PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Friends of Frog Ferry is making a last-ditch push to increase the accessibility of river transit in Portland.
The organization has revealed it needs to secure funding this year, or else the effort to connect cities along the Willamette River could fail. Co-founder and President Susan Bladholm emphasized this to Portland City Council on Wednesday morning.
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“The Willamette River, originally named the Multnomah after the Chinook Village, was a life-giving resource and natural travel route for indigenous peoples,” Susan Bladholm said. “When settlers arrived, they also relied on river transit. But by the 20th century, federal investments heavily favored cars and highways and sidelined our rivers. Once vital water corridors, they became obstacles and neglected.”
In May, she told KOIN 6 the finalized ferry would span across 35 miles from Vancouver to Oregon City. But her organization is currently asking public officials to champion a smaller pilot project with transit from Portland’s St. John’s neighborhood to downtown’s RiverPlace Marina…