Portland is Set to Build a New Light Rail Mall

There is good news and bad news in Portland Oregon as we ease into spring.

The bad news is the bus mall is closed and Tri Met has moved it's stops down to third avenue. This is temporary as Portland makes its new transportation dreams a reality.

The outdated mall is in need of repair and expansion, which is what will take place over the next months. It will be confusing and noisy for a while, but in the end we will have a state-of-the-art Light Rail Mall to better serve the needs of shoppers, workers and students in Portland.

In 2009 the new mall will open with a light rail service, the "green line", running the entire length of the mall and into the outlying regions. "Clackamas" is a growing suburb of the city. Service to this area is lacking, though Tri Met runs buses to Clackamas.

This project will be part of Portland's plan to eventually run the light rail, or Max, as it is called, into Milwaukie and up into our close neighbor, Vancouver Washington. Many Washington residents work in Portland and surrounding areas and this light rail would improve service tremendously.

It has been estimated that by 2025 there will be 46,500 daily boardings. Portland is a beautiful and desirable place to live, thus the population experiences a steady growth. A growth that the current transportation system is not meeting. Planners are foreseeing a population of one million newresidents by 2030.

Portland State University, one of the finest colleges in Oregon is a major source of commuters. Parking in the downtown area is expensive and scarce. Planners hope to make it comfortable and attractive to use public transportation.

In addition, the thirty year-old bus mall is falling into disrepair, becoming a safety concern as well. Planners have plans to upgrade and modernize the area, making a 'people' place, with outdoor furniture and views into the ground floor shops.

Portland recently banned smoking in Pioneer Square, or Portland's 'living room' as it is called. It is one more effort to keep downtown Portland a cheerful and inviting place to bring children and families.

Tri Met has a web site at