The Mitchell Point Tunnel was more than a passageway; it was a bridge to childhood memories and a connection to the Columbia River Gorge’s cultural heritage and beauty. Closed since 1953, its absence was deeply felt by the community, but its restoration has brought back more than just a route — it has reignited a sense of pride and opportunity. At the unveiling ceremony, over 250 community members gathered to celebrate this decades-long vision, the revival of the historic “King of the Roads.” Our client Rian Windsheimer from the Oregon Department of Transportation was moved by the opening ceremony, sharing: "𝘔𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 — 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘮, 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥. 𝘏𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥, 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦’𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥." When complete, this route will draw visitors from around the world to experience the Columbia River Gorge as it was meant to be seen — framed by waterfalls, basalt tunnels, and panoramic vistas, while connecting them to welcoming nearby towns. This isn’t just a project for this community. It’s a legacy, restored. Clients: Oregon Department of Transportation Western Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration WSP in the U.S. WSP Transport & Infrastructure #WeAreWSP
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