Crane Swings Big Pipe Portal Into Place on Swan Island Greenway Trail

A large crane carefully swung the woven metal arch over the trail. It was an early Saturday morning on Swan Island, and mist still hung in the hills across the Willamette River. City of Portland crews and the metal artist, Ean Eldred, guided one end of the arch onto its concrete pedestal. Cautiously, and with respect for the art piece, the crew in hard hats looked like they belonged on an industrial site as they pulled out tools to tightened the pieces together. One crew member motioned to the crane operator to give some slack, others twisted wrenches to tighten the Big Pipe Portal to its concrete base.

The pedestal concrete is made from sections of the Big Pipe, the massive sewer pipe running under the Willamette River from the west to the east, part of the Bureau of Environmental Services Combined Sewerage Overflow project. Some of the metal in the arch comes from rebar also used in the Big Pipe project. Designers with rhiz A+D, a Portland intradisiplinary design studio, successfully created the piece to make the Big Pipe visible. The diameter of the Big Pipe Portal is the same as the pipe under the Willamette River. Other elements of the twisting metal on the arch represent the current and eddies of the river. The sculpture was funded by a percent for art from constuction of the sewerage pump station on Swan Island.

For a dramatic effect, The Big Pipe Portal straddles an entry to the Greenway Trail on Swan Island. The arch will welcome trail walkers with a framed view of the river and west hills as they step onto the trail.

Thanks to the work by Bureau of Environmental Services, Portland Parks and Recreation and designers and artists rhiz A + D. http://www.rhizaplusd.com/ for this signature entry to the Greenway Trail on Swan Island.

Directions: Trail entrance on N Port Center Rd off of N Going St on Swan Island.

npGREENWAY on Travel Oregon Blog

npGREENWAY on Travel Oregon Blog
Originally uploaded by npGREENWAY

npGREENWAY Board Member, Francie Royce, wrote an article that was published on the Travel Oregon blog today.

Walking the Greenway Trail on Swan Island
By Francie Royce

Swan Island, an industrial hub in North Portland, home to heavy industry and distribution warehouses, would seem an unlikely location for a trail for wildlife viewing on the Willamette River. Those who do walk this flat one mile trail of the future North Portland Willamette Greenway Trail will be pleasantly surprised to find a nice mix between viewing wildlife and a working river. It is one of the few locations for public access to the Willamette River in North Portland.

On a sunny but chilly October afternoon as I walk along and look out on the north flowing Willamette River, black and white ring necked Canadian Geese calmly sit on the water in floating formation, tug boats chug by, and fishermen in small pleasure craft dangle their lines into the water hopefully. [...]

Click here to read the entire story on the Travel Oregon Blog.

Metro Needs assistance with Trail Counting

Metro needs some help calibrating an infrared trail counter.

Robert Spurlock, Metro's Associate Regional Trails Planner, asked if we could round up some folks to assist with the process. He needs to calibrate the infrared trail counters by comparing the tool's data to a hand count. He needs four different trail counts completed. One two hour count during a week day and one two hour count during a weekend at both Smith Bybee Wetlands and Mount Talbert Park.

If you have time to assist, please e-mail Mark Pickett to let him know when you could be available. Mark will relay the info to Robert.

Portlanders are lobbying for Bikes in D.C.

National Bike Summit - Day two-40
Originally uploaded by BikePortland.org

In case you didn't know it, we thought we'd let you know that there is a delegation of Oregonians in D.C. right now lobbying for us at the National Bike Summit. I love this photo of Bike Gallery Owner, Jay Graves revealing his 'inner portland' underneath his jacket and button up shirt.
GO PORTLAND!
Between meetings on Capitol Hill, Maus of BikePortland.org
found free wi-fi and an outlet in Union Station.
Originally uploaded by BikePortland.org

To read more about the 2009 National Bike Summit, you can follow all the coverage at BikePortland.org.

no 33 || Great News!! $444,800 approved for North Willamette Greenway Plan

npGREENWAY Newsletter North Portland Greenway Trail Advocacy 2009 March 05 Issue no 033

We've been sending a lot of messages to the npGREENWAY community asking for your support. We have already expressed our gratitude for your response supporting the greenway in large numbers. This morning, we are very pleased to announce that progress has been made. One of our volunteers attended a meeting of the Metro Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) this morning where they presented their final recommendation to the Metro Council for projects that would receive Regional Flexible Funds (RFF). After a very competitive process the final recommendation was made; including $444,800 in project development funds for the Willamette Greenway Trail: N Columbia Blvd - Steel Bridge. There are still some formalities to go through, but in our understanding, this was the largest hurdle that was remaining in the process. Metro Council is scheduled to consider the JPACT recommendation at its March 19th meeting, completing the process. Your actions had a direct result on the outcome. This is acknowledged in a memo stating "TPAC considered the comments received during the public comment period. This was reflected by [...] recommending funding of the North Willamette Greenway master plan; the project receiving the most public support from the public comment period." Thank you and have a great weekend!

Go To npGREENWAY.org» or follow us on twitter at: twitter.com/npgreenway»

no 032 || Waud Bluff Trail needs to be part of Fed Stimulus Funding

npGREENWAY Newsletter North Portland Greenway Trail Advocacy 2009 March 02 Issue no 032

Support NEEDED from Mayor, Parks and Metro for Waud Bluff Trail in Stimulus Funding! deadline for input tomorrow March 3rd NOTE: the deadline for submitting public comments may be extended if substantial changes are made to project list. As you have no doubt seen, heard, or read in the news, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is attempting to economically stimulate our economy by distributing funds across the country. "Metro anticipates about $38 million to be available to fund city and county transportation projects in the Portland metropolitan region as part of the federal economic stimulus package. Because the stimulus package is geared toward immediate job creation, the project selection process is on a short timeline."[1] As many of you know, Waud Bluff Trail was originally awarded $1.2 Million after an incredibly competitive grant application process in the fall of 2004. There were projects from all over the state in the running for a fairly small pot...$7 Million or so. Unfortunately due to a number of factors the $1.2 Million is no longer enough to get the trail built and there is a significant funding gap before design and construction can proceed. According to the Portland Parks department project manager's budget, an additional $1.6 million is needed to close the funding gap and get this important project built! That is a small price to pay in exchange for the economic benefits and livability dividends it would provide for our city and neighborhoods. Early this year, we watched the Mayor stand alongside the Daimler Truck CEO at their First Gear Academy Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and proclaim his support for Daimler and this part of the city. The Waud Bluff Trail not only benefits Daimler and its families going to First Gear Academy, but also UPS, Adidas North America, The University of Portland and countless other large and small employers alike. I have heard Rex Burkholder, Metro Councilor and Chair of the 17 member Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation, proclaim that Waud Bluff needs to be built and is a great example of a project that should receive stimulus dollars. However, from our understanding, it is NOT currently on the list! Portland citizens voiced their opinion nearly 5 years ago and secured funds that were supposed to have had this project built by now. Please contact Mayor Adams, Councilor Burkholder and Commissioner Fish and ask them to help restore the public trust and put this project on the Federal Stimulus list to receive the necessary funding to be built! This may be the only chance to fill the funding gap anytime in the near future. ...and it would create jobs now! Key Items to remember: Its ready to go, its a key link to jobs on Swan Island, it connects the community to the future North Willamette Greenway Trail, it provides safe passage over Union Pacific Railroad via an already heavily used path, its supported by UPS, US Coast Guard, adidas America, Overlook NA and the Swan Island Business Association. Please contact your elected officials:Sam Adams, Mayor Phone: (503)823-4120 e-mail: Samadams@ci.portland.or.us Commissioner Nick Fish (503) 823-3589 e-mail: Nick@ci.portland.or.us Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder 503-797-1546 | 503-797-1793 fax e-mail: rex.burkholder@oregonmetro.gov Thank you to our friends for all of your support. Your voice is being heard and it does make a difference. We will be sending you more letters soon about upcoming walks and bike rides this summer--and those won't require any letters or public testimony on your part!