- Springwater Corridor
The Springwater Corridor Trail is a
bicycle andpedestrian rail trail in thePortland metropolitan area inOregon ,United States . It follows a former railway line of the same name, and roughly follows the course of Johnson Creek, in its route from Boring, through Gresham, to Portland, where it connects with theEastbank Esplanade . Much of the corridor was acquired by the City of Portland in 1990; remaining segments were acquired by Metro thereafter. [http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=679 Springwater Corridor] from Portland Parks and Recreation web site]The trail is part of the Portland area's
40 Mile Loop trail system. [cite news
title= Running on Trails, Not the Mean Streets
first=BONNIE
last=TSUI
date=October 22 ,2004
url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2004/10/22/travel/escapes/22ADVE.html?_r=1&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/R/Running&oref=slogin
work=New York Times travel]History
The Springwater Division rail line was probably named for a planned connection to
Springwater, Oregon . [http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewFile&PolPdfsID=425&/Springwater%20Corridor%20Map.pdf Springwater Corridor map] from Portland Parks and Recreation web site]The Portland Traction Company operated freight rail service from Portland to Boring until 1989. When ODOT began the McLoughlin Blvd. widening project, a new, expensive overpass was required for PTC. Citing low traffic volumes, construction was refused and the line was put up for sale. This was of great interest to the 40-Mile Loop Trust, a recently formed conservation effort to build a trail around Portland connecting its many parks, planned since 1904, but had made little progress. The Trust had proven effective at getting many key governmental agencies to work with each other. They called upon the
Southern Pacific andUnion Pacific railroads, co-owners of the abandoned line to transfer the land to the Trust. This matter was subject of a battle between on-line railroad shippers and Metro. However, by 1990, the deal was completed, and represented a significant step in the completion of the Loop. cite book
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=qhPzEmNKE8EC&pg=PA76&lpg=PA76&dq=40+Mile+Loop&source=web&ots=qVaqz0Bat6&sig=YrE6Knd_4JHEUv_0gknn_ZbdQQQ&hl=en#PPA76,M1
title = Greenways for America
author = Charles E. Little
date = 1990
publisher = JHU Press
id = ISBN 0801851408
pages = 76–80
accessdate = 2008-05-30 ] cite news
url=http://www.oregonlive.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news/1186797309159510.xml&coll=7
title=On Springwater's open road, there's lots to see
first=Stuart
last=Tomlinson
date=August 26 ,2007
work=The Oregonian
accessdate = 2008-05-31 ] [ cite web
url = https://www.fastcase.com/Google/Start.aspx?C=0ddb0f0b0069570471f9af65021254cc023dc54084643a30&D=886df08f8db0ead9bd78b909d54242979663f333304ae35c
title = Foster Auto Parts v. City of Portland, 15 P.3d 573 (Or. App., 1998)
date = submittedSeptember 15 ,1998 ; filedDecember 6 ,2000
accessdate = 2008-05-31 ]In 2001, a Metro advisory panel recommended using funds from a 1995 $135 million land acquisition bond to develop a trail along the Springwater Corridor, among other recommendations. [ cite news
url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-27350219_ITM
title=15 local sites suggested for new parks
first=Jeremy
last=Vesbach
work=Daily Journal of Commerce
date=December 11 ,2001 ]Prior to paving, much of the trail was suitable for mountain biking. [ cite news
url=http://media.www.dailyvanguard.com/media/storage/paper941/news/2002/05/14/Sports/Mountain.Biking.In.Portland-2609796.shtml
title=Mountain biking in Portland
first=Mike
last=Norris
date=2002-05-14
work=Daily Vanguard]In 2003, Portland was one of 25 cities that received a $200,000 grant from Active Living by Design to promote urban planning that encourages physical activity. Some of the money was allocated to a Lents Station interpretive trailhead along the Springwater Corridor. [ cite news
url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-19582249_ITM
title=Portland receives funds to design for active living
first=Aimee
last=Curl
work=Daily Journal of Commerce
date=2003-12-04 ]The last significant section of the trail was completed ahead of schedule in summer 2006, when the construction of three new bridges allowed bicyclists to reach the
Eastbank Esplanade without weaving through neighborhoods and across busy streets. [ cite news
url=http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=34904
title=Getting close to closure
first=Anna
last=Johns
work=Portland Tribune
date=April 18 ,2006 ]In 2006, the City of Portland rejected a development proposal that did not include an easement for a greenway along the
Willamette River , and would have interrupted the Springwater Trail's connectivity todowntown Portland . [ cite news
url=http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=41958&category=22101
title=War Path: Property Owner Kicks up Stink over Public Trail
first=Amy
last=Jenniges
date=June 29 2006
work=The Portland Mercury ] The easement requirement was upheld by the Oregon Court of Appeals onFebruary 13 ,2008 . [ cite news
url=http://portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=120578464233290100
title=Ruling clears way for riverfront link
first=Steve
last=Law
date=March 18 ,2008
work=Portland Tribune]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
