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ENLARGE
Two old bridge supports stand along the North Umpqua River near Susan Creek. The Bureau of Land Management intends to build a foot bridge across the river at this location.
The Federal Highway Administration will pump $1.2 million into upgrades to the Susan Creek Recreation Area east of Glide.
The money was part of $40.7 million handed out for 160 projects in 43 states under the National Scenic Byways Program. The Susan Creek award accounted for more than half of the $2.2 million awarded for seven Oregon projects and was the fourth-highest away in the country.
“I think they hit a home run with this,” said Pat Moran, the Scenic Byways manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation in Salem. “It was a good package.”
The federal Bureau of Land Management, which manages the recreation area, plans to construct a pedestrian bridge over the North Umpqua River near the Susan Creek Campground. The agency will also extend trails in the area and enlarge a day use parking area so recreational vehicles and pickups pulling trailers will have easier access.
In addition, two gazebos with room for two picnic tables each will be erected.
Altogether, the improvements will cost an estimated $3 million, said Gregg Morgan, a recreation planner for the BLM's Roseburg District. The price tag includes $500,000 paid to Douglas County two years ago for several different parcels of land, totaling 40 acres, from Douglas County.
Plans calls for the improvements to be finished by the end of 2011, he said.
“It's an aggressive, short time frame, but with the funding and the overwhelming support we've received from residents, we think we can do that,” Morgan said.
Earlier, the project received $1.1 million from a forest enhancement fund administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Installing the bridge, near the location of a logging bridge built in the 1950s that washed away in a 1964 flood, will allow hikers to access a much shorter piece of the Tioga segment of the North Umpqua Trail. Currently, the trail segment begins on the south side of the North Umpqua at Swiftwater Park at Idleyld Park and goes 16 miles to Wright Creek.
The new bridge will be located about halfway between those two points. Having the bridge there will also provide access for emergency responders to respond to hurt or stranded trail users.
ODOT will assist with construction of a half-mile trail from the parking lot to the new Tioga Bridge that will follow the highway's guardrail for about 400 feet.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
The money was part of $40.7 million handed out for 160 projects in 43 states under the National Scenic Byways Program. The Susan Creek award accounted for more than half of the $2.2 million awarded for seven Oregon projects and was the fourth-highest away in the country.
“I think they hit a home run with this,” said Pat Moran, the Scenic Byways manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation in Salem. “It was a good package.”
The federal Bureau of Land Management, which manages the recreation area, plans to construct a pedestrian bridge over the North Umpqua River near the Susan Creek Campground. The agency will also extend trails in the area and enlarge a day use parking area so recreational vehicles and pickups pulling trailers will have easier access.
In addition, two gazebos with room for two picnic tables each will be erected.
Altogether, the improvements will cost an estimated $3 million, said Gregg Morgan, a recreation planner for the BLM's Roseburg District. The price tag includes $500,000 paid to Douglas County two years ago for several different parcels of land, totaling 40 acres, from Douglas County.
Plans calls for the improvements to be finished by the end of 2011, he said.
“It's an aggressive, short time frame, but with the funding and the overwhelming support we've received from residents, we think we can do that,” Morgan said.
Earlier, the project received $1.1 million from a forest enhancement fund administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Installing the bridge, near the location of a logging bridge built in the 1950s that washed away in a 1964 flood, will allow hikers to access a much shorter piece of the Tioga segment of the North Umpqua Trail. Currently, the trail segment begins on the south side of the North Umpqua at Swiftwater Park at Idleyld Park and goes 16 miles to Wright Creek.
The new bridge will be located about halfway between those two points. Having the bridge there will also provide access for emergency responders to respond to hurt or stranded trail users.
ODOT will assist with construction of a half-mile trail from the parking lot to the new Tioga Bridge that will follow the highway's guardrail for about 400 feet.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 957-4209 or by e-mail at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
