Online Open House for Wilsonville Bridge Project Closes March 12

Only a few days remain for residents to provide feedback on a new bridge project in Wilsonville.

Expected to cross the Willamette River west of the Interstate-5 Boone Bridge, the proposed French Prairie Bridge could potentially improve local and regional transportation infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency responders in an area regularly stifled by congestion.

For community members who’d like to learn more about the bridge design project, watch an informative video and take a survey to provide feedback, the French Prairie Bridge project online open house closes Sunday, March 12.

According to Project Manager Zachary Weigel, the online open house is an opportunity for community members and stakeholders to:

• Share priorities and vision for the bridge
• Learn about the schedule for siting and designing the proposed bridge, and
• Review and provide feedback on the bridge alignment and landing point options.

The bridge project, which is funded by a $1.25 million grant from Metro’s Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program, will ultimately connect the southernmost reaches of the Portland metro area and the northernmost portion of the Willamette Valley, also known as the French Prairie region.

The city of Wilsonville is carrying out the project in partnership with Clackamas County and the Oregon Department of Transportation, with hopes it can use the community-supported design to help draw in the funding needed to finalize and construct the bridge.

The Boone Bridge is the only bridge currently crossing the mid-Willamette River in the southern metro region, and the bridge’s shoulder –– which offers little space between the river and vehicles moving at freeway speeds –– is the only way to cross by foot or bike.

More than 120,000 vehicles pass over Boone Bridge per day, according to Wilsonville officials, with nearly a third of those large trucks, which only serve to exacerbate emergency responders when trying to access accidents south of Wilsonville.

For more information, contact Weigel at 503-570-1565, or weigel@ci.wilsonville.or.us.

Photo courtesy: Zach Weigel, Wilsonville Community Development Department