Lower Cascades Park Streambank Stabilization & Trail Construction

The road through Lower Cascades Park remains closed to motor vehicles while it awaits necessary repairs from the June 18 flood, but is open to pedestrians and cyclists. In addition to these repairs, the city will be installing traffic calming measures along the road as part of reopening the road after the recently concluded Road Conversion Pilot. Pedestrians and cyclists using the road are encouraged to use caution in the area, due to both the necessary repairs and the start of the Lower Cascades Streambank Stabilization & Trail Phase 5 project, which began staging and layout this week.

This project will create a quarter mile of new 8-foot wide paved trail from the southern end of the Sycamore Shelter parking lot to a new trail roundabout just south of the Waterfall Shelter. From there, an approximately 730' long accessible boardwalk will be built to a viewing platform at the waterfall, and a new pedestrian bridge will connect the roundabout to the southern parts of the park.

The project will also stabilize approximately 430+ feet of streambank in the vicinity of the Waterfall Shelter by removing parts of the damaged and eroded wall, pulling back the streambank into tiers, and lining them with large limestone blocks. Pulling back the streambank will allow the creek to slow down during high-water events, reducing the erosive forces and decreasing the amount of sediment carried by the water. Additionally, the project will install new infrastructure for improved lighting through this portion of the park.