Complex decision:  Sustainable Waterfront Example

The Rivergate Industrial District is Oregon’s primary gateway for international trade.  A project planned jointly by the City of Portland and U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has provided increased access to the city's only deepwater port and renewed development along the urban riverfront. 

The Federal-aid Highway Program provided $14.6 million of the $25 million cost for completing the North Marine Drive Project, which involved relocating a road through contaminated land to provide access from Interstate 5 to the deepwater terminal.  The new road, with additional wider lanes, improves the efficient operation of the port and has made the property more desirable for development. The project also improved access to recreational opportunities at Kelly Point Park at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers and protected nearby wetlands from encroachment.