$Portland\'s Tilikum bridge over the Willamette River$ $Portland\'s Tilikum bridge over the Willamette River$

Tilikum Crossing is Portland’s first new bridge in 40 years.

Credit: Microwavedboy via Flickr

Tilikum Crossing

Portland's newest bridge uses dramatic design to connect a forward-thinking urban transit system.

Updated Sept. 29, 2022 1 min read Central Eastside

Julian Smith

On Sept. 12, 2015, Bridgetown officially welcomed its latest addition: Tilikum Crossing. The bridge links the city’s South Waterfront, home to an Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) campus and the Portland Aerial Tram, to the burgeoning Central Eastside, known for visitor favorites like the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and the Oregon Rail Heritage Center, plus some of the city’s best dining and nightlife.

The only bridge in the country dedicated to light rail, buses, bicycles and pedestrians — without automobile traffic.

aerial tram car above South Waterfront with view of bridges over the Willamette River, houses and treetops

Portland Aerial Tram

If you’re looking for epic views and a unique perspective, look no further than the Portland Aerial Tram.

Oregon Rail Heritage Center

The free museum features three vintage steam locomotives, including the one that pulled the U.S. Bicentennial Freedom Train in 1976.

Aerial view of the docked submarine on the Willamette River at OMSI

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

With interactive science labs, a planetarium, a giant-screen theater, a retired navy submarine, traveling exhibits and "After Dark" events, OMSI lures all ages.

Aside from its striking design, this cable-stayed bridge spanning the Willamette River has the distinction of being the only bridge in the country dedicated to light rail, buses, bicycles and pedestrians — without automobile traffic. MAX light rail trains run along the new 7.3-mile (11.7 km) Orange Line to the southeast suburb of Milwaukie, and the Portland Streetcar completed its CL (Central Loop) Line connecting the major city-center neighborhoods.

With a pair of wide paths, the span offers both pedestrians and cyclists ample room to slow down and appreciate its carefully considered details: Angles formed by the cables mirror the outline of Mount Hood, which rises in the background. (The angle is repeated elsewhere, including atop the tower pylons.) “Tilikum” means “people” in the local Native Chinook language, hence the nickname “Bridge of the People.” There are nods to nature, too, with osprey nesting poles at either end and a “sonic dish” art installation on the east bank that amplifies the sounds of the river.

“Tilikum” means “people” in a local Native American language, hence the nickname “Bridge of the People.”

Even from afar the bridge stands out. LEDs light up the entire bridge, changing color and pattern based on how fast, deep and cold the river flows, making the crossing a true people-pleaser from any angle.

Biking, Transportation