In the March2016 issue:

Advisory CommitteeMeeting 3/17/16

Open House 3/29/16about CongestionSolutions

2016 Season ofCelebration BuildsExcitement

Historic HighwayState TrailConstruction

Gorge Hubs ReceiveGrants

Columbia River GorgeTransit

Improvement Projectson I‐84

Gorge CommunitySpotlight: CascadeLocks

Your source for updates and information regarding efforts to remember, restore andreconnect the Historic Columbia River Highway and State Trail ‐ a world class adventurefrom Portland to The Dalles. 

Advisory Committee to meet March 17 in Cascade Locks  

The Historic Columbia River Highway Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, March 17at the Cascade Locks Marine Park in the Pavilion between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  The meetingwill include presentations on the Historic Highway Trail construction updates, GorgeTransit Study, Historic Columbia River Highway Collaborative Assessment's potentialoutcomes, and review the upcoming Historic Columbia River Highway centennialcelebrations.    

Open House on 3/29 will look at short-term "implementable" solutions to congestion

The Historic Columbia River Historic Highway continues to grow in popularity as does theColumbia River Gorge in general. The Historic Highway and supporting infrastructure,including parking areas on the Historic Highway and on I‐84 at Multnomah Falls, has alimited capacity which is often reached. 

This Oregon Solutions project will identify solutions to some of the most immediate shortterm congestion and safety issues and a means to accomplish such improvements.  

Short‐term solutions to congestion in the Gorge, such as at Angel's Rest Trailhead, will be coveredat the March 29th Open House at the Corbett Grange Hall. 

The public is invited to check out some of the proposed solutions at a public open house

Rip Caswell bringing life into Sam Hill and SamLancaster.

on March 29th, 2016 at 6:30 pm at the Corbett Grange Hall (37493 NE Grange HallRoad, Corbett).  

Can you feel the excitement?  Events planned to celebrate 2016

Excitement is building around the "2016 Season of Celebration."  With the official "state‐wide" designation of the Historic Highway Centennial by the Oregon Heritage Commission,the entire state of Oregon is gearing up to celebrate America's greatest highway.  TheGorge is buzzing with excitement.  

You can see this excitement in Troutdaleas a piece of art comes to life.  In honor ofthe designers of the Historic Highway,Troutdale artist Rip Caswell is sculpting abeautiful and fitting tribute to thevisionaries behind the Historic Highway,Sam Hill and Samuel Lancaster, in time forthe 2016 celebration.  Visit the CaswellGallery in Historic Downtown Troutdale,Gateway to the Scenic Columbia RiverGorge or attend the unveiling of the newsculpture on June 7 at 3 p.m. atTroutdale's Visionary Park (US 30 andJackson Park Road).

Excitement is filling the air as  thecentennial celebrations kick off, withcommunity events planned all year.  Checkout www.HistoricHighway.org for acomplete list of fun events to celebrateAmerica's Greatest Highway, including theunveiling of Rip Caswell's new sculpture.

10 Tips for Gorgeous Trips to the GorgeAvoid the crowds and congestion by planning your trip to the Gorge during the 2016 Seasonof Celebration (and beyond) with these simple tips in mind.

1. Go early ‐  Take advantage of the long days and start your trip before 10 a.m. Beatthe crowds and enjoy brunch in one of the amazing Gorge communities.

2. Go late ‐ Take in an amazing Gorge sunset. The summer sun illuminates those northfacing Gorge slopes that sit in shadow most of the year.  There are amazing dinnerand overnight accommodation opportunities along the route.

3. Go east ‐ Avoid the crowds and start with the morning sun at the east end of theGorge with its gorgeous fields of wildflowers. Follow the sun west.

4. Know before you go ‐  Check the traffic before you go.  Go to www.TripCheck.comto see if the Multnomah Falls parking lot is crowded. If it's more than 70 percent full,consider delaying your visit there until the crowd subsides. Google maps is a greatway to check traffic as well.

5. Park responsibly ‐ Stay off the white line.  If your wheels are over the white line orfog line be warned you may get a ticket or be towed.  It is important to keep thetravel lane clear for emergency vehicles.    

6. No parking?  Keep moving ‐ Go with the flow, be conscientious of those stuck behindyou. There is always another waterfall or another view around the bend. 

7. Ride your bike ‐ Avoid the congestion all together and explore the Historic Highwaycar free on the Historic Highway State Trail.  For maps and more information visitwww.HistoricHighway.org

8. Lock your vehicle ‐ Nothing is a bigger bummer than a smashed window and losingsomething of value; so keep those valuables out of sight.    

9. Share a ride ‐ Car pooling is a great option. There are also many great tour

operators in the Gorge.  Check out www.TravelOregon.com for additionalinformation.

10. Enjoy going slow ‐ If you do get stuck in traffic, enjoy the opportunity to go slow andtake in the beauty of the Gorge.  

Historic Highway State Trail continues to lengthen

The next section of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail is taking shape justwest of Starvation Creek Trailhead.  The blackberries and ivy have been removed by USForest Service crews.  The trees have been cut to make way for the new trail alignment. 

One lane of I‐84 is closed near Starvation Creek Trailhead for the extension of the HistoricHighway State Trail; now through June 2016. 

Colf Landscade Construction of Vancouver is contracted to complete this 1.32 mile sectionof trail which will include a new overlook at Hole‐in‐the‐Wall Falls and a new bridge overWarren Creek.  Construction is expected to be complete this fall and the State Trail will bededicated on September 24, 2016. 

The construction requires a single lane closure of I‐84 near Starvation Creek Trailhead;check www.I84Construction.org for traffic impacts. 

Gorge Hubs receive grants

Six communities along the Historic Highway fromWood Village to The Dalles have banded togetherto develop a system of Gorge Hubs (read previouse‐newsletters for more information). 

The Portland Wheelman have generously donatedfunding to support the installation of bike fix‐itstations at the the Gorge Hubs. The fix‐it stationswere donated to the the cities of Wood Village,

The new fix‐it stations for the GorgeHubs will soon be installed thanks to the

Portland Wheelman.

The view of Vista House from Portland Women's Forum,makes it clear why there are so many visitors to the

Columbia River Gorge. 

Troutdale, Cascade Locks, Hood River and TheDalles and will include a bike tire pump and othertools to fix bikes. Mosier already has a bike fix‐itstation installed and it's ready for use.

Thanks to Cycle Oregon riders and donors, theGorge Hubs received an infusion of money. Eachcommunity received a check for $4,000 to help payfor new maps showing cycling opportunities alongthe Historic Columbia River Highway. Thank youCycle Oregon!

Additionally, the Friends of the Gorge receivedfunding from Cycle Oregon to purchase banners tobe hung along the Historic Highway to celebrate itscentennial this summer.     

Columbia River Gorge transit in the works!

This winter a flurry of datacollection, stakeholderinterviews, user surveys and coordination among severalagencies allowed ODOT to pulltogether a vision that willhopefully bring public transit tothe Gorge this summer.  

The user survey which, wascompleted by over 1,700people, revealed that visitorsand residents alike would like tosee improved access toMultnomah Falls. Parking atOregon's most visited naturalsite is often filled to capacity,forcing closure of the exit fromInterstate 84.  

Stay tuned as the project partners work to have a pilot project in place by June thissummer at www.GorgeTransitStudy.org.  This is a major effort but an important first stepin ensuring access to the Gorge is available to all. 

I-84 improvements now under construction 

The Oregon Department of Transportation is working on Interstate 84 between Troutdaleand The Dalles over 2016 to improve safety and traveler comfort with paving, bridge repairand rockfall mitigation projects.

Construction is now underway on I‐84 and more work is planned to start in the next fewmonths. To learn more about the projects, visit www.I84Construction.org or visitwww.TripCheck.com for real‐time traffic conditions. 

Attend an information booth on Tuesday, March 15 at at the Columbia Market (450 SW

Wanapa, Cascade Locks) from 4 to 6 p.m. to learn more about construction impacts.Other information booths are planned for this summer.  

Paving Sandy River to Multnomah Falls: May ‐ Oct. 2016*Under Construction! Tanner Creek Bridge Repair at Bonneville Dam: Feb. ‐ July 2016*Paving Cascade Locks to Hood River: Apr. ‐ Sep. 2016*Under Construction! Extending the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail:Feb. ‐ June 2016; Sep. 24, 2016 trail opening*Hood River Rockfall Repair: Sep. 2016 ‐ May 2017*Mosier to The Dalles Paving & Median Barrier Replacement: June ‐ Sep. 2016*Paving and Bridge Construction in The Dalles: Feb. 2015 ‐ June 2016*

* Schedule is subject to change due to weather and site conditions 

Centennial celebration: community spotlight

In honor of the 100‐year anniversary of the Historic Highway's dedication in 1916, we willbe shining some light on communities along the Historic Highway. 

Explore Cascade LocksNext time you are headed to the Gorge consider Cascade Locks as your base camp. Try thisday hike/bike as a way to explore the Historic Highway State Trail and one of the Gorge'sgreat communities! 

From the Bridge of the Gods parking area head west on the Historic Columbia RiverHighway State Trail to start your adventure (on foot or by bike, cars aren't allowedon this portion of the Historic Highway).  

The Moffett Creek Bridge provides a great contrast of the old andnew. 

Start your trip at the Bridge of the Gods parking area, but be sure to explore Cascade Locks ‐including the Overlook Plaza which has great views of the river. 

Along the Historic Highway State Trail you will leave the hum of the freeway behindas you cruise along the original alignment of the old highway. Stop and take in thebeauty of Ruckel Creek Falls and make sure to stop on the Eagle Creek Bridge, oneof the most elegant bridges along the Historic Columbia River Highway. Just beyondthe bridge you will have to navigate a stair case but it was designed with a groove soyou can push your bike up the stairs. At the top of the staircase you will be treated to the Eagle Creek Viaduct, astunning example of elegant highway design. This section of the Historic Highwaywas abandoned in the late thirties with the construction of the Bonneville Dam. Thebeautiful Tooth Rock Tunnel was constructed as a bypass and is still used today aspart of Interstate 84 eastbound. Explore and taketime to visitHerman theSturgeon at theBonneville FishHatchery. Unfortunately,bikes are notallowed over thedam so you willhave to visit thedam after yourbike ride. The trailparallels I‐84offering amazingviews of theColumbia River andBeacon Rock. Thetrail takes you toMoffett CreekBridge which wasconstructed in 1914. At the time of its construction, the Moffett Creek Bridge wasthe longest single span concrete bridge in the world.  The trail ends near McCordCreek. The McCord Creek Bridge built in 2013 pays homage the historic bridges thatthe Historic Highway is known for. The trail merges with a Frontage Road at J.B. Yeon Trailhead where you will sharethe road with cars once again. Continue on the Multnomah Falls or turn back here.  

It is approximately 6.5 miles between the Bridge of the Gods and J.B. Yeon Trailhead. Atthe end of your trip make sure to treat yourself to a famous ice cream, delicious beer or

some fresh salmon in Cascade Locks. You deserve it!

Help spread the word!

Share this newsletter with your friends and colleagues by clicking on the "Forward thisemail" link below. Tell us what you think of this update.  What would you like to see in future issues? Join the mailing list to stay up‐to‐date on what is happening. Names are not shared. Read more about the Historic Columbia River Highway, on ODOT's website. We encourage you to "follow" the Historic Highway on Twitter andInstagram @hcrhighway and "like" the Historic Highway on Facebook www.facebook.com/HCRH100th.  Share your stories and pictures of the HistoricHighway using hashtag #Route30

Contact  

Kristen Stallman, Historic Columbia River Highway CoordinatorOregon Department of Transportation, Region 1503‐731‐4957   Kristen.Stallman@odot.state.or.us