This bike and pedestrian crossing under the Ellsworth Bridge will be closed, according to the Waterfront Project plan. The photo was taken Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023.
The Albany City Council is getting ready to spend nearly $2.4 million on changes at 10 crossings on the rail line between Water Avenue and the Dave Clark Path, and you may be wondering why.
The short answer is that the rail crossing changes are part of the design of the Waterfront Project being carried out by CARA, the central Albany urban renewal district.
The long answer is provided in a memo to the council. As the Albany Revitalization Agency or ARA, the council on Wednesday is scheduled to approve a contract with the Portland & Western Railroad. Says the memo:
“Construction of the Waterfront Project will improve the connection between Albany’s historic downtown and the Willamette Waterfront and promote private investment. Planned improvements to railroad crossings will help to remove barriers to accessing the river and Monteith Park and alleviate a significant barrier to private investment along Water Avenue.”
From my perspective, there are no “barriers” that keep anyone from crossing from Water Avenue to the riverside trail. I’ve been doing so on foot and on the bike since shortly after the path was built in 2003.
One of the convenient crossings I’ve been using on bike rides along the riverfront is under the Ellsworth Street Bridge. Another is at Baker Street. Both are to be closed, and new pedestrian (and bike) crossings are to be built one block to the east in each case.
The Ellsworth crossing will be replaced by one under the Lyon Street Bridge, and the Baker Street crossing will be replaced by one at Montgomery Street.
This may have made sense to Walker Macy, the Portland firm the city paid more than $3 million to design the Waterfront Project. But I never heard an explanation.
One more pedestrian crossing will be closed. It’s in the middle of the block between Ferry and Broadalbin streets and mostly hidden by bushes. I’ve never seen anyone use it.
Also under the contract with Portland & Western, the railroad is to improve existing vehicle and pedestrian crossings at Washington, Broadalbin and Thurston streets.
Two other existing crossings, for pedestrians at Calapoooia Street and for vehicles at Ferry Street, are to be modified for “emergency access.”
The other public vehicle crossings, at Jackson, Hill and Main streets, will be left alone, as will two private crossings, for the Avery Mill building and for an automotive business at the railroad trestle across the Willamettte.
Under the contract up for approval by the ARA Wednesday, the city will pay Portland & Western to do the construction work on the crossings that are to be changed. The railroad expects to finish the job by April 2024.
None of the work calls for any new automatic gates or lights like those at Jackson and Hill streets.
Including the railroad work, the entire Waterfront Project is budgeted to cost $20,050,000. CARA, the urban renewal program, is contributing $17,750,000. The rest comes from the water system (for replacing a water line), from parks maintenance, and from street development fees.
When the project is done, it should be easier for people on foot or on bikes to cross the track. But it’s already easy, so it’s hard to see how. (hh)
This image included with the ARA agenda shows the work planned at the crossings on Water Avenue.
This crossing, tempoarily closed now at Water Avenue and Thurston Street, is to be improved.
Thanks, Hasso, for your article. It’s important that we know all that. The 20 million plus contributed by CARA is taxpayer money and 6 or 7 people got to decide on that with no vote from the taxpayer. Yes, I know they had some open houses with drawings or mock-ups of the projects back in about 1999 or before. But, it all seemed pie-in-the-sky, wishful thinking then. I “wish” that is all it had been.
“The 20 million plus contributed by CARA is taxpayer money and 6 or 7 people got to decide on that with no vote from the taxpayer.”
Hogwash… That’s how the system has always worked. You simply have a palpable disdain for elected governance.
That is quite a response from an elected official. time to get someone else in office that can support the people and the city. NOT dreams of the City Council
Twaddle…
In 2013 the system wasn’t working so voters revoked the council’s power to approve urban renewal plans.
See City Charter, Section 43.1.
The absolute failure of “elected governance” was the cause.
There you go again….you always say “Hogwash.” I guess you think that is a clever retort. It isn’t.
It is such a ridiculous waste of money I refuse to comment. I will let Coach K tell us why it is a great way to spend $2 million.
And yet you did comment anyway… I call this the should have, could have, would have section of your blog. I’m sure the mouse guy/gal/it/whatever will also have something to say close behind. I wish once again that all these people, that have all these opinions, would do something to change how we do things in Albany! First thing would be encouraging people to vote on our city ballots. Btw side note to Hass, I’m going to guess that you’re not not hip to the new lingo of Native American as a term to describe the people that are native to America? But hey whatever, it’s your blog, not mine, if that’s how you want to be perceived, let it be.
See my nom de plume (they – them).
I consider your refusal to use my preferred pronouns equivalent to harassment and a violation of my civil rights.
Hasso: I demand that you censor Rachel’s comment.
It’s getting harder these days to recognize satire, but keep the possibility in mind. Just saying…
For several reasons…
1. It’s been planned to happen (in various iterations) for many years…
2. The plan is coming in under budget.
3. Albany will be much better for the Waterfront project to happen and be completed.
4. The plan is already attracting developers to that area – by design.
5. That you and a handful of others don’t like the plan and/or process is irrelevant.
You didn’t answer the question how it costs $2 million to build 10 crossings when the crossing that Hasso bikes across couldn’t cost more than $25,000 to build and is being abandoned to build one under the other bridge. I could care less about some budget that no nothing bureaucrats prepared.
You did not ask why – you asked how. My list is accurate.
Point #5 answers your last sentence very pointedly and directly.
So typical for Albany! No real need for “barriers” as you point out, but let’s stick it to the taxpayers just one more time! This whole project is a waste of money, and is definitely not needed! Make it two ways to screw the taxpayers…
Sounds like just more privileged infrastructure for the elite “Walking/Bicycling Class,” not unlike the bike path to Corvallis (another fantasy of the White uber class.) The political Right, which largely controls things around these parts, is constantly complaining about tax dollars and over-taxing and over-spending, yet when it comes to Local Privilege – no dollar amount is too small if it means one can stroll or pedal one’s Caucasian backside along a riverbank.
Fits right in with 30 TRILLION $ in debt which can never be paid. I tried for several years in the Courts to stop the process. No TIF revenue will ever be sufficient to repay gross spending.
FYI Hasso… (and you should know this..but maybe you’re not being clear enough to fan the flames of ire for more blog traffic…)
Just because these are easy for you to cross does not mean they are already accessible. The word “accessible” is a term that means it complies with the Americans With disabilities Act. My sweetheart uses a cane to help on uneven surfaces and those crossings are terrible! !
“coming in under budget” translates to we haven’t figured out ways to make it cost more.
The conversations always end up defending people who stick their neck out and make bad decisions that potentially devastate people’s lives. I was taught that if I do not want to be held accountable for bad actions, don’t do them! Kiddos who get caught in the cookie jar often cry because they get caught. Emotional immaturity is not a good quality in any decision making process. Just wanting to have the power to control people is not make one a true leader.