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In East Portland, where Interstate 84 meets Interstate 205, offers 25 acres of parkland 鈥� an opportunity for respite from hustle and bustle. And now it’s even better.

A $5.75 million project concluded recently. It produced a gravity-oriented mountain bike trail, an asphalt pump track nearly 600 feet in length, a playground, a grassy area for gatherings and performances (when public health conditions allow), improved utilities including restrooms and a drinking fountain, and more.

鈥淕ateway Green is finally the park we always dreamed it could be,鈥� Paul Dickow, chairman of the Friends of Gateway Green board, stated in a press release. 鈥淭his is a huge day for East Portland, Portland Parks, and off-road cyclists!鈥�

The park now features two miles of single track, two pump tracks, gravity-oriented flow trails, and a bike park with an adaptive course for people in wheelchairs. Also, the habitat was diversified via additions of plants.

The project was paid with Portland Parks & Recreation system development charges and a $1 million Nature in Neighborhood grant from Metro. In addition to Friends of Gateway Green, project partners included Northwest Trail Alliance, The UNPavement Project and Sasquatch Trails.

Design consultants included GreenWorks PC, PBS Engineering & Environmental, and C2 Recreation. Minority-owned Raimore Construction served as the contractor.

鈥淲e didn’t want to reduce the quality of the bike experience out there but with added advancements improved upon them,鈥� GreenWorks landscape architect Ben Johnson said.

Johnson worked to make sure people could access all of the trails in the park without disrupting the existing bike trails.

Because Gateway Green differs in elevation by approximately 100 feet from its top to its bottom, design and construction were challenging. A key design aspect was ensuring accessibility for all potential park users.

GreenWorks also improved the habitat to keep wildlife and recreational use in mind. For example, trees were planted in areas to provide shade for cyclists. The whole habitat was designed with native trees except for a few by the hub to give the area separation and prominence.

Upon the park’s opening in 2017, it had only a single track and bike park. It was 鈥渂are-bones,鈥� Chris Bernhardt, of C2 Recreation, said. 鈥�(It) didn’t feel like a park.鈥�

Now Gateway Green is expected to become a regional destination for cyclists of all skill levels as well as an attraction for many others.