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Three finalists are still in the running to design a public path through the former Blue Heron Paper Co. mill site in Oregon City.

The teams vying to design the riverfront path providing up-close views of Willamette Falls are: New York-based James Corner Field Operations with Portland-based PLACE and Seattle-based Miller Hull Partnership; Portland-based Mayer/Reed with Norwegian firm ³§²Ôø³ó±ð³Ù³Ù²¹ and Canadian firm DIALOG; and Portland-based Walker Macy with New York-based Thomas Balsley Associates.

Finalists will be interviewed next month, and a winning team should be selected by June, said Ellen Wyoming, natural resources engagement coordinator with project partner Metro. The design process is expected to kick off this summer and require 18 months, she said. This will include a significant amount of time gathering public input on the plans.

A path for pedestrians and bicyclists will be constructed along the Willamette River, adjacent to downtown Oregon City. The path will pass through the ex-Blue Heron site and Portland General Electric property to give the public access to nearby Willamette Falls for the first time in decades.

The project, estimated to cost $30 million, is a joint effort of Metro, the city of Oregon City, Clackamas County, the state of Oregon and site owner George Heidgerken. It has been hailed as the first step toward revitalization of the ex-industrial site; it has sat vacant since 2011, when the paper mill shut down.

About $10 million in funding has been secured from Metro and the state to complete the first phase of developing the path. The initial design phase budget is approximately $650,000.