HOOD RIVER, OR – Kevin Greenwood joined the Port of Hood River staff on January 2 as the Project Director for the Hood River/White Salmon Bridge Replacement Project. Greenwood formerly worked from 2014-2017 as the General Manager of the Port of Newport, which has $92 million in assets and an annual operating budget of $14 million. The Port of Newport hosts a NOAA Marine Operation Center and international terminal as well as two large marinas with a total of 650 commercial and recreational boat slips.
During his service in Newport, Mr. Greenwood wrote a successful TIGER grant for construction of an international terminal shipping facility and led lobbying efforts in Salem and Washington DC to advocate on behalf of infrastructure funding. Prior to that he served has General Manager of the Port of Garibaldi, where he wrote several successful grants for repair of the Tillamook Bay Commercial Avenue wharf including from the TIGER, ConnectOregon, and U.S. Commerce Department programs. Mr. Greenwood also served as City Administrator for the City of Garibaldi and is a past President of the Oregon Public Ports Association. He holds an MPA in Rural Development from Portland State University and a BA in English and Political Science from University of Washington.
This is a new staff position at the Port of Hood River, with responsibility to play a lead role in efforts to replace the aging Hood River Interstate Bridge. Originally constructed in 1924, the mile-long span is publicly owned and critical to the economy of the Columbia River Gorge region, linking more than 28 communities and hundreds of businesses on both sides of the Columbia River. Due to its age and deficiencies, the Bridge must be replaced to continue its vital role in the regional freight network. However, because the facility is located in two states, owned and operated by the Port of Hood River, and costly to reconstruct, replacement efforts require extraordinary cooperation between state, federal, and local agencies.
“The Port Commission is committed to replacing the bridge as quickly as possible while continuing to ensure the safe operation of the existing bridge,” says Port Executive Director Michael McElwee. “Kevin will play a vital role in moving the project forward, most immediately by directing the completion of the tasks required by the Oregon legislature via HB2750 and HB2017. This work will be primarily focused on the completion of the required Final Environmental Impact Statement which will require participation and collaboration from federal, state, regional and local authorities. Kevin is a well-known and respected professional in these arenas and we are lucky to have him onboard.”
“I’m excited to be working with Michael McElwee and the Port Commission on this critically important capital project,” Greenwood said. “I have the utmost respect for Michael’s leadership and look forward to collaborating with him and his staff.”
Mr. Greenwood will present his first project update to the Port Commission during their next meeting on Tuesday, January 9, beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the Port conference room located at 1000 E. Port Marina Drive in Hood River. On Thursday, January 18, Mr. Greenwood will convene a panel of experts for a special work session of the Commission, exploring public-private partnership funding models, federal requirements for project permitting and funding, typical timelines and processes, as well as other aspects of the bridge replacement project. These are both public meetings.
For more information, contact the Port of Hood River via email to info@portofhoodriver.com.