Oregon City’s Vertical Street - Open Late
This summer Oregon City residents, and visitors to historic downtown, will have more convenient access to the restaurants, shops and services in the downtown marketplace.
City leaders have extended the hours of operation of the Municipal Elevator during the summer as a pilot program to test and measure the potential for evening use. Extended summer hours of operation are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings until 9:30 pm through October 2nd.
An active summer season of programming downtown, including First Friday Art Walks, a new Wednesday afternoon farmers market on 8th street, and an increase in new restaurants open for dinner downtown were several factor that influenced the decision to extend the hours of operation of the Municipal Elevator.
Other factors include the Oregon City’s commitment to sustainability and providing residents pedestrian (trails, paths and non-vehicle) access to city amenities – like the historic downtown marketplace. Throughout the past 16 months, a range of consultants have also recommended increased use of the Municipal Elevator as an efficient mechanism for solving a several other challenges including downtown parking, tourism development, and economic development.
“The Municipal Elevator in Oregon City is more than a regional icon,” said Lloyd Purdy Downtown Manager, “Oregon City’s Municipal Elevator is a gateway between the downtown marketplace and the rest of Oregon City.”
The Oregon City Municipal Elevator operates as one of only four municipal elevators in the world. The Elevator is the only “vertical street” in North America, and provides a physical connection between Oregon City’s residential neighborhoods and our historic waterfront downtown. The Oregon City Municipal Elevator provides a connective link that transports more than 120,000 riders annually between the historic waterfront downtown and the City’s two upper terraces. For visitors, bicyclists, and pedestrian commuters as well as more than 1,000 downtown employees, the elevator is a gateway to the downtown marketplace.
Photo Courtesy of Main Street Oregon City ###
