Trolley trail construction set for 2010

Portion of the trail will be postponed for future light rail construction

By Matthew Graham

The Clackamas Review, Nov 23, 2009, Updated Nov 25, 2009

The Trolley Trail from Milwaukie to Gladstone is expected to finally see construction next year — most of it anyway.

The northernmost part of the trail runs along the exact same path as the planned Portland-to-Milwaukie light rail line, expected to open in 2015. So rather than build the trail and have to close it or move it during light rail construction, the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District said it plans to build the rest of the trail and keep working with TriMet to plan the northern leg in conjunction with light rail.

The section in question runs from Kellogg Creek in Milwaukie to the intersection of Park Avenue and McLoughlin Boulevard, where the light rail terminus is expected.

While TriMet and NCPRD have been working together for months to coordinate the projects, it hasn’t all been figured out yet. The plan as of now is to have McLoughlin Boulevard, then light rail and then the trolley trail.

“Basically what that means is TriMet’s going to have to look at acquiring additional right of way on the west side to make everything fit,” said Michelle Healey, project planner with NCPRD. “What that means is they’re taking right of way from NCPRD property that the trail was going to be on.”

Healey said the parks district wants to “make sure we get something that works for the trail, we’re not cutting ourselves short.”

And TriMet seems in agreement. The agency is the transportation arm of Metro, the regional government, and is using the opportunity to implement Metro’s Nature in the Neighborhoods program. That includes expanding the riparian area adjacent to McLoughlin and feeding storm water into that area, among other things.

The parks district has asked TriMet for a six-foot vegetative buffer between the train and the trail.

“There’s obviously great concern about the impact of light rail, but there was also concern (from residents) about having a trail in their backyard; this is a good opportunity to address both of those,” said County Commissioner Jim Bernard.

Healey said the district expects to go out for bids on the rest of the trail project next spring, with construction potentially starting next summer.

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