Partners envision a 22-mile route connecting Sherwood, Tualatin and Wilsonville
Someday, the Ice Age Tonquin Trail will take you from the banks of the Willamette River in Wilsonville, through Graham Oaks Nature Park and the Villebois neighborhood, past kolk ponds and large boulders left by historic floods – onward to Old Town Sherwood, the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, and Tualatin's Ki-a-Kuts bridge and Cook Park.
This adventure will unfold mile by mile, fueled by a new master plan that the Metro Council approved on Thursday. Unanimously signing off on the plan, councilors hailed it as the next step in jumpstarting construction along this 22-mile route through the southwestern part of the region.
"It's the blueprint for how to take this vision and turn it into reality," said Councilor Craig Dirksen, whose district includes the trail.
With input from more than 1,000 citizens, partners along the path of the Ice Age Tonquin Trail have worked together during the past few years to plan its route, look and feel. The master plan was approved in February by the cities of Sherwood and Tualatin, as well as Washington County. Wilsonville is expected to add its endorsement this spring.
Partners told the Metro Council on Thursday they're excited about connecting their communities with other regional trails, including the Fanno Creek Greenway and Westside trails. The Tonquin will make it much easier for Tualatin residents to explore the region's trail network, said Carl Switzer, the city's parks and recreation manager.
"They'll no longer have to get in their cars," he said. "They'll be able to leave their houses and walk or pedal to a regional facility."
Walkers, joggers and bicyclists are using five miles of the Tonquin, with a section through Graham Oaks Nature Park attracting nearly 250,000 visitors per year and the Ki-a-Kuts bicycle and pedestrian bridge drawing more than 750,000. That puts the Tonquin among the region's highgest-traffic trails outside central Portland.
Now, the region has 17 miles to go to complete the Tonquin. The next construction project is expected to be the Cedar Creek Greenway section, which will trace its namesake creek through Sherwood.
With a master plan in place, Metro can begin securing rights to build other parts of the trail, using funds from a 2006 natural areas bond measure approved by the region's voters. Metro works with willing sellers, paying market value to buy land – or the right to build a trail on it. Easements and purchases needed to complete the Tonquin are expected to cost $3 million to $6 million.
Partners will apply for grants to design and build the trail, which will cost an estimated $85 million to $120 million. Having a completed master plan makes a big difference, said Metro trails planner Jane Hart, who led the process.
"It sends an important message to the public and funding agencies that this project is ready to move forward, that it's a sound investment and it has strong partner collaboration," Hart said.
Metro councilors said they're excited about the Ice Age Tonquin Trail because it connects communities, making it easier for people to commute, exercise and enjoy nature. They had only one piece of advice for Metro and its partners: Hurry.
At the region's typical pace, it will take about two decades to find funding for and build the entire trail.
"While that's still in my cycling lifetime, it's not fast enough," said Metro Councilor Kathryn Harrington, an avid cyclist who represents the west side of the region. "We need to be more aggressive."