Thursday, July 20, 2023

City Wins Funding for Important Path Connections along Pringle Creek and over Highway 22

Back in January the City submitted two applications for funding under the Oregon Community Paths program.

ODOT announced today the City won on both.

Second half of Pringle Creek path funding

Funding for an overcrossing Refinement Plan

One application was for the other half of funding for the path along Pringle Creek between the Civic Center and Riverfront Park. The recently passed bond provided the first half of funding.

Pringle Creek Concept, January 2021

Now the only barrier is the Railroad, who has seemed unwilling to allow a path under the trestle.

January SPRAB draft minutes on difficulty

The other funding is for a planning study on a footbridge over OR-22 near Bill Riegel Park and Miller Elementary School.

About this round ODOT says

The Oregon Transportation Commission approved the 25 recommended Oregon Community Paths (OCP) projects at its meeting last week in Pendleton.

“We had another round of outstanding applicants, requesting a total of $80 million,” said Alan Thompson, OCP program manager. “All 57 of them addressed needs for off-road paths or as necessary alternatives to busy roadways.”

The OCP program, created by the historic transportation funding program HB 2017, is a competitive program that provides federal and state grants in biking and walking facilities that are “off system,” meaning facilities that are not primarily on or along a roadway. ODOT will now develop agreements with the successful applicants allowing the projects to start after October 1. Grantees will then move forward with their various construction and planning projects.

You may remember the City missed the cut for the Pringle Creek Path on the last round in 2021.

The success this year is great to see!

For more on the winding way of the path by Pringle Creek see here.

Addendum, July 31st

It's nice to see on the front page today, but the piece mostly churns the City's press release and does not mention anything about the railroad.

Front page today

2 comments:

Donnie said...

This is another reason why there should be a push from the state to buy the rail alignment.

It would be much easier to build things like this path, improve commuter service, and improve crossings if we were not fighting against a for profit corporations every step of the way

Salem Breakfast on Bikes said...

Added clip from Monday paper