2011 and reached
a major milestone in December with the comple­
tion of a bridge crossing over the Union Pacific
railroad tracks.
Coif Construction, the company hired for the
$3 million project, is finishing the final touches on
the 1,700-foot trail and bridge, however, weather
and limited access continue to slow the process,
said city officials.
Workers are waiting to pave the remaining
portion of the upper trail, where storm drainage,
curbing, and fencing also still need installing,
said Portland Parks and Recreation Spokesman
Mark Ross.
Also, the bridge still needs a walking surface,
he said. And among other remaining details to
complete, are the bus stop, crosswalk and con­
crete island near the Waud Bluff trailhead on
Willamette Boulevard.
The trail connects to Swan Island via North
Willamette Boulevard and Harvard Street, near
the northeast comer of the University of Port­
land.
M ore than 6,000 native plants, including
Oregon ash, vine maple, creeping Oregon
grape and goldenrod will decorate the path­
way that will mostly benefit Swan Island visi­
tors, workers, custom ers, or recreational us­
ers, going to or from Swan Island to north
Portland.
Without the trail and during construction, the
only safe way for commuters to get from the steep
bluff overlooking Swan Island to the business
area below was to detour three miles on North
Going Street.
In the end, the Waud Bluff Trail will provide a
link for the planned North Portland Greenway
Trail, a path for walkers and bicycles to connect
the Steel Bridge in downtown Portland to Cathe­
dral Park near the St. Johns Bridge and extending
through Baltimore Woods to Kelley Point Park
where the Willamette River enters the Columbia
River.