A new development plan for West Hayden Island, an 826-acre plot of land at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, could help convince the city of Portland to annex the island. The plan, which was developed by Australia-based design firm WorleyParsons, calls for building a marine terminal that would use only 300 acres of land – significantly fewer than the city originally thought would be needed.
The Port of Portland has proposed numerous developments for the island since it was brought into the urban growth boundary in 1983. But the proposals never amounted to anything mostly because of questions surrounding environmental and community impacts, as well as potential economic benefits. According to previous plans, the port would need 500 to 600 acres for construction of a marine terminal.