Photos: ‘Detouring days are over’ after ribbon cutting at Boeckman Creek Bridge
Published 2:55 pm Wednesday, May 21, 2025
A grand opening for the Boeckman Bridge was held on Tuesday, May 20. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
A portion of Boeckman Road closed in early 2024 to construct the Boeckman Bridge, flattening the "dip." (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
From right to left, City Councilor Anne Shevlin, City Council President Caroline Berry, Mayor Shawn O'Neil and City Councilor Adam Cunningham cut the ribbon for the newly constructed Boeckman Bridge. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
The city's new battery-electric trolley was unveiled at the grand opening for the Boeckman Bridge. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
Mayor Shawn O'Neil spoke at the Boeckman Bridge grand opening. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
Cyclists cross Boeckman Bridge for the first time. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
A large crowd gathered near the Boeckman Bridge to celebrate its grand opening. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
A portion of the Boeckman Creek Trail, which goes under the bridge and will be paved over at a later time. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
West Linn-Wilsonville School District Superintendent Kathy Ludwig spoke on the safety benefit the bridge will provide to students and drivers going to school. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
SMART Director Dwight Brashear introduced the city's new battery-electric trolley at the Boeckman Bridge grand opening. (Krista Kroiss/Wilsonville Spokesman)
After more than a year, Boeckman Road is ready to reopen for traffic on the newly constructed bridge.
The first pedestrians were able to cross the Boeckman bridge during a ribbon cutting was held Tuesday, May 20, and it will open to vehicle traffic at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21. During the event, the South Metro Area Regional Transit service also unveiled its new battery-electric trolley which carried passengers across the bridge.
During his speech, SMART Director Dwight Brashear said the agency believes it may be the first battery-electric trolley in Oregon. Other guest speakers, including Mayor Shawn O’Neil and West Linn-Wilsonville School District Superintendent Kathy Ludwig, discussed the community benefits of the bridge project.
O’Neil thanked community members for their patience during the construction, noting “you’re detouring days are over.” He said that good urban planning involves balancing a number of needs like maintaining green spaces and habitat, preserving the city’s character and supporting safety and future growth.
“This project walks that line magnificently and improves Wilsonville’s livability,” O’Neil said. “It was a significant, necessary investment in Wilsonville’s future.”
The bridge closed in early 2024 for a project that involved flattening the Boeckman “dip.” Road improvements included a wider sidewalk, bike lanes and new sewer lines to serve the growing Frog Pond area. According to a press release earlier this month, residents can expect some traffic control — and potential lane and sidewalk closures — after the bridge opens as the city has a bit more work to do on the project.
Next year, a second phase of the project will remove the remaining embankment of the Boeckman “dip” and the existing culvert and flow control structure for the purpose of restoring Boeckman Creek under the bridge. This work will be done without complete road closures, the release said.
