The Salmonberry Corridor Coalition will hold two public meetings later this month to present the findings of assessments conducted as part of the master planning process for the proposed new trail. The first meeting will be held Tuesday, February 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Port of Tillamook Bay Officers Mess Hall Meeting Room at 4000 Blimp Blvd. in Tillamook. The second meeting will be held Wednesday, February 19 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Banks Fire Hall at 300 Main St. in Banks. This input from community members will assist the planning team in identifying priorities and strategies to guide the master planning and design process for the Corridor. The Salmonberry Corridor is a proposed 86-mile-long rail-trail that would run from the city of Tillamook to the city of Banks. It encompasses the Port of Tillamook Bay Railway, which provided train service from the coast to the Willamette Valley until it closed due to storm damage in 2007. The Salmonberry Corridor would connect eight cities and two counties, passing by the Oregon coastline, fisheries, farm fields, and the rugged Coast Range. The master plan is a long-term plan designed to guide future resource management and recreational uses of the Corridor. The planning team has been conducting a comprehensive study of natural, scenic, and cultural resource conditions; Corridor management needs; outdoor recreation trends in the region; community partnerships; and ideas and concerns identified through public input. For more information about the meetings or the Salmonberry Corridor, contact Rocky Houston, State Trails Coordinator, at (503) 986-0750 or rocky.houston@oregon.gov.
