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May 6th Meeting About River Pathway Construction Project



This is the drawing from the City for the river pathway "connector" section that will be constructed and as planned will be 10 feet wide. The other parts of the pathway, I don't believe will be changed
This is the drawing from the City for the river pathway "connector" section that will be constructed and as planned will be 10 feet wide. The other parts of the pathway, I don't believe will be changed

You're invited to join us on Wednesday May 6th at 4pm for our Neighborhood Association Board meeting with guests Kyra Haggart from Parks & Rec and her boss Jeff Munro (who is the new Head of Parks & Rec).


We’ll meet at the Picnic Shelter in George Rogers off Furnace Street and start our discussion promptly at 4pm for Kyra to share an update and answer questions. 


We’re all glad about this new riverfront path. 


This meeting is to understand the construction process, timeline and how traffic flow will be proactively managed to avoid a pedestrian or cyclist tragedy and our neighborhood streets becoming the overflow parking lot for construction employees and vehicles along with park visitors who cannot find parking. 


We can do a walk about down to the river after Kyra’s update. She said she’d stay to answer Furnace Street neighbors specific questions about their properties. 


LO Traffic Engineering Lead Will Farley was invited and responded:

"It’s too soon to know what I have on that day, but I’ll mark my calendar and keep it in mind. Thanks, Will Farley, P.E.

Assistant City Engineer – Development Review & Permitting

Public Works – Engineering 503-635-0274"


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New Information


And what it's like at George Rogers Park and the neighborhood in the summer:


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Here's an update from the City on the project

This project will fill a critical gap in the Willamette River Greenway Trail through Lake Oswego and will complete the connection between three of Lake Oswego’s riverfront parks: Foothills Park, Roehr Park, and George Rogers Park. With this missing gap filled, Lake Oswego will complete a continuous 2.25-mile stretch of regional multi-use pathway along the Willamette River. In addition to providing recreational opportunities, completion of this pathway will offer safe walking and biking connections to downtown from neighborhoods south of George Rogers Park and Oswego Creek.


Schedule

The estimated completion and opening date for this project is Fall 2026.

The following schedule is an estimate only and is subject to change.

  • Design and Land Use Review: Summer-Fall 2025

  • Construction Documents and Bidding: Winter 2025-Spring 2026

  • Construction: Spring-Fall 2026


Funding

  • Estimated Project Cost: $1,750,000

  • Funding Source(s): Metro Local Share (submittal in progress), Parks General Fund, System Development Charges (SDCs), Mt. Hood Territory Strategic Investment Program grant


My husband and I walked the pathway from Rohr Park and saw the markers out for how wide the pathway will be in the new section. See photos below.




More information and maps here on the City's website


UPDATE with QUESTIONS from Neighbors


"One question I would like to ask Kyra on May 6th is whether bicycle riders will be allowed to take the path that circles the lawn or will they be directed to take the road behind the furnace and ride through the parking lot as they do now.  The paths circling the lawn are slightly less than 6 feet wide; the new trail is supposed to be 10 feet wide with a one foot shoulder on each side.

If bicycles are allowed to use the path that circles the lawn, they will be whizzing by the restroom, past both stairways to the beach and threading their way through families with little kids, dog walkers, and people carrying kayaks to the beach. "


Many neighbors and OTNA Board Members share this concern. See photos below.




And one neighbor is asking the same question with this possible solution: "Speedy bikes meet congested walking areas. Will it become "Walk Bikes" sign situation (like this picture I took on the Vancouver Washington waterfront) or...?"


Safety Related Concerns:

  • How will the safety of people using this path be enforced?

  • How is this going to work with the 10 foot wide pathway connecting to a much narrower pathway at GRP? And then over the bridge to that pathway connecting to Old River Road? We want to see a "traffic flow" plan for pedestrians, cyclists, people on strollers, people walking dogs, people using walkers and wheelchairs for all the pathways, not just this new one.

  • Has the City benchmarked with Manhattan Beach? Bend? Carlsbad? They have paths marked for pedestrians and other paths for cyclists.

  • This will be a nice idea. What is the City doing to ensure that it doesn't connect with Portland and all the problems coming from there to here?

  • Has anyone with expertise (or common sense) in how people actually get from GRP to Old River Road been engaged in this? People now ride through the lower GRP parking lot that people are parked in, backing out of, trying to Park or turning around because there isn't a parking spot. More cyclists should not be added to this chaos. Now cyclists "packs" of 3-15 people are riding into GRP to get to Mary S. Young via Old River Road. This is just flat out crazy unsafe."


Why is the City NOT ACTING on putting no parking signs on Furnace between the park and Wilbur Street?

The Old Town Neighbors and the OTNA have been asking for this simple, effective and inexpensive solution for more than a year when we had a neighborhood "walk about" with City leaders from all involved departments before last summer:



These photos were taken on Sunday May 3, 2026. Old Town neighborhood should NOT be the overflow parking lot for GRP. The City needs to proactively manage this traffic flow and parking situation.
These photos were taken on Sunday May 3, 2026. Old Town neighborhood should NOT be the overflow parking lot for GRP. The City needs to proactively manage this traffic flow and parking situation.

These photos were taken Sunday May 3, 2026 of visitors backing up to get into GRP from Furnace Street with people parking on both sides of Furnace and cars also driving through, along with people walking in the middle of the street plus cyclists using Furnace Street as their access to GRP and the pathway to Old River
These photos were taken Sunday May 3, 2026 of visitors backing up to get into GRP from Furnace Street with people parking on both sides of Furnace and cars also driving through, along with people walking in the middle of the street plus cyclists using Furnace Street as their access to GRP and the pathway to Old River

Why isn't Traffic/Engineering talking to the LO Police/CSO Officers to understand their perspective and recommendations for managing the chaos?

  • "There was an accident on Sunday (May 3rd) on Furnace with someone backing their car into another car. It could have been into a person or a cyclist or a mom pushing a stroller. The woman police officer was here and saw the accident and was writing tickets."

  • "Sgt Hall and his team are over here all the time when it's busy. They know the problems and have practical recommendations. The City staff aren't over here on weekends and evenings when the chaos reigns."

  • "Our police are excellent and responsive. Why don't they have a voice to affect traffic flow and what areas should be no parking? They deal with the problems. Get them involved in recommending how to address them please."

  • "The fire department should also be involved."


The City of LO is NOT acting as "good neighbors" to the people who live in Old Town

  • "We do NOT want to be the overflow parking lot for GRP! These people are not coming from LO. They are coming from all over and LO residents trying to get to ball games, camps and playgrounds are competing for parking with all these other people. Parks & Rec continues to create activities that draw more people (Kayak and Paddle board rentals, camps, events) with NO PARKING PLAN and NO TRAFFIC FLOW plan.

  • "This is a tragedy waiting to happen.

  • "It is WRONG that our neighborhood streets all the way up to Leonard are the overflow parking lot. The City needs to take proactive CONTROL of this situation."

  • "The concerts at Foothills Park have clear beginning and end with people coming early and perhaps staying afterwards and the City is very proactive about managing traffic flow and parking for those events. The situation at GRP when it's hot goes from morning to night with a constant stream of people coming and going and trying to find parking. This is CHAOS."

  • "Locals use of the park is negatively affected by all the MOBS of people who come from outside of LO. We can't find parking close to the playground, the ball fields, dropping kids off for camps with all these other people coming just for the beach."

  • "The people who come to get to the beach are different...The people who come to GRP to the July 4th pancake breakfast are locals. The people who come for the Arts Festival and Car Show are respectful visitors for those contained weekend or day events. The situation at GRP with 'the beach' is not the same. These people Parks & Rec has told us their data shows are not from LO. They hear about LO and descend on our park but we as taxpayers have to pay to clean up after them and deal with all the problems they bring in. And it's constant from May - Labor Day when the weather is hot. The City needs to manage this."

  • "These people who come to get to the 'beach' are not spending money in our restaurants and shops. Why are we allowing them to overtake our park and neighborhood? There's no economic or other benefit. They aren't even charged for parking."

  • "I have concerns, like many, about how the bike path will negatively impact our neighborhood by increasing traffic congestion and parking issues. 

    • I strongly suggest that the City take action to reduce congestion/parking issues by doing the following.

      - Roehr Park appears to be very underutilized. The amphitheater is adjacent to the bike path and there is a ramp to the dock  that should be utilized to launch kayaks and stand-up-paddle boards (SUPs). The large concrete amphitheater could be used for the Alder Creek Rentals instead of using George Rogers Park. Other SUP/kayak users should also be encouraged to use the ramp and dock for launching their water craft.

      - There should be opening ceremonies and much advertising about the opening of the bike path and within that advertising campaign it should be strongly encouraged for bikers to start from Roehr  Park instead of GRP. There is a lot of parking very close to the amphitheater/ Roehr Park/Foothills Park, which will be an advantage over starting from George Rogers Park, for those driving to the bike path. There should be opening ceremonies with drinks and giveaways on the amphitheater concrete pad, adjacent to where Alder Creek can do their rentals. (Maybe some day high school students can even sell goodies there ( sort of like they do at the swim park).

      Parks and Recreation staff, please take these actions, to reduce the congestion of the Old Town neighborhood and the overutilization of George Rogers Park in the summer. (Please see pictures, attached.)"

Photos sent in by a neighbor about kayaks and paddle boards launching from Rohr Park
Photos sent in by a neighbor about kayaks and paddle boards launching from Rohr Park

What is their Plan to Manage Crowds on Hot Weather Days?

"My question: What is their plan to manage crowds on hot weather days? Adding to that is that at Sauvies Island hey are managing them via a permit system. And traveling in Europe crowds were managed by tickets and timed entries. Permits for non LO residents might be a solution. They don’t have to cost anything but there would be a limited number. If Foothills and Roehr parks don’t have a problem they could be redirected there. Also signs in the George Rogers parking lot directing them to the other parks and discouraging them from parking in the neighborhood. My two cents."


Parking Concerns


Concerns Raised about eBikes on new and old paths

  • "The kids on the eBikes are already crazy fast and dangerous. They don't know how to drive so they don't know rules. Other cities are creating laws and enforcing them. What is LO doing? Is the City benchmarking with other cities?




Trash left at "the beach"

"George Rodgers beach . I was shocked to see how visitors had left it after the warm day Sunday. There were dozens of sand toys strewed across the entire beach. An upside down shade canopy, a new beach chair, pairs of sandals and water shoes, food scraps , dirty diapers tucked  In the rocks . All these items within 10-20 yards of multiple trash cans. My visiting friend and I picked up the toys and placed them in a pile. I wish I had taken more photos before we started. I was disgusted and feel badly for  the park maintenance crew who are have to pick up after these thoughtless visitors."



As we hear more questions, we'll continue to post them here.



 
 
 

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