Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is negotiating with Boise Cascade to acquire 310 acres on Minto Island. The City and State Parks (Parks) have developed an Memorandum of Understanding to identify roles in developing a parks master plan and a cooperative management agreement for the property with plans to expand the City's 900-acre Minto Brown Park once Parks has control of the property. If purchased, the State would provide the City with a permanent easement for the placement of a bridge and connecting trails. Preliminary plans include opportunities to create passive recreation trails through the property, possibly including extension of water trails along the Willamette River and opportunities for interpretive facilities at the nearby Salem Audubon Society property.
The Agency has allocated $250,000 in urban renewal funds from the Riverfront Downtown Urban Renewal Area to support the bridge improvement. As a match to possible grant funding of the $250,000, $50,000 was subsequently approved for preliminary design and permitting. To date, preliminary designs have been completed and box beams donated for use in the bridge construction. The proposed bridge is a low, three span structure that is 345 feet in length and 16 feet wide. Staff is investigating potential permitting issues and alternate designs which would preclude in-water support structures to streamline the permit process.
The proposed pedestrian/bicycle bridge would span across the Willamette Slough and connect to the Salem Riverfront Park near downtown Salem. The project will form an important link in the regional trail system.
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