Portland Media Kit

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On Foot
Pedaling Portland
MAX Light Rail
Portland Streetcar
Portland Aerial Tram
Amtrak
Fareless Square
Washington Park & Zoo Railway
On the Water
Bridges of Portland

Getting Around (transportation + bridges)

"Portland is arguably the most European-feeling city in the West, a place where the pedestrian is king ... and where the light rail system is so popular that it draws as many tourists as commuters on certain days."  – Delta Sky

When talking about Portland, getting around — and the sheer ease of it — is always at the center of the conversation. Why discuss transportation in a travel media kit? Well, the fact is that Portland's MAX (Metropolitan Area Express) light rail system, its modern streetcar line, its aerial tram, pedestrian-friendly downtown, beautiful bridges and cycling-centric commuters are as much a part of the city's identity as roses and microbrews.

On Foot

A small, personable downtown with half-size city blocks (200 feet [61 meters] vs. the standard 400-foot [122-meter] monsters) and plentiful public spaces make Portland an ideal city to explore on foot. While some might opt to discover the wealth of public art and fountains on their own, Portland walking maps are available at Powell's City of Books and the visitor information center at Pioneer Courthouse Square.

Guided walking tours leave downtown Portland daily, led by resident experts armed with fascinating facts and historical tidbits. Choose from the "Best of Portland" tour or the fantastically popular "Epicurean Excursion," a weekend tour during which walkers sample some 30 food items in 3.5 hours.

Portland Walking Tours – www.portlandwalkingtours.com
Powell's City of Books – www.powells.com
Pioneer Courthouse Square – www.pioneercourthousesquare.org

Pedaling Portland

Named "Best Cycling City in America" by Bicycling magazine in 2006, Portland offers one of the nation's most progressive bicycle transportation programs. Cyclists enjoy wide, clearly marked bike lanes on most major commuter routes; municipal bike racks; access to bridges; and bike safety programs. Adding to the bike-friendly atmosphere, TriMet buses are equipped with bike racks, and bikes are also welcome aboard all MAX light rail trains. The nonprofit Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA), as well as the volunteer Bicycle Advisory Committee and a city bicycle coordinator, work to keep things running smoothly. Cycling events include the popular Portland Bridge Pedal every August, during which the city's bridges temporarily close to all but cyclists.

Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade
For a year-round bridge experience, cyclists (and pedestrians) can enjoy the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade, which opened in May 2001. This 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) corridor extends along the east side of downtown Portland's Willamette River, affording dramatic views of the city. The esplanade connects to the seawall at Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park via the Steel Bridge (on its pedestrian/bicycle river crossing at riverbank level) and the Hawthorne Bridge. The resulting loop is just under three miles (4.8 kilometers) in length. Seating walls, benches, overlooks, and small plaza areas offer places to stop, relax, and enjoy. Boat docks and public artworks are also featured. The entire route is ADA compliant.

Springwater Corridor
Cyclists who opt to continue along the east bank of the Willamette River (rather than turning onto the Hawthorne Bridge) can follow a three-mile (4.8-kilometer) path between OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) and the Sellwood Bridge. This is the westernmost leg of the Springwater Corridor. A testament to Oregonians' zest for recycling, the Springwater Corridor is one of Portland's most notable bike developments. This former rail corridor was reborn as an alternative transportation and recreational trail that winds east for 21 miles (34 kilometers) from Portland to the town of Boring, Ore. The corridor will ultimately lead south to Estacada and into the Mount Hood National Forest.

Forest Park
There are also 30 miles (48 kilometers) of bikeable paths in Forest Park, a 5,156-acre (2,086-hectare) swath of old-growth timber and pristine forest landscapes. One of the most popular routes for bikers is the 11.2-mile (18-kilometer) Leif Erikson Drive, with views of the Columbia River, Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens.

Bicycle Transportation Alliance – www.bta4bikes.org
Forest Park – www.friendsofforestpark.org
Portland Bridge Pedal – www.providence.org/oregon/events/bridge_pedal
Springwater Corridor, Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade – www.portlandonline.com/parks

MAX Light Rail

TriMet, the Portland metro area's regional transit authority, oversees an extensive light rail system called MAX (Metropolitan Area Express).

Interstate MAX – Yellow Line
The MAX Yellow Line (opened in May 2004) travels five miles (8 kilometers) of track along Interstate Avenue, linking the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center (Expo Center) to the Oregon Convention Center/Rose Quarter area and the city's downtown hotel core. The $350 million project completes the plan to link all of Portland's major convention facilities with convenient, environmentally sound, and user-friendly light rail service. Beginning in the fall of 2009, the Yellow Line will also connect the downtown Portland Transit Mall to Portland State University.

Westside MAX – Blue Line
As TriMet began drilling two three-mile-long (4.8-kilometer) tunnels through the volcanic rock that lies far below the city's peaceful West Hills, a group of Buddhist monks arrived to bless the site and ask the Earth to forgive the intrusion. Mother Nature was apparently appeased. The super-modern tunnels, perhaps the most difficult link in the area's Westside light rail line (which opened in 1998), now connect downtown Portland to one of the area's richest collections of attractions.

Grouped above the tunnels are several of Portland's top visitor sites, including Washington Park, the Oregon Zoo, the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Hoyt Arboretum and the Portland Children's Museum.

The Washington Park station is a marvel of engineering determination. Located 260 feet (79 meters) below the earth's surface, it is the deepest underground transit station in North America — second deepest in the world. For many visitors, this station acts as the terminus of their rail experience. Most will hop off and spend the day sightseeing at the zoo or hiking through Hoyt Arboretum. Those who choose to stay on the train will find their curiosity rewarded with glimpses of whimsical artwork at 17 more westside stations.

Airport MAX – Red Line
Portland's award-winning MAX light rail system expanded in 2001 to the Portland International Airport (PDX). The $125 million airport extension, which made Portland the first city on the West Coast to have light rail service to its airport, added four new stations and 5.5 miles (8.9 kilometers) of track to the existing MAX system. For visitors worried about transferring suitcases from a MAX train platform to the airport terminal, no problem: the PDX light rail station is located adjacent to the south baggage claim area under a weather-protective canopy. Also, Airport MAX's low-floor trains allow for luggage to roll easily on and off the cars; riders never have to struggle with stairs. Downtown-to-airport travel time is approximately 38 minutes; cost of a one-way ticket is $2.30 per adult.

I-205 MAX – Green Line
MAX will soon expand its reach with the debut of the $557 million Green Line, scheduled to open in September 2009. The Green Line will connect downtown Portland's Union Station (Amtrak) to Portland State University, then travel east to Interstate 205 and Clackamas Town Center, a major shopping complex located 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of downtown. In preparation for the opening, Clackamas Town Center was renovated in 2007, adding 250,000 square feet (76,200 square meters) of retail space and a 20-screen movie theater.

TriMet – www.trimet.org
TriMet MAX – www.trimet.org/max

Portland Streetcar

Portland boasts many distinct neighborhoods, including sophisticated Nob Hill and the stylish Pearl District. Traveling between these areas is easy aboard the sleek, Euro-designed Portland Streetcar. The streetcar also connects to the city's busy RiverPlace district. Overlooking the Willamette River and bordering downtown Portland, RiverPlace features two hotels, several restaurants, shops, galleries and a collection of waterfront condominiums. The area is a popular bicycling route for visitors, connecting to both Waterfront Park and the Willamette River Greenway Trail.

In 2007 the line extended south to the rapidly developing South Waterfront District, now home to numerous new buildings of award-winning "green" design, including the OHSU Center for Health & Healing. This extension connects the streetcar line to the Portland Aerial Tram.

Portland Streetcar – www.portlandstreetcar.org

Portland Aerial Tram

On a clear day, the best view in town is from the Portland Aerial Tram. The $57 million project, which opened to the public in February 2007, is a stunning platform from which to see Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens, the Willamette River and Portland's downtown skyline. The tram's two custom-designed Swiss-made cabins, which can accommodate up to 78 passengers each, travel briskly — and smoothly — between Portland's South Waterfront district and the top of Marquam Hill, where the main campus of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is located. OHSU, which paid the lion's share of the tram's construction, envisioned the tram as an eco-friendly transportation link from its main campus to the new Center for Health & Healing on the South Waterfront. The tram takes just three minutes to travel 3,300 linear feet (914 meters) and rise 500 feet (152 meters) in elevation. A round-trip ticket is $4 and bicyclists can board with their bikes. At the lower terminal, the Portland Streetcar station is just a few steps away.

Portland Aerial Tram – www.portlandtram.org

Amtrak

With buses (and soon MAX light rail) making stops at Union Station, traveling by train to and from Portland has never been easier. Amtrak's Cascades train departs Portland's historic train depot several times daily for points north, including Tacoma and Seattle, Wash., and Vancouver, B.C. When heading south, the Cascades makes stops in historic Oregon City; Salem, the state's capital; Albany; and Eugene, home to the University of Oregon. Train passengers ride in comfort, with movies, laptop power access and refreshments for sale. Lounge cars with panoramic windows afford gorgeous views. Two other lines connect Portland with Los Angeles to the south and Chicago to the east.

Amtrak – www.amtrak.com
Amtrak Cascades – www.amtrakcascades.com

Fareless Square

There is such a thing as a free ride in Portland. In "Fareless Square," a 330-block area in downtown Portland, transportation on all MAX light rail trains, buses, trolleys and streetcars is free. By encouraging use of public transportation, Fareless Square reduces air pollution, parking problems and street congestion in the central city. Riders lucky enough to catch the historic Vintage Trolley (Sundays only, March-December) along the MAX route are treated to a guided tour along the way. Fareless Square also stretches across the Willamette River to include stops at the Rose Garden arena (home to the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers), the Oregon Convention Center and Lloyd Center shopping mall.

Fareless Square – www.trimet.org/fares/fareless.htm
Vintage Trolley – www.trimet.org/streetcar/trolley.htm

Washington Park & Zoo Railway

Until the mid-1900s, most mail in the United States was carried on trains. While in transit, these letters and packages were hand-canceled using rubber stamps denoting the railroad. In 1961, the Washington Park & Zoo Railway became one of the first recreational railroads to have its own cancellation stamp. Today, with planes taking over as the nation's primary mail movers, the Zoo Railway is the last remaining U.S. railroad with its own authorized Railway Postal Cancellation stamp. Mail deposited in drop boxes throughout the zoo or on the locomotives is hand-canceled with this special stamp. The cancellation mark is such a collector's item that mail is sent from around the world to be processed here.

In addition to its unique status as a moving post office, the Zoo Railway serves as a scenic connection between the Oregon Zoo and the International Rose Test Garden and Japanese Garden. Rolling through the lush forests of Washington Park, the train stops near the rose garden, where visitors are welcome to disembark for a tour and catch a later train back to the zoo. Each year, the Zoo Railway carries more than 350,000 passengers.

The Zoo Railway offers its full Washington Park loop tours (with a stop at the station adjacent to the International Rose Test Garden and the Japanese Garden) from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Spring and fall, the train offers the shorter Zoo Loop tour, a one-mile (1.6-kilometer) ride around the perimeter of the zoo. Every December, the train is decorated for the holiday ZooLights Festival.

Oregon Zoo – www.oregonzoo.org
WashingtonPark & Zoo Railway – www.oregonzoo.org/AboutZoo/train.htm

On the Water

Several tour boats — departing from centrally located docks — provide a unique perspective of Portland from the river. The Sternwheeler Rose is a replica of an 1870s paddle-wheeler that runs exclusively on the Willamette River. Choose from dinner cruises, brunch cruises and — during summer months — popular one-hour harbor tours. The Portland Spirit offers lunch, brunch and dinner cruises, many featuring live entertainment. For a more thrill-inducing river experience, try one of the jetboats that moor in Portland: Willamette Jetboats travel upriver past beautiful waterfront homes, a wildlife sanctuary and magnificent Willamette Falls; the Outrageous Jetboat offers high-speed cruises on the Willamette River as well as longer trips to Astoria or Bonneville Dam.

Outrageous Jetboat – www.outrageousjetboat.com
Portland Spirit – www.portlandspirit.com
The Sternwheeler Rose – www.sternwheelerrose.com
Willamette Jetboats – www.willamettejet.com

Bridges of Portland

Portland is a city of bridges. Ten bridges span the Willamette River in or near Portland's center; eight of these are described below. The world's only telescoping double-deck vertical lift bridge (Steel), the world's oldest lift bridge (Hawthorne), and America's longest tied-arch bridge (Fremont) are all in Portland. Below are statistics and historical highlights regarding some of the city's best-known spans. The bridges are listed in the order a boater would encounter them while heading inland from the coast (north to south) on the Willamette River.

Much of the information in this section is courtesy of Sharon Wood Wortman, author (with Ed Wortman) of The Portland Bridge Book (photographs by James Norman, Urban Adventure Press, 3rd ed., 2006), and creator of Bridge Tours & Urban Adventures. For information about walking tours of the bridges, go to www.bridgestories.com, or call 503.222.5535.

St. Johns Bridge
Opened: June 13, 1931
Cost: $3.9 million
Type: Two-tower cable steel suspension, steel deck half-through truss
Main span: 1,207 feet (368 meters) long
Owner: State of Oregon

Highlights

• Portland's only suspension bridge, St. Johns was the longest rope-strand suspension bridge in the world at the time of its construction.
• The St. Johns Bridge was designed by internationally renowned bridge architect David B. Steinman. Steinman considered this Gothic-towered beauty to be his masterpiece.
• Originally, aviation authorities and government officials wanted the span to be painted yellow and black, bumblebee fashion. However, county commissioners disregarded the advice and waited until St. Patrick's Day, two months before the bridge opened, to announce that it would be painted green.
• The bridge is named for the community at its east end, which was originally named in honor of settler James Johns. Johns started a local ferry system near this spot with just one rowboat in 1852.
• A $42 million project to rehabilitate the bridge was completed in November 2005.

 

Fremont Bridge
Opened: Nov. 11, 1973
Cost: $82 million
Type: Steel three-span half-through tied arch, with orthotropic upper deck
Main span: 1,255 feet (383 meters) long
Owner: State of Oregon

Highlights

• The Fremont, the newest bridge to span the Willamette River, is America's longest tied-arch bridge. It also has the longest main span of any bridge in Oregon.
• Using 32 hydraulic jacks, the bridge's "rainbow" arch was raised into place from the river below. Lifting the arch's 6,000 tons set a world record.
• The bridge is named after explorer and army officer John Charles Fremont. Fremont, nicknamed "The Pathfinder," was given federal funds to survey the Oregon Trail in 1842. He later opened a route to California from The Dalles. In the 1856 presidential election, Fremont ran as a Republican and anti-slavery candidate.

 

Broadway Bridge
Opened: April 22, 1913
Cost: $1.6 million
Type: Double-leaf Rall bascule drawbridge, steel-through truss
Main span: 278 feet (85 meters) long
Owner: MultnomahCounty

Highlights

• In addition to being Portland's longest drawbridge, the Broadway Bridge is the longest double-leaf bascule drawbridge in the world.
• The Broadway Bridge is painted "Golden Gate" red.
• The climax of the 2008 movie "Untraceable" takes place on the Broadway Bridge.

 

Steel Bridge
Opened: July 21, 1912 (trains); Aug. 9, 1912 (automobiles)
Cost: $1.7 million
Type: Steel-through truss (Pratt), telescoping double-deck vertical lift
Main span: 211 feet (64 meters) long
Owner: Union Pacific Railroad (railroad section) and State of Oregon (automobile section)

Highlights

• The design of the Steel Bridge features two decks (the lower deck for freight trains; the upper for automobiles and MAX light rail). The lower of the two decks can move independently of the other. This unique design has never been duplicated.
• To accommodate river traffic, the lower deck can be raised a remarkable 45 feet (14 meters) in 10 seconds; the upper deck, 90 feet (27 meters) in 90 seconds.
• In 1986, following a $10 million upgrade, the Steel Bridge became the cross-river link for Portland's MAX light rail system. Before the mid-century decline in streetcar use, the upper roadway deck accommodated Portland's first electric trolley cars.
• When the predecessor of the current Steel Bridge was built in 1888, wrought iron was the most common building material available for bridges. Bucking tradition, however, local contractors fashioned Portland's new bridge from steel. The descriptive name stuck. When the existing Steel Bridge was built in nearly the same location as the older structure, the name transferred.
• The lower deck of the Steel Bridge features a $2.5 million pedestrian and bicycle crossing that links Gov. Tom McCall Waterfront Park to the Eastbank Esplanade and its 1,200-foot (366-meter) floating walkway.
  

 

Burnside Bridge
Opened: May 28, 1926
Cost: $3 million
Type: Steel double-leaf Strauss bascule drawbridge
Main span: 252 feet (77 meters) long
Owner: MultnomahCounty

Highlights

• The bridge is closed for a few hours each June to accommodate the Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade.
• The street with which the Burnside Bridge connects was named after Vermont native Dan Wyman Burnside. A prominent Portland businessman and a member of Portland's social elite, Burnside helped raise funds for a 17-foot (5-meter) Willamette River channel dredging project in 1866.
• The Burnside Bridge's opening mechanism, or "bascule," was designed by Joseph Strauss — better known for designing the Golden Gate, which opened 11 years after the Burnside.
  

 

Morrison Bridge
Opened: May 24, 1958
Cost: $12.9 million
Type: Steel double-leaf Chicago-style fixed trunnion bascule drawbridge
Main span: 284 feet (87 meters) long
Owner: MultnomahCounty

Highlights

• Became the first bridge to be illuminated as part of the Willamette Light Brigade's project to light all of Portland's downtown bridges in 1987.
• The bridge was named after Scottish immigrant John L. Morrison, who served as a lieutenant in the Oregon Rangers.
• The Morrison Bridge is the largest mechanical structure in Oregon, and serves as a vital freeway connector, linking Interstates 5 and 84 with downtown Portland.

 

Hawthorne Bridge
Opened: Dec. 19, 1910
Cost: $500,000
Type: Steel-through truss (Parker), vertical lift
Main span: 244 feet long (74 meters)
Owner: MultnomahCounty

Highlights

• The Hawthorne, which gained national recognition for its design, was built by the inventor of the vertical-lift drawbridge, John Alexander Low Waddell, who built three such bridges in the Portland area.
• The Hawthorne is the world's oldest vertical-lift bridge and the oldest operating in the United States.
• The Hawthorne Bridge is Oregon's busiest in terms of bicycle, pedestrian and transit traffic with 5,000 cyclists and 800 TriMet buses crossing it daily.
• The Hawthorne's span rises an average of 120 times per month, primarily to accommodate boat traffic. However, due to the age of the bridge, the span is lifted at least once every eight hours — boat or no boat. This action keeps the mechanism that lifts the bridge lubricated.
• A $21 million renovation project on the Hawthorne was completed in 1999. Improvements included wider sidewalks for pedestrian and bicycle commuters, a historic restoration of the machinery house and renovation of the mechanical and electrical components.

 

Marquam Bridge
Opened: Oct. 4, 1966 (lower deck); Oct. 18, 1966 (upper deck)
Cost: $14 million
Type: Double-deck steel through cantilever truss
Main span: 440 feet (134 meters)
Owner: State of Oregon

Highlights

• The Marquam is the busiest of Portland's bridges, as well as the busiest bridge in Oregon.
• Listed in 1987 as the third-longest continuous truss bridge in North America, the Marquam was also the first double-deck vehicle-only bridge built in Oregon.
• Built for utility rather than beauty, this span closed the final gap in the California-to-Washington interstate highway system. It carries Interstate 5 over the Willamette.
• The bridge is named after Phillip A. Marquam, a Multnomah County judge who was elected to the Oregon Legislature in 1882.

 

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