Officials considering new OC-Gladstone pedestrian bridge

Design concepts to be presented at Wednesday, Oct. 30, meeting at 525 Portland Ave.

Gladstone will host a presentation this Wednesday on Trolley Trail bridge replacement concepts to connect bicycle and pedestrian traffic between Oregon City and Gladstone's main streets.

During the Oct. 1 Pedestrian/Bikeway Advisory Committee meeting, Clackamas County Engineer Joel Howie said the project is a high priority due to the high rate of crashes along McLoughlin Boulevard (Highway 99E). The county's temporary closure of the 82nd Drive bridge, with completion of seismic retrofits expected in February, is forcing pedestrians and bicyclists on a 2-mile detour across the narrow sidewalks of the highway bridge and along Oregon City's Main Street and Gladstone's Arlington Street.

Even when the 82nd Drive bridge is open, pedestrians and bicyclists using the Trolley Trail to travel between Oregon City and Gladstone are forced to use the dangerous highway bridge or travel about 1 mile longer to cross on 82nd Drive. City officials hope that a span between Gladstone's Portland Avenue main street and the Clackamas River Trail in Oregon City will provide an economic boost for downtown areas in both cities.

Union Pacific's abandoned trolley bridge at the site collapsed in 2014. Funding has not yet been identified for estimated replacement cost ranging between $2.8 million and $7.4 million, depending on the type of bridge construction.

In 2017, Gladstone received state/federal grants to study the feasibility of rebuilding the bridge. David Evans and Associates was hired to complete the study and is now ready to share results with the community.

If funding is limited, initial designs recommended a three-span steel girder bridge for its improved aesthetics, with a cost slightly more than a concrete girder bridge. Multi-span girder bridges are similar to most typical highway bridges and have less aesthetic appeal, the report noted, but their look can be improved with decorative railing designs and the addition of special features such as pylons at the bridge ends. According to the report, an arch bridge would echo the design of the historic bridge between Oregon City and West Linn, making a stronger visual statement but at a higher cost.

The 16-foot-wide path on the bridge would meet ADA guidelines and state standards for pedestrians and bicycle facilities. This width will also accommodate emergency and maintenance vehicles.

David Evans and Associates and Clackamas County's engineer will present the feasibility study for the bridge replacement during a 6 p.m. public meeting Wednesday, Oct. 30, at Gladstone City Hall, 525 Portland Ave.