Umatilla River Trail awaits word on grant funding
By Terry Murry on Friday, February 10th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
UMATILLA COUNTY – The developers of the proposed Umatilla River Trail are waiting to see if they will be awarded a grant that would provide the money to begin Phase 1 of the project. Umatilla County Planning Division Manager Megan Davchevski says the matching money for the grant is already in hand.
“The trail will begin in Umatilla at the city’s footbridge, which is currently being replaced, and then cross land owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and private land that’s being donated to the cause before crossing the Umatilla River again to Umatilla River Road,” she said.
Phase 1 sees the trail ending on the northern city limits of Hermiston. Once it moves into that city it will connect with the Oxbow Trail Extension and follow it south to 11th Street. In Hermiston, the trail will connect to First Street and proceed along irrigation canals to reach Stanfield.
At Stanfield Meadow Road the trail will head east into the city with a pedestrian bridge crossing the Umatilla River. It will then follow Highway 395 and eventually connect to the city of Echo’s trail system, ending there.
Davchevski says the only private land used by the trail has been donated.
Editor’s note: This article was updated to reflect that the preferred route of the trail from Hermiston to Stanfield has changed since the trail concept plan was published.
