
The lower loop road in Bryant Park had some obstructions on Friday afternoon, including this one.
If you’re wondering why Albany’s Bryant Park is still closed to motor vehicles weeks after the annual flooding has subsided — and even if you’re not wondering about that — it’s because the cleanup is not complete.
I think that’s the reason, anyway. The bike and I went around the closed gates Thursday just to look around.
In two or three places, the lower loop road was blocked by fallen tree limbs. And there was thick mud left in the lowest spot.
As it is almost every year, the park was closed when the Willamette and Calapooia rivers rose this winter, as they usually do, and inundated most of park. At least once when I was passing by, somebody had launched a kayak and was navigating through the playground.
The flood waters are gone, but they’ve left a layer of fine sediment on the parking lots and the road. There was lots of driftwood all over the place, too.
The park will reopen once all that is cleaned up, and when there’s no more likelihood this winter and spring of the rivers climbing over their low-lying banks. (hh)

To clear the roads in Bryant Park, more work lies ahead.

As usual, the seasonal flooding left a muddy mess on this section of the park. road
Thanks for the pictures.
Hi… I noticed during the flooding that the newly built stage at Monteith Park was nearly under water (i took pictures and it looked like the water level was just a little lower than the stage. Question is, was the stage built to withstand this flooding every year? They pushed the location back so it will happen regularly.
I really enjoyed your writing about Albany. Keep up the good work!