Cape Perpetua Visitor Center Closes, Florence Sees Safety Work and Search Activity

Florence moved forward on multiple fronts this week as local crews poured new sidewalk sections for the Safe Routes to School program, emergency teams continued search and rescue operations for mushroom pickers, and the U.S. Forest Service announced the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center will close December 16 through mid May for a major remodel. The combination of infrastructure work and emergency incidents highlights how public safety, accessibility and visitor services intersect in Lane County.

Sidewalk pours are already in place on routes identified to improve safety for students walking or rolling to school, with upcoming construction of ADA compliant ramps scheduled to follow. These upgrades are part of broader efforts to reduce vehicle pedestrian conflicts, increase mobility for people with disabilities, and address long standing gaps in safe walking infrastructure in lower income and rural neighborhoods. For families and school districts, the work promises safer daily commutes and a public health gain through increased active transportation.

Search and rescue teams responded after two separate mushroom foraging incidents south of Mapleton, guiding one person back to safety while another remained missing as crews continued search efforts. The incidents underscore the seasonal risks of foraging in remote forest areas and the strain such rescues place on local emergency services. The continuing search also carries community implications for volunteer responders and for families awaiting news.

Beginning December 16 the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center will be closed for several months while the site receives infrastructure updates, refreshed exhibits, an expanded gift shop and improved accessibility. Other access points and limited services on the site will remain available during construction, and local partners including job training students and tribal collaborators will assist with exhibit work ahead of a reopening planned for 2026. The remodel represents an investment in tourism and education, while also raising questions about continuity of services for visitors and the distribution of local economic benefits.

Together these developments reflect practical steps toward safer, more accessible public spaces, and they reveal persistent challenges in emergency readiness, equitable access, and the need for sustained investment across Lane County communities.