Oregon Public Broadcasting

A landslide during recent rains has washed out a portion of Leif Erickson Drive in Forest Park and could keep a section of the popular route closed all summer and into next fall.

The slide took out half of the road, washing asphalt, rocks and plants down a steep hillside.  It occurred at the 7 1/4 mile mark on Leif Erickson Drive, a few feet from where the Wire Gate Trail joins the road. 

Because the damage happened on a tributary to Doane Creek, repair work must wait until a season when fish would not be harmed by reconstruction disturbance.

Portland Parks says it had already planned to reconstruct the culvert at this spot and the repair work should be done by October, 2010.

Pedestrians are being detoured to use Firelane 5 to the Wildwood Trail to the Wire Gate Trail to get back to Leif Erickson.

Cyclists and horse riders face an even longer detour up Firelane 5 to Skyline Road and back down Springville Road into the park.