River Street Project Updates
Something big is taking shape along South River Street, and Newberg residents are already helping to shape what it becomes.
The City is in the early stages of planning a complete rebuild of South River Street, a multi-year project that will be funded in part through the Newberg Urban Renewal Agency (NURA). An intergovernmental agreement is in place to use NURA tax increment funds, and the Engineering Department has begun exploring preliminary design options.
In the meantime, the City hosted an initial listening session on March 9th with River Street residents, and the feedback was rich. Staff heard a variety of concerns about tree removal, driveway impacts, intersection safety at 1st and River, and the overall feel of the street. Three design alternatives are under consideration, with various impacts on the current footprint of the neighborhood. All options include bicycle improvements, which are required by state law for this class of street, and which staff note will connect beautifully to the ODOT bypass multi-use path, opening up real recreational possibilities along the riverfront.
Preliminary design concepts are now available to view, and this project will continue to evolve with community input at every step. Council will discuss the formation of an Ad-Hoc Committee to provide feedback and guidance from residents on design options.
Visit the River Street project page to see the design options, read through the community Q&A from the March listening session, and check back often for updates as the project moves forward.
