November 19, 2009

The Springwater Corridor Trail, running South from OMSI all the way to Boring, is a model multi-use non-motorized trail system. The path offers 14 miles of developed trail for recreation, exercise, commuting, wildlife viewing, and more.

In this morning's Oregonian, Allan Brettman shines a light on efforts to bring a similarly sophisticated network of trails to more northern stretches of the Willamette River.

For years, supporters have pushed for development of the North Portland Willamette River Greenway. npGreenway has been the most vocal advocate - check out its website,www.npgreenway.com, for more about the groups's efforts.

The Greenway concept has support from a number of government documents, Brettman writes, including the Metro Regional Trail Plan, the St. Johns/Lombard Plan, the Portland COmprehensive Plan, and the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030. What it doesn't have is solid funding. But Francie Royce, co-chairwoman of npGreenway, is optimistic; the group recently applied for a grant from Metro to support a public outreach campaign.

Commissioner Fish is an enthusiastic supporter of the npGreenway project and others underway to increase trail access for hikers and bikers in Portland. These trails will serve Portlanders and visitors from across the region and will move Portland Parks and Recreation toward its goal of providing the City with a world-class system of parks, trails, and natural areas.