April 26, 2025, by Paul Wyntergreen, Team Coordinator

This March, the Shared Use Path Team completed its initial objective of presenting a proposal for a path connecting Netarts to the Lighthouse along State Highway 131 and the County's Cape Meares Loop Road.

After the presentation, the OAP Board reviewed the proposal and approved its submission, with some minor edits, to both the Oregon Department of Transportation and County Public Works for inclusion in their long-range transportation plans. This will authorize and facilitate the OAP's pursuit of grants to design and construction prioritized segments of the Path as part of its next steps for bringing the Path to fruition.

The Board is now awaiting response from both the State and County as to how the OAP should participate in the official adoption process. Hopefully, that process will be concluded in time for the Team to help submit a grant application with State and County signatures for this coming September's next round of TLT funding.

Additionally, we are cooperating with Tillamook Public Works, the County, and State regarding a potential application for a Federal Lands Access Program grant https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/flap

This grant is limited to Cape Meares Loop from its intersection with OR 131 to the new alignment and then on Lighthouse Road (formerly Cape Meares Loop) from the new alignment up to the parking lot at the entrance to the state park.