Clackamas County is leading a study to determine if it is feasible to build a pedestrian/bicycle bridge across the Willamette River between unincorporated Oak Grove and the city of Lake Oswego. The study is funded by Metro, in partnership with Lake Oswego, Milwaukie and the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District.
In Oak Grove, the area being studied extends from Rivervilla Park south to the Oak Grove boat ramp. In Lake Oswego, the area being studied extends from Tryon Creek Park to just south of Roehr Park.
The study has identified possible bridge “landing locations” on publicly owned property on each side of the river. These locations were selected to minimize impacts to residential neighborhoods and meet the requirements for bridge height to provide clearance for river traffic.
On July 22, the county reviewed the landing locations and possible alignments with the Community Advisory Committee. Committee members reviewed and discussed the landing location and bridge alignment options, in relation to technical criteria and values documented during their first committee meeting.
The county is conducting an online open house, now through Aug. 9, to collect public input. They are also holding two public meetings, Aug. 5 and Aug. 7, in Lake Oswego and Oak Grove.
Monday, Aug. 5
6 to 8 p.m.
Lake Oswego Maintenance Center
17601 Pilkington Road, Lake Oswego
Wednesday, Aug. 7
7 to 9 p.m.
Rose Villa Performing Arts Center
13505 SE River Road, Oak Grove
This is the second river crossing the county is in the midst of studying, the first being the proposed French Prairie Bike & Ped Bridge connecting Wilsonville with Aurora, Donald and Canby near the existing Interstate 5 Boones Ferry Bridge.
Some residents are concerned that with these new projects, the county could lose sight of an existing river crossing that is important to many in the Canby area.
“My fear is that the Canby Ferry will get lost in the excitement of these new possible bridges,” one resident told us an email, adding that she’s afraid “the Ferry could cease operation due to lack of funding sometime in the next 10 or so years.”
The county spent the better part of last year studying the Canby Ferry, with the ultimate direction of trying a “patchwork” solution to close — or at least narrow — the ferry’s operational funding gap of approximately $400,000 a year. Throughout the process, the county held several meetings in the Canby area to collect input from residents, most of them attended by upwards of 200 people.
