An 86-mile bike and walking trail between the Portland metro area and the Oregon Coast is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The has given the project $30,000 to look at the economics and health benefits of turning the old Port of Tillamook Bay rail line into a trail.
“The idea would be in places where it’s still feasible to have the rail be there, but to have the trail right next to it," said Doug Decker with the .
"In other places, there’s a stretch across the top of the Oregon Coast Range, you know storm damage, bridges out, trestles broken, rails in the river, that kind of thing. That’s not a place where you’re going to want to put rails back," said Decker.
The trail isn’t likely to take shape for a while. It took 30 years to establish the Banks Vernonia Linear Trail, which is a former rail corridor.
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A portion of the planned Salmonberry Corridor trail.
Recently-retired forester John Barnes
