Construction to start this summer on new river pathway

Hello Old Town Neighborhood. I attended the City planning meeting on the river pathway on March 20, 2025.  The meeting was between City Planning, Parks & Rec and the landscape contractor hired for the pathway. 

Highlights

• They are hoping to begin construction of the pathway this summer. 

  • They know this is the "high usage" time for the river and that Furnace street is a key access for people walking, biking to the river.  They will put up signage to help ensure safety of people coming to the river see this is a construction site.

  • I asked if they would please let us know when the project is ready to start.  That's not required but Kyra said she would do this.

• Kyra Haggart from Parks & Rec said she has started talking with Furnace Street neighbors who want to know the construction plans so that they can coordinate work on their property.  

• The neighbors whose properties front the pathway were told there would be an 8 foot high chain fence between their properties and the pathway.  City codes allow only a 6 foot fence. (It sounded like an 8 foot high fence was allowed by code with landscaping - something to ask about).

• What's shown on the maps they said is not correct...

  • It comes from the tax assessor.

  • There will be a new map developed.

  • The floodplain line they said was correct

• There are no plans for the pathway to be lighted nor will there be any new buildings along the new pathway.

• There are many approval processes yet to go through and each must be sequential vs in parallel.  Each sounded like they may take up to 4 weeks.

  • Erosion

  • Grading (part of stormwater)

  • Floodplain 

  • Tree protection

  • Tree rules

  • (The state also has a separate process for archeological investigation)

• Trees need to be removed.  And they will need property owners authorization.  The City Arborist will be involved. 

• Stormwater management sounded like it was their concern. 

  • When I asked if the pathway was designed to handle flooding they said yes "the path would accept a flood".  And that if the drainage didn't work properly, more drainage could/would be added.

• I shared that as a neighborhood we are all VERY grateful for the City Park Maintenance Team at GRP and want to recognize their excellent work. And to ensure they are equipped to handle maintaining the pathway as well.  

Lots of people with a lot of expertise involved in this pathway project from many different city departments plus external contractors for landscaping. 

Let's keep each other in the loop! 

Here's information from Parks & Rec's website about the project: "George Rogers Park River Access Path: Construct an ADA accessible 10-foot-wide multi-use path with switchbacks and handrails connecting the restrooms at George Rogers Park to the Willamette River at the bottom of the hill. ADA access to this area of the riverfront is currently limited by dense invasive brush and a steep bank. This path segment will eventually connect to the pathway extension at Roehr Park to the north, and will serve as an important link in the Willamette River Greenway Regional Trail, which follows the east and west banks of the Willamette River from Champoeg State Park to the river’s confluence with the Columbia in North Portland. Click here to view a map of this project."

Derrith Schmidt, Old Town Lake Oswego Neighbor