Page 2
3¡3ortíauh OOhseruer
September 7, 2011
MAX Celebrates 25 Years
Gresham line
from downtown
started it all
more freew ays, especially a pro­
posed 8-lane Mt. Hood Freeway
that was set to cut through south­
east Portland.
Since the 1980 decision to build
light rail, more than $ 10 billion have
been invested into the areas within
walking distance of MAX stations
in Gresham, north and northeast
Portland, the airport, Milwaukie,
Beaverton and Hillsboro.
“W e’re a national leader in cre­
ating great comm unities with tran­
sit because it’s more than just
m oving people from one location
to another, it’s about the land use
and transit connection that has
helped make this a great place to
live,” M cFarlane said.
T h e 7.3 m ile P o rtla n d -
M ilw aukie Light Rail project,
which extends from the term inus
o f the MAX Green and Yellow
lines at Portland State University
to South W aterfront, southeast
Portland, M ilw aukie and Park
Avenue in Clackam as County, is
set to open in fall o f 2015 and will
become the sixth light rail project
in the region.
To celebrate 25 years of service
for the co m m u n ity , T riM e t’s
Eastside MAX Blue Line held sev­
eral events on Friday to recognize
the first 15-mile segment of the
mass transit system, a line from
downtown Portland to Gresham,
which was the region’s first light-
rail line.
There were only two previously
completed light rail systems in the
United States at the time of the
MAX opening in September 1986.
Since then, MAX has expanded
to 52 miles of track and logged 483
million trips.
“In the past 25 years, we have
significantly expanded our tran­
sit system, reached record rider­
ship while also helping to create
an d e n h a n c e n e ig h b o rh o o d s
along all of our MAX lines,” said
T riM et G eneral M anager Neil
McFarlane.
The Portland region would look
com pletely different today w ith­
out the em ergence of the MAX
line. The system was conceived
through the public opposition to
Week
The Review
Fire Warning and High Temps
The National Weather Service is­
sued a Red Flag warning for wildfire
dangers around Portland Tuesday.
Extreme caution was urged as offi­
cials said a single spark could lead
to a major wildfire. Temperatures
were predicted to reach 90 for the
rest of the week
Six Males Shot on Street
Six young males gathered in the
vicinity of North Albina Avenue
TriMet’s Eastside Max Blue
Line to Gresham moves
along Southwest Jefferson
Street, downtown.
and Jessup Street suffered injuries York, Pennsylvania and the Penta­
after being shot in a suspected gang- gon a decade ago.
related drive-by shooting on Friday
about 11:20 p.m., Portland police Obama to Address Jobs
said. All of the victims survived and President Obama is scheduled to
were transported to area hospitals. deliver a pivotal
Gang enforcement teams stepped speech to Con­
up patrols after the incident. The gress on jobs
Thursday. At a
investigation is ongoing.
tim e
when
9/11 Victims Remembered
nearly 8 out 10
Names of victims in the Sept. 11, Americans be­
2001 terrorist attacks were heard at lieve the coun­
Portland City Hall Tuesday. It was try is on the
the first of a series of ceremonies wrong track, Obama said his pro­
this week organized by Commis­ posals to boost employment will be
sioner Dan Saltzman to commemo­ filled with “bipartisan ideas,” and
rate and honor the lives lost in New Republicans can either get on board
or explain their refusal to help the
American people.
day night from multiple disasters,
including residents impacted by
wildfires in Texas, Hurricane Irene
Drownings over Weekend
along the eastern seaboard and New
Over the Labor Day holiday week­
England, and Tropical Storm Lee,
end, three deaths resulted from
which brought severe weather to
drowning in local rivers. Two broth­
Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.
ers Kissan and Ram Kumar drowned
off Kelley Point Park in north Port­ Oregon Stumbles in Opener
land, and a 45-year-old man, identi­ The Oregon Ducks lost to Louisiana
fied as Michael L. Walker, from State University, 40-27, in acompeti-
Forest Grove, died while trying to tive season opener between two top
swim to his boat off Sauvie Island. contenders for a national title on Sat­
urday. The loss sent Oregon all the
Red Cross Gives Shelter
way back to No. 13 in the coach’s poll
The American Red Cross provided
and 14 in the Associated Press poll
food and shelter for more than 1,000
rankings. The Ducks are at home to
people around the country Mon­
face Nevada this weekend.
Dr. Flowers
Community Leader and a visionary
"The Portland Observer is vital to our past, present and d future.
future.
Let's all continue to support this great Institution...."
.
41
years,
•ScoiMHunitv sen tee
‘^Inrtlanb (Dhscrue