FRIENDS OF GATEWAY GREEN, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, was created to help turn an unused swath of land between two freeways in Portland, Oregon into a recreational area for off-road bicycle riding, hiking and more -- and to do all this in a sustainable way.  [PO Box 16692, Portland, OR 97292]

Overview

At the confluence of two interstate freeways -- I-84 and I-205 -- lies 35 acres of undeveloped and overlooked land.  Once the site of Multnomah County's Rocky Butte jail, this area was left an island after the construction of I-205.  The site is disconnected not only to its namesake, Rocky Butte, but also from east Portland neighborhoods such as Parkrose, Parkrose Heights, Woodland Park, and Hazelwood.  These neighborhoods, and the Gateway Regional Center, are also disconnected from Madison South, Sumner and other neighborhoods to the west.

Instead of an island of overlooked land, imagine an oasis of lush greenery and trails nestled between two bustling interstate freeways, a five-minute walk from the Gateway Regional Center.