Historic Willamette Falls Drive FAQ

Thank you to everyone who has provided comment on the design plans for Historic Willamette Falls Drive. Below are some answers to some frequently asked questions we received.

Construction has started - what is the timeline?

• Historic Willamette Falls Drive will be completed in phases. The first phase (10th-14th street) is anticipated to be completed by June 2020, the second phase (14th-16th st) is anticipated to be completed by July 2020, and the third phase (relocating utilities and replanting trees) is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. All work is weather dependent, and dates are subject to change.

Will businesses be open during construction?

• Yes, the City is utilizing construction management techniques such as phasing and temporary detours to allow pedestrian and vehicular access to businesses during construction. We encourage you to shop local while construction takes place! 

The trees have all been removed, will the City plant new ones?

• Yes, the streetscape plans includes planting new, larger diameter trees and landscape buffer areas. These trees will be locally sourced and native to the Pacific Northwest and should be replanted in early Fall. 

Will parking be back-in or head-in angle parking?

• While back-in parking was initially discussed, the current plan is to keep all angle parking as head-in parking.

Parking is a major issue, where should we park during construction?

• Work will take place on the north side of Willamette Falls, and then they will cross over to the south side. While they are working on the north side, southside parking will remain open. When work moves over to the south side, north side parking will reopen and south side parking will be closed. We know it's not ideal to have any parking closed, but while this work is taking place we encourage you to utilize side street parking. The City is also working with other property owners in the area to see about using their parking for nights and weekends - we will keep you posted as these plans develop.

Is the City installing any new traffic signals?

• Traffic signals will eventually be installed on Willamette Falls Drive at 10th and 12th Streets, but are not part of this phase of the project.

​Will the power and communication utilities be placed underground?

• Some utilities will be undergrounded, but the majority of overhead power and communication utilities will be relocated to 8th Avenue. 

For more on this voter approved GO Bond project, including design plans, open house boards, and more, please click here.