The City of Tualatin has closed one of the last gaps in the Tualatin River Greenway Trail with the purchase of a 2.79-acre property made possible with funds supplied by Metro.
The property lies between Tualatin Community Park and SW Boones Ferry Rd. It includes 425 feet of Tualatin River frontage, allowing the city to route the greenway along the riverside instead of the current detour that requires crossing a heavily used arterial.
Additionally, the parcel includes a portion of Hedges Creek, which will help protect water quality in the region when the city completes its plan to turn the rest of the property into a natural area. The city also plans to build an ADA-accessible entry for non-motorized boats at the site, improving access to the Tualatin River.
“This acquisition connects the community to the river and invites residents and visitors to interact with Tualatin River in a new way,” said Ross Hoover, Tualatin Parks and Recreation Director. “Tualatin’s downtown area will forever be linked to the Tualatin River, and now we can reimagine that relationship while also creating a needed trail connection and helping to protect this amazing regional asset.”
The purchase, which closed in early October, was made possible through a $400,000 contribution from Metro that was funded through the Create Trails for Walking and Biking program of the voter-approved 2019 parks and nature bond measure. City funds came from the 2022 voter-approved parks and trail bond measure.
“We were very impressed with the City of Tualatin’s proposal,” said Metro conservation director Dan Moeller. “They had a clear plan for completing this work and just needed additional funding to kick-start it into action. It was easy to see how this project, which will create a safe and easily traveled connection for bikers and pedestrians between an urban center and a naturalized area, advances Metro’s goals of reducing carbon emissions and creating ways for people to connect to nature close to home.”
Planning for the future park and trail segment will begin in spring 2025, with community engagement to help shape the site’s design. Design is expected in 2026 with construction to follow in 2027-2028.
This is the 31st land acquisition purchased with funding from Metro’s 2019 parks and nature bond, creating a total of 941 acres and over a mile of trail acquired across target areas identified by the bond and its refinement plan.