Port of Kalama seeks Cowlitz County Path & Trails funds for $12M pedestrian overpass to link downtown and waterfront
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Summary
The Port of Kalama presented a $12 million Kalama Crossing pedestrian overpass project to county commissioners and asked the county to consider support from the Path & Trails fund. Port staff argued the new ADA‑compliant overpass would shorten pedestrian trips from 2 miles to 0.2 miles, add ~110 parking spaces and improve access for hundreds of
Eric (Port of Kalama) told the board the Kalama Crossing — a replacement pedestrian overpass and approach improvements — would make the waterfront accessible to a broader group of visitors, improve safety and provide a direct downtown connection. The port estimates construction at $12 million, up about $5 million from earlier proposals due to rising construction costs; the port had secured a $2.25 million state appropriation but sought additional local support to close the gap.
Eric said the port measures waterfront activity with a mobile-data platform (Placer AI) and reported roughly 700,000 visits in the last 12 months, including around 20,000 cruise passengers; he argued that many of those visitors currently cannot easily reach downtown because the existing 1970s overpass is not ADA compliant. The proposed project includes elevators and switchback ramps and would add about 110 parking spaces east of the rail line.
County staff explained the Path & Trails 'shave‑off' account (a portion of motor vehicle fuel tax) has about $800,000 of uncommitted funds and roughly $50,000 in annual tax revenue, with additional interest earnings available. Commissioners expressed support in principle and asked staff to draft an agreement for consideration; no final county contribution was approved in the meeting.