Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Riverfront Project topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
St. Helens marks completion of 2.5-year riverfront streets and utilities project with proclamation
Summary
Mayor Jennifer Massey and council recognized downtown businesses and residents for their patience during a 2.5-year streets and utilities extension project that included a River Walk phase and Columbia View Park improvements.
Mayor Jennifer Massey read a proclamation June 18 recognizing downtown business owners and residents for their patience during the city’s streets and utilities extension work tied to waterfront redevelopment.
The proclamation said the project — covering South First, Cowlitz and Strand streets — took more than 2.5 years and involved extensive upgrades to water, sewer and stormwater systems, new streets, sidewalks and pedestrian pathways. The proclamation also described a concurrent River Walk project and a one-year Columbia View Park expansion that relocated some community events during construction.
Why it matters: City officials told the council the work modernizes aging infrastructure, improves safety and accessibility, and lays groundwork for long-term economic activity along the riverfront.
What officials said: Mayor Massey read the proclamation in full, thanking business owners for resilience through “street closures, detours, sidewalk removal and replacement, parking disruptions, limited access, intermittent utility outages, and ongoing construction related challenges to the dust, the noise, the rock hammering, and the vibration from the trenching and excavation.” She closed by saying, “Your perseverance and civic spirit made this project, this progress possible.”
Councilors and the city administrator also thanked downtown business owners in brief remarks; one councilor noted the waterfront effort has been active for 15–20 years and said the community should be proud to see infrastructure completed.
Community note and celebration: The mayor invited business owners and council members to pose for a group photo at the waterfront after the proclamation and encouraged residents to celebrate the ribbon cutting and upcoming Fourth of July events.
Taper: City staff and councilors encouraged residents to watch for social-media postings of the group photo and for upcoming event dates tied to the waterfront redevelopment.
