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Road and Utility Extensions Coming to St. Helens Riverfront
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2021
St. Helens, Ore. – The City of St. Helens approved a personal services agreement on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, for a firm to draft design documents, obtain required permits, and create construction documents for road and utility extensions for South 1st and Strand Streets.
The agreement is part of the City’s ongoing efforts to open a large expanse of riverfront property that was formerly private industrial land fenced off from community access. With the City’s purchase of the property in 2015, major planning and design work has taken place to reclaim the waterfront to serve the St. Helens community in new ways. This redevelopment process aims to pay homage to both the past and future of the city by creating new amenities to attract new business and residents to St. Helens and provide guaranteed public access to a larger stretch of the Columbia River.
The City will use Portland-based contractor Otak to assist the City in preparing the construction documents for the extension of South 1st Street from Cowlitz Street to Plymouth Street. Strand Street will be extended south and then west to intersect South 1st Street opposite the Tualatin pedestrian stairway.
Development will include pedestrian and bicycle connections, streetscape design, on-street parking, and view corridors of the Columbia River. Strand Street is targeted to be a festival street with a gateway or special streetscape treatment at the intersection of South 1st Street and Strand Street. Mid-block crossings along South 1st Street are also expected to enhance walkability, maintain view corridors, and connect pedestrians to public access along the riverfront.
Utility extensions will also occur to ensure that there is adequate water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, landscape design, and other necessary utilities for future development.
In addition to street and utility extensions, the personal services agreement with Otak includes design work for the intersections at South 1st and Cowlitz Streets and Strand and Cowlitz Streets to improve pedestrian safety, function, and aesthetics.
The personal services agreement also includes permitting assistance for the construction projects.
Otak will spend the rest of 2021 creating preliminary and final designs for the street and utility extensions, securing necessary permits, and creating a bidding package for the work. Construction is anticipated to take 18 months to complete and is targeted to begin in March 2022.
The City is working with Business Oregon Infrastructure Finance Authority to secure a low-interest loan through the Special Public Works Opportunity Fund to fund the project.
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For further information regarding the St. Helens Riverfront road and utility extension project, please contact Communications Officer Crystal King at crystalf@ci.st-helens.or.us.
