Stretching from the Hawthorne Bridge to the Steel Bridge, the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade completes a 3-mile loop around the Willamette River and connects the east and west sides of Portland's central city neighborhoods and businesses.  

The Esplanade was designed for improved fish and wildlife habitat, riverbank restoration, and stormwater management. At the Madison Street Plaza, a landscape filter at the top of the bank collects stormwater runoff from the path and filters it before it's piped to the bottom of the bank and discharged into the river. Piping the water to the river reduces erosion and helps maintain the integrity of the bank.  Native plants including rose and willow species, Douglas spiraea, Red osier dogwood, and Snowberry help anchor the bank and provide habitat and food sources for local wildlife.

Project Team:

Owner: City of Portland Parks and Recreation

Engineer: KPFF COnsulting Engineers

Landscape Architect: Mayer/Reed

Contractors: Advanced American Diving, Slayden Construction, Benge Construction

Mechanical/Electrical Engineers: MFIA Consulting Engineers

Geotechnical Engineering: Geotechnical Resources, Inc.

Recognition (Eastside Esplanade):

2004 ASLA Award of Excellence, Phase II

2002 ACEC National Recognition Award

2002 ACE Oregon Grand Award

2002 Governor's Livability Award l

2001 Excellence on the Waterfront Competition, Honor Award, The Waterfront Center, Washington, DC