Press Release - City of Salem Railroad Bridge Receives Award

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Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Salem Bridge Receives Oregon Heritage Excellence Award

Tues., Mar. 16, 2010 – Salem, Ore. – Salem’s Union Street Rail Road Bridge Conversion Project has recently been selected to receive an Oregon Heritage Excellence Award for creating a popular community destination and transportation route while maintaining the historic character and structural integrity of the 1912 converted bridge. The Heritage Excellence Awards recognize individuals, businesses and organizations for outstanding efforts on behalf of Oregon heritage. The awards honor people and organizations that have made the most of available resources and skills.

“The efforts of organizations like the City of Salem are essential for the strength of Oregon’s cultural heritage. I commend and congratulate the Council, staff and volunteers for their outstanding work,” said Kyle Jansson, Coordinator, Oregon Heritage Commission.

The Heritage Programs Division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, which houses the Oregon Heritage Commission and the State Historic Preservation Office, is issuing the awards. Salem’s award will be presented April 9 at the Oregon Regional Heritage Roundup in Oregon City. Oregon First Lady, Mary Oberst, and Oregon Heritage Commission chair, George Kramer, will make the presentation

The Union Street Railroad Bridge was built across the Willamette River in 1912-13 by Southern Pacific Railway to connect Salem to the West Willamette Valley. The bridge was acquired by Union Pacific Railroad in 1996 and was purchased by the City of Salem for one dollar in 2004. The bridge was put on the National Register of Historic Places in January 2006. In April 2008, Carter & Company, Inc., a Salem contractor, began reconstructing the historic landmark. In November 2009, construction crews continued the encapsulation of lead-based paint, painted, performed bridge repairs, and installed security cameras. The Friends of Two Bridges, a local grass roots organization, is planning a bridge re-opening event for the public on May 15.

The Union Street Railroad pedestrian and bicycle bridge provides a critical half-mile link in the bicycle and pedestrian circulation systems for the community, the region and the state. Two large urban parks: Wallace Marine (114 acres) and Riverfront (23 acres), book-end this bridge. The project has connected the parks’ trail systems into a single, safe, and family-friendly network and has improved bicycle and pedestrian safety and accessibility in Salem. The bridge encourages the use of alternative transportation modes and promotes healthy forms of exercise (like running, cycling, skating, and wheelchairing) for both local and out-of-town users.

Construction updates, photos and history of the bridge are available at www.cityofsalem.net/unionbridge. For further information on the bridge, please contact Todd Klocke at 503-588-6178 or tklocke@cityofsalem.net.

The City of Salem’s Urban Development Department is committed to enhancing community prosperity through an array of programs in its four major service areas: Real Property Services, Housing and Social Services, Economic Development and Downtown Revitalization. The Urban Development Department: manages the City’s urban renewal areas (URA) and redevelopment projects within the URAs; administers federally funded block grant and housing programs; provides loans and grants to eligible businesses, homeowners, and renters; and manages leases, acquires, and sells properties for the City.

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Call 503-588-6178, ext. 7552 or visit www.cityofsalem.net.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Salem Bridge Receives Oregon Heritage Excellence Award

Tues., Mar. 16, 2010 – Salem, Ore. – Salem’s Union Street Rail Road Bridge Conversion Project has recently been selected to receive an Oregon Heritage Excellence Award for creating a popular community destination and transportation route while maintaining the historic character and structural integrity of the 1912 converted bridge. The Heritage Excellence Awards recognize individuals, businesses and organizations for outstanding efforts on behalf of Oregon heritage. The awards honor people and organizations that have made the most of available resources and skills.

“The efforts of organizations like the City of Salem are essential for the strength of Oregon’s cultural heritage. I commend and congratulate the Council, staff and volunteers for their outstanding work,” said Kyle Jansson, Coordinator, Oregon Heritage Commission.

The Heritage Programs Division of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, which houses the Oregon Heritage Commission and the State Historic Preservation Office, is issuing the awards. Salem’s award will be presented April 9 at the Oregon Regional Heritage Roundup in Oregon City. Oregon First Lady, Mary Oberst, and Oregon Heritage Commission chair, George Kramer, will make the presentation

The Union Street Railroad Bridge was built across the Willamette River in 1912-13 by Southern Pacific Railway to connect Salem to the West Willamette Valley. The bridge was acquired by Union Pacific Railroad in 1996 and was purchased by the City of Salem for one dollar in 2004. The bridge was put on the National Register of Historic Places in January 2006. In April 2008, Carter & Company, Inc., a Salem contractor, began reconstructing the historic landmark. In November 2009, construction crews continued the encapsulation of lead-based paint, painted, performed bridge repairs, and installed security cameras. The Friends of Two Bridges, a local grass roots organization, is planning a bridge re-opening event for the public on May 15.

The Union Street Railroad pedestrian and bicycle bridge provides a critical half-mile link in the bicycle and pedestrian circulation systems for the community, the region and the state. Two large urban parks: Wallace Marine (114 acres) and Riverfront (23 acres), book-end this bridge. The project has connected the parks’ trail systems into a single, safe, and family-friendly network and has improved bicycle and pedestrian safety and accessibility in Salem. The bridge encourages the use of alternative transportation modes and promotes healthy forms of exercise (like running, cycling, skating, and wheelchairing) for both local and out-of-town users.

Construction updates, photos and history of the bridge are available at www.cityofsalem.net/unionbridge. For further information on the bridge, please contact Todd Klocke at 503-588-6178 or tklocke@cityofsalem.net.

The City of Salem’s Urban Development Department is committed to enhancing community prosperity through an array of programs in its four major service areas: Real Property Services, Housing and Social Services, Economic Development and Downtown Revitalization. The Urban Development Department: manages the City’s urban renewal areas (URA) and redevelopment projects within the URAs; administers federally funded block grant and housing programs; provides loans and grants to eligible businesses, homeowners, and renters; and manages leases, acquires, and sells properties for the City.

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Call 503-588-6178, ext. 7552 or visit www.cityofsalem.net.