Rockaway Beach Fencepost May 23

Hassell’s vision: “An ADA-compliant city that would let people take wheelchairs to the beach.” He mentioned the plan to create ramps at various beach access points. While beyond the scope of the Salmonberry Trail, it’s still an important city goal. Hassell concluded his comments with the hope that “we’re the first city in the world [that makes it possible] to go all the way from the high school to the Big Cedar boardwalk in a wheelchair.”

Statistics underscore the importance of wheeled access—meaning bikes and strollers as well as wheelchairs. Jon-Paul Bowles of Destination Management Advisors, the company involved in the planning of the project, said that the average age in Rockaway Beach was 55.5 years in 2010, but dropped to 46.6 by 2021. Residents under 19 years of age make up 24% of the city; residents 65 and older make up 27%.

This leaves roughly half of the population in the middle, comprising families with children, reflected in our rising school population. “We need to make accessibility multigenerational—from strollers to wheelchairs,” Bowles observed.

Next came the role of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) in administration and design of the project. ODOT funds include a recent award of $750,000. This will cover a comprehensive engineering analysis, including bridges, wetlands and enhanced crossings on Highway 101.

Additional existing funds for the program include between five and six million dollars at present, but 2024 will see an increase of $40 million, due to the availability of federal funds.

A key challenge is the absence of a crossing at 12th Street, the only access from 101 to the Lake Lytle neighborhood as well as the boat launch. The city recently leased the parking area from Tillamook County, which owns the lot. Plans to develop it include general improvements, but especially an enhanced, ADA-accessible kayak launching dock. A safe crossing at 12th is crucial to this.

The session then moved on to concerns about where to put the Trail. Mayor Charles McNeilly stressed the feelings of merchants and residents alike: “We absolutely cannot remove parking. If we remove it, we must replace it one for one. That would be a bedrock priority.”

Another key priority is extending walkability north and south of downtown. This would extend south as far as Warehouse 10, and north to the old location of Littoral and the Rockaway Beach Little Store. Both of those businesses found themselves too far from the core of the city. Littoral now shares space with Upper Crust Pizza; the Rockaway Beach Little Store closed last year.

Mayor McNeilly stressed the importance of attending these listening sessions. “This is a dynamic time in the city. We need more broad public engagement from the people, not just the city government and business leaders.” Councilor Mary McGinniss echoed this, adding, “We have to grapple with all the different challenges and serious constraints.”

The next listening session is scheduled for late June. Check the city’s website at http://corb.us for the date and time, as well as for a link to attend via Zoom. You can also submit comments online: click on the General Information button under the Salmonberry Trail Project (at the left side of the city’s home page), then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the button labeled online comment form. You can also email communitypath@destinationmanagementadvisors.com for more information.