Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail 2021 Reconnection Report

The Past

The Future

HOODRIVERHOODRIVER

CASCADELOCKS

CASCADELOCKS

TH

ED

ALL

ES

THE

DA

LLES

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OU

TD

ALE

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UTD

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Bonneville State Trail segment:

Bonneville Bonnele State Trail segment:Twin TunnelsBonneville

State Trail segment:Mitchell Point

HOODMOSIER

HOODRIVER

MULTNOMAHFALLS

Columb i a

NOR TH2 mi .0Scale

Driveable

State Tra i l

Future State Tra i l

LEGEND

Driveable segment Dr iveable segmentDr iveable segment

FundedFunded

ConstructionFunding Needed

$35-40 million

M itchell PointTunnel

Viento StatePark

RuthtonParkRuthton

Point

PerhamCreek

Construction Begins in 2021

M itchel lCreek

Construction Begins

in 2022+

Viento State Park To Mitchell Point (funded ─ construction anticipated in 2022)

Mitchell Point Tunnel (funded ─ construction underway!)

Ruthton Point To Hood River (funding needed)

Awaiting Reconnection

1913

Construction begins

Highway dedication

1916 1922

Paving complete to The Dalles

I-84 construction severs Historic Highway

1950s 1986

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act

Historic Highway Advisory Committee formed

1987 1996

Tanner Creek to Eagle Creek

Twin Tunnels Segment (tunnels opened in 1996)Moffett to Tanner Creeks

2000 2009Viento State Park to Starvation Creek & Oneonta Tunnel

John B. Yeon to Moffett

2013 2016Starvation Creek to Lindsey Creek

2019

Wyeth Trailhead to Lindsey Creek

2021Mitchell Point Tunnel groundbreaking

2022

Viento State Park to Mitchell Point project out to bid & construction begins

Construction of Ruthton Point to Hood River (pending funding)

ORIG

INAL

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HWAY

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L RE

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ON

UPCO

MING

Eagle Creek to Cascade Locks

1998 2023+ 2026

Reconnection complete (pending funding)

In 1986, 22 miles of trail awaited reconnection.

Now, just over 1.6 miles need funding to be reconnected.

Reconnection in the making

The iconic Mitchell Point Tunnel was a highlight of the original Historic Highway, but the construction of Interstate 84 destroyed the tunnel. Soon there will be a 655-foot tunnel with five arched windows at Mitchell Point.

At the west entrance to the tunnel, there will be an overlook area. Each tunnel entrance, or portal, will have stone features as shown in the rendering on the front of this report. A plaza is included on the west side of the tunnel with picnic tables, rest and pause areas, an overlook area and an expanded restroom at the trailhead.

Length: 2.7 miles

Schedule: Construction is planned for 2022 and expected to last about two years.

Length: 1.5 miles (with a 655-foot tunnel)

Schedule: Construction begins in early 2021 and is expected to take about two years.

Length: 1.6 miles

Schedule: Design remains in early stages as we pursue funding opportunities for construction. Some investigation and exploration work is anticipated to take place soon.

Just west of the City of Hood River, a section of the Historic Highway with world-class views of the Columbia River Gorge awaits reconnection as part of the Historic Highway State Trail.

This trail segment will extend eastward from Mitchell Point on Mitchell Point Drive, cross underneath I-84, and proceed east to Hood River. We will build a trail on the north side of I-84 to connect with Ruthton Park, including restoring a section of original Historic Highway.

This segment of trail connects the existing Historic Highway State Trail at the Viento Trailhead to Mitchell Point and includes reconnecting 0.67 miles of original sections of the Historic Highway.

The project includes upgrades to the Viento Trailhead and improvements to the South Viento State Park Campground, including a new restroom.

This segment of trail will have two bridges across Perham and Mitchell Creeks with a similar design to recent projects.

Arthur Babitz, Chair Hood River County

Wayne Stewart, Vice-ChairMultnomah County Representative Leti Valle MorettiHood River County Representative, Governor Appointee Judy DavisWasco County Representative

Francie Royce Wasco County, Governor Appointee

Ernest Drapela Multnomah County, Governor Appointee Christine Curran State Historic Preservation Office

Scott BrickerTravel Oregon

Clay Courtright Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Rian WindsheimerOregon Department of Transportation

Historic Columbia River Highway Advisory Committee Project Partners:

Remember We remember the high-quality design and aesthetics of the Historic Columbia River Highway and strive to create new segments of the State Trail in the same vein. Constructed between 1913 and 1922, the Historic Columbia River Highway overcame all odds. This road would lay lightly on the land and take its users to the most beautiful spots and breathtaking vistas of the Columbia River Gorge.

RestoreWe strive to restore existing segments and utilize the 100+ year old facility hand-crafted by the original road engineers/visionaries. In the early 1950s, many miles of the Historic Columbia River Highway were damaged or destroyed to pave the way for Interstate 84. The passage of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act in 1986 motivated the Oregon State Legislature to commit to restore the entire Historic Highway to its glory days of the 1920s.

ReconnectOur 35-year goal is to reconnect and create a continuous Historic Columbia River Highway between Troutdale and The Dalles for everyone’s transportation and recreation use. Some segments are accessible to cars and cyclists. Some segments, known as the Historic Highway State Trail, will be accessible only by people walking, rolling or biking.

ReviveThe Historic Highway reconnection is a central component to reviving communities in the Gorge that were impacted by I-84 construction. More recently, the State Trail plays a roll to revive wildfire and COVID-impacted communities.

www.historichighway.org

Top: Rendering of Mitchell Point parking lot. Bottom: A view of Mitchell Point today from existing parking lot.

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