Restoring the Whilamut Natural Area

From ODOT- Long before it was named the Whilamut Natural Area, the Kalapuya tribe inhabited this 70-acre site on the north bank of the Willamette River west of Interstate 5. The Kalapuya gathered food, traveled on the river and hunted local game. Later the site served as farmland, supplied sand and gravel for the original I-5 bridge and was used as a Lane County landfill from 1964 to 1974.

Transformation of the site continues today. The City of Eugene and volunteers serving on the Citizen Planning Committee oversee efforts to restore the area to its natural state. Removal of non-native plant species such as blackberries, Scotch broom and tall fescue allows native species to survive and thrive. Planting of native grasses and wildflowers creates new upland prairies for wildlife habitat. Western meadowlark, vesper sparrow, woodpeckers, lizards, gopher snakes, frogs and turtles are expected to return and thrive.

A new forest canopy of black cottonwood and Oregon ash will protect plants needing shade while providing wildlife habitat and a cool zone along the river for juvenile Chinook salmon.

As the restoration proceeds, bicyclists, walkers and runners use the variety of hard and soft paths to travel east, west, north and south. Some stop to enjoy the river or just sit and experience the natural surroundings.

Future generations will appreciate the opportunity to see cycles of nature and flourishing native plants and wildlife.

ODOT approves design enhancements for north bank natural area

From ODOT-

ODOT has approved two design enhancements proposed by Litus LLC for the Whilamut Naural Area near the new Interstate 5 Willamette River bridges.



Blue engraved stones will be installed on the slope south of the Canoe Canal Path under Interstate 5. Fifteen stones will depict the life cycle of the abundant camas, from the bulb's edible underground roots, to its open flowers, to its seeds falling to the ground.



The designs reflect the "Whilamut Passage" theme selected by the community in 2009. When completed in 2014, the installation will enhance local understanding of the Kalapuya culture and the area inhabited by Native Americans.



Teams from the Community Involvement and Long-term Ownership Strategy (CILOS) will participate in the restoration of 3.5 acres of land in the Whilamut Natural Area. They will restore the Willamette Valley upland and prairie habitat by removing non-native vegetation and planting native species. They will add design enhancements consisting of singing perches for birds created by supported tree snags. Some 14 local schools working in groups of 20 - 40 students per school will complete the project over three years. Ongoing education and awareness is an important aspect of this project.

Here's a rendering of the singing perches to be placed in the Whilamut Natural Area.

Over the past few months, a Design Enhancement Steering Committee has worked with the local designers to develop the final recommendation. The Citizen Advisory Group and the Project Development Team reviewed the designs at the end of November and recommended them to ODOT. We have approved the recommendation and will move forward with contracting with Litus for final designs, with installation to be completed by spring 2014.



ODOT appreciates Litus' work and all the volunteers who helped develop these enhancements. They will certainly benefit the area for generations.

Hundreds of Volunteer Hours Make this Bridge Possible

From ODOT- I cannot stress enough how grateful everyone at ODOT is for the citizens who have donated so much time, effort and passion into making this bridge something we are all proud of.



A 12-member Community Advisory Group (CAG) has been instrumental in developing project goals, objectives and design considerations to ensure that community values are a part of the project. They have been meeting since 2007, and have included representatives from local neighborhoods, recreation groups, local artists, architects, the University of Oregon and the Citizen Planning Committee (CPC) for the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park. The work on the enhancements has been guided by a Design Enhancement Panel (DEP), a diverse group of design professionals and community representatives, and a Design Enhancement Steering Committee (DESC) made up of four members from the CAG that continues to meet. The four members of the DESC are Charlotte Behm, Bob Kline, Vicky Mello, and Scott Wylie.



ODOT is fortunate to be able to include artistic enhancements on the project that will reflect community values and add cultural significance to the design. Esther Stutzman, a Kalapuya tribal representative, and David Lewis, representative of The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, have played a large role in inspiring the design enhancements. They each set aside time to help develop the bridge's aesthetic values and to foster the designers through their work.



I'd also like to thank our citizen volunteers who have worked to have the bridge renamed the Whilamut Passage Bridge. While the name is not yet official, we are well on our way thanks to their efforts shepherding it through the process. Thank you, all. Your work on this project has ensured that it will resonate with this community for years to come.

Souvenirs for the future

From ODOT-

As crews were finishing the new southbound bridge, they wanted to add to this lasting legacy and introduce future generations to the men and women who built the bridge.

Our contractor, Hamilton, initiated the effort to leave a time capsule in the anti-access walls of the arches.

The bridge workers were invited to leave anything they wanted in the time capsule. Some left personal items, such as business cards or pictures of themselves. Other items included:

• An edition of the Register-Guard featuring an article about the project.


• A CD of construction pictures.


• A DVD featuring a technical video showing how the arches were built.


• Some work schedule calendars.

It’s fun to imagine what people will think when they find these souvenirs in a hundred or so years when they replace these bridges.

Bob Vaughn, Hamilton foreman, displays the time capsule, then places it in the bridge arch.