By Karen Robes Meeks
The construction of a connector trail that will link already existing segments along State Route 501/Northwest Lower River Road, between the Port of Vancouver USA’s administrative offices and Farwest Steel on Gateway Avenue, moved forward last week when the port commissioners awarded an $880,300 contract to Keystone Contracting Inc. of Ridgefield, Washington.
The work, which is partly funded through a $500,000 federal grant, includes “clearing, grading, paving, construction of elevated boardwalk, landscaping and irrigation.” Construction of the .33-mile portion of the trail is expected to start next month and be completed by early next year.
This new portion of the trail will be part of a countywide system that will link Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Washougal to Frenchman’s Bar Regional Park in Vancouver.