Closing out the year
SWTrails PDX, wears many hats in the SW Community: urban trail advocacy, trail building, trail mapping, and for the holiday season, a silly Santa hat to offer you the warmest wishes! Below, we bring you an end-of-year report on items accomplished and plans for the coming year. All of this is possible due to your support and the hours of time by our dedicated volunteers.
–Join SWTrails to support the work of the organization and take pride in being part of the progress.
-Take a hike. Our next group hike will be held on Saturday, January 8, see details in our Events Calander.
-Attend the monthly SWTrails board meeting via Zoom at 7pm on Thursday, January 27th. See Events Calander for agenda and zoom connection details.
-Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to stay up to date.
2020-2021 SWTrails PDX Accomplishments
-Over 3,000 volunteer hours were completed on behalf of our trails and the organization!
-Completion of the Boones Ferry Road Bridge over Tryon Creek at Arnold provided a trail underpass of a very busy arterial. The underpass trail is a key component of the planned Hillsdale to Lake Oswego Regional Pedestrian Trail. SWTrails advocates worked to secure Metro funding that shaped the plan for a bridge to walk under rather than a culvert to walk through.
-Construction began on the Red Electric Trail Multimodal Bridge connecting SW Capitol Highway with SW Bertha. This project is the first capital investment in the long-planned Red Electric Trail, which will connect the Fanno Creek Trail to the Willamette Greenway. SWTrails began planning this route in 1997.
-Funding was earmarked by State Senator Rob Wagner and State Representative Andrea Salinas to complete the Hillsdale to Lake Oswego Regional Pedestrian Trail.
-Funding was earmarked by former Senator Ginny Burdick for planning and implementation of an additional portion of the Red Electric Trail in the Hayhurst neighborhood. (This may be a 2023 project).
-With a ban on social gatherings due to COVID, SWTrails volunteers mapped and wrote directions for over 35 self-led hikes. We now offer over 200-plus miles of unique hikes throughout SW Portland.
-SWTrails volunteers rebuilt or repaired many segments of our 46-mile trail network. Those repairs included: Trail 1 south of Fairmount; Trail 6 north of Hillsdale; Trails 1 and 7 west of 42nd; Trail 5 in Dickinson Park, as well as many others. Volunteers also helped keep the blackberries and English Ivy at bay along the trails. SWTrails thanks the many members of the community who helped with this effort.
-Signage for the 46 miles of the SW Urban Trail network is nearing completion with the planned installation of signs in Gabriel Park and new signage completed at Lewis & Clark College. This concludes a 20-year effort resulting in the installation of over 600 wayfinding signs.
-Successful SWTrails sponsorship of an Eagle Scout trail-rebuilding project in Dickinson Park.
-Volunteers removed more than 20 trees that fell onto SWTrails and Parks trails during storms.
-Several miles of trail routes were swept of leaves to make walking safer.
–Twice-monthly walks resumed in June 2021 and continue to be very well attended.
SWTrails plans for 2022
-Seek permits to repair Trail 1 from SW Twombly to SW Melville, create a new connection at SW 25th and SW Seymour, create a new trail on SW 26th from Texas north, and begin efforts to improve Trail 4 at 10th and Canby.
-Perform trail maintenance on Portland Parks trails the first Thursday of each month and participate in the “Individual Volunteer” trail maintenance program of Portland Parks. Projects will include improving the trail from the south end of Marshall Park to SW 11th, rebuilding steps in Woods Park, adding improvements to the existing Raz Baack Crossing of Stephens Creek Natural Area, and repair damaged fences in many areas.
-Work with the SW Transportation Committee of SWNI to identify and set priorities for improving the crosswalks on city streets throughout SW Portland.
-Add more self-led hikes to our existing inventory.
-Implementation of the Fiscal Sponsorship with the SW Volunteer Tool Library if it succeeds in securing a site for the library.
-Continue monthly hikes on the 2nd and 3rd Saturdays, weather permitting
-Participate in Multnomah Days Parade and staff a booth.
-Hold monthly meetings on the 4th Thursday of each month (the 3rd Thursday in November and December).
– Conduct a comprehensive inventory of existing SWTrail Signs across all jurisdictions to better inform the public of our existing urban trail network. (See a real-time dashboard of our progress here)
– Lead guided tours of the Red Electric Trail route for elected officials.
– Celebrate the opening of the new Red Electric Trail Multimodal Bridge in spring of 2022
Hillsdale to Lake Oswego Regional Pedestrian Trail:
-Repair a portion on SW 19th from Moss to Capitol Hill Road if funding from earmarks becomes available during the year and permits are forthcoming.
-If called on by Oregon State Parks, build a portion on Tryon Creek Park Property after earmark funds are available.
-Develop a website when earmarked funds become available.
-Begin the coordination of the design, acquisition, and installation of signage for the Trail when earmarked funding becomes available.
-Build new trail on a portion of the Trail on Portland Parks property, from north end of Marshall Park to SW17th and Taylors Ferry Rd, if Portland Parks (permits pending).
It’s been a busy year, and we plan to keep on throughout the next one too.
Happy trails,
SWTrails PDX
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