Getting around this narrow section of Highway 20 west of Albany is one of the challenges in the Albany-Corvallis bike path project. (Photo dates from January 2017)
The idea of building a roughly eight-mile bike path between Albany and Corvallis has been kicking around ever since the Benton County Commissioners mentioned it in 2003. Now the county and ODOT are once again hoping to determine a route the path could take.
They have tried this before. But while short sections have been built, earlier ideas for routing the major sections were never firmed up.
In a flyer about the project, the Oregon Department of Transportation and Benton County say they are getting ready to “engage community members in person and online to share project information and gather community input on how to make it easier to walk, bike and roll between Corvallis and Albany.”
They plan to do this at the farmers’ markets in both Albany and Corvallis between 10 and noon on Saturday, Oct. 18. They will also conduct an online open house and survey from Oct. 16 through Nov. 21.
Sections of the path have been built adjacent to the highway in Corvallis, up to Merloy Avenue. Now the question is exactly how to cover the five or six miles between there and Rainwater Lane near Albany.
The short completed sections are all on the south side of Highway 20, so the rest of the path almost certainly has to be on the south side as well.
From Rainwater Lane in North Albany, one preliminary route has the path going through the private yards backing up to the Portland & Western Railroad track to connect with Hickory Street. At a public meeting a few years back, property owners did not sound enthusiastic.
Nobody wants a bike path in his yard. So the least objectionable way to complete this path is to route it along and, if possible, inside the Highway 20 right-of-way.
This was done a few years ago on Highway 34 between Riverside Drive and Wolcott Street. And the few times I rode my bike there, the path worked fine. (hh)
The section of the proposed path from Merloy Avenue to Rainwater Lane is shown in orange. ((ODOT, Benton County)
Thanks for the info regarding the online survey. I am very interested in this path – and would use it for biking and walking.
(In your 3rd from last paragraph, it states “private the yards.” I don’t think you want the “the” in there.)
“Walk, bike, and roll?” What? Roll? I guess you are just attempting to be clever!
There are places where cars can’t safely go in this country. But, with bikers, they sure as hell want to be able to ride anywhere they want. I don’t think Highway 20 between Albany and Corvallis is very safe for cars and trucks…so, it sure as heck is not safe for bikes and a bike path.
When I would ride my bike from Albany to Corvallis to see friends, back in high school and college, I took Riverside Dr to Hwy 34 which is a lot wider than Hwy 20, even back then (1970s). It is also more scenic and less traveled on Riverside Dr. it makes the most sense
Sad that the “riders” and the “R/R” can’t come to terms using the R/R right-of-way. That would remove the riders from Hwy 20… O well..
Living on the south side of Hwy 20 close to the road with ODOT possibly putting a bike path in my front yard and over my well – I am against it. There are many people living on the south side of Hwy 20 and crossing the highway to reach Rainwater would be more than dangerous. I liked one of the original plans to cross closer to Corvallis and go along the trestle all the way to Scenic. But then I guess ODOT will have a super plan to cross Hwy 20 close to Rainwater and who cares about all the families, farms and lands on the south side. They can always use eminent domain.
So they want to find out what people think about this, and will poll the folks at farmers markets to find out? Kind of stacking the deck isn”t it.
Biking is a recreation pastime 4 me The building in North Albany around scenic is getting crazy. Is there a reasonably safe way to build? It often appears that most of the drivers are late going to wherever and are in hurry to catch up. I see a sign on 20 just before the bridge stating ‘Bicycle Friendly town’ this is sure not the case. Often I cycle around north Albany over Scenic to Springhill around to North Albany road. My experience there has been less than bicycle friendly. Plenty more, but that will do for now. Lets use some more fossil fuel.
How much is this going to cost and who is going to pay for it?