Who will be No. 1 in Pac-12? Oregon picked to rule North — SEE SPORTS, B1 PortlandTribune TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2015 • TWICE CHOSEN THE NATION’S BEST NONDAILY PAPER • PORTLANDTRIBUNE.COM • PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND THURSDAY ■ Orange Line is sixth project since MAX service began 30 years ago TRIBUNE PHOTO: JAIME VALDEZ Following his speech at the Westside Economic Alliance, Sen. Ron Wyden met with the Portland Tribune editorial board. Wyden talks trade and transportation LIGHT RAIL ty’s economic potential and Democratic senator touted his work in Congress to promote its business interests. touts westside “When I think about the economic potential economy of Washington Coun- CONNECTS CITY’S ty, the fi rst thing that comes to mind is much of Oregon’s eco- By MARK MILLER nomic lifeblood essentially Pamplin Media Group flows right through here,” PAST AND FUTURE Wyden told his audience of sev- When it comes to nourish- eral dozen, which included local ing businesses that thrive in mayors, county commissioners TRIBUNE PHOTO: JOHN M. VINCENT the global economy and bol- and Metro councilors. “I believe All MAX trains originally ran east and west through downtown Portland. Now the Green, Yellow and Orange lines use the 5th and 6th Avenue ster the entire state of Ore- Washington County can spark a Transit Mall, crossing the Blue and Red lines at Southeast Yamhill and Morrison streets. gon, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden’s bigger role for the entire state message for Washington in the global economy.” County business and govern- Wyden is a leading advocate ment leaders Thursday was: for free trade in the Senate TriMet’s fi rst light “You’re already doing it.” Democratic caucus — a position STORY BY rail project — the Wyden, Oregon’s senior sen- not shared by many others in JIM REDDEN Eastside line to ator, was the featured speaker his party — and his fi rst policy Gresham — at the Westside Economic Alli- topic of the morning was trade. coincided with the ance’s breakfast program at “Trade done right is a early 30 years passed between reconstruction of Hillsboro’s NW Events & Envi- big winner for Oregon,” Wyden the opening of TriMet’s fi rst the Banfi eld ronments Center on Aug. 27. said, noting that wine, MAX line and the completion of Freeway from I-5 The senator spoke enthusias- Nthe new Orange Line, which is to I-205. The tically about Washington Coun- See WYDEN / Page 3 scheduled to open Sept. 12. freeway was No one initially foresaw the many chal- widened from four lenges TriMet would have to overcome to to six lanes and complete the new line. They included light rail was added shifting voter opinions about transit and between the road funding problems. and Union Pacifi c “There were many twists and turns Railroad tracks. along the way, but all lines have been diffi - The owner of cult. And they should be. There are many COURTESY: ODOT Dotty’s in a strip questions that need to be answered with the Orange Line, he says it already is project, which already had been approved retail center in all of them,” says TriMet General Manag- sparking redevelopment interest where it by the Federal Highway Administration Jantzen Beach er Neil MacFarlane, who has worked for runs through his city. and the Oregon Department of Transpor- bought or the regional transit agency for more than “Developers are already knocking on tation. Oregon politicians then persuaded created other 20 years. our door,” Gamba recently told the TriMet the federal government to use the money small cafes and Such challenges are only increasing, Board of Directors. to help fund TriMet’s fi rst MAX line along bars that make raising questions about whether another much of the Banfi eld Freeway as an alter- the bulk of their MAX line will ever be built in the region. Primary reason for transit unchanged native east/west connection between profi ts from Federal funds for such projects are getting The fundamental reasons for the fi rst Gresham and Portland. gambling. harder to secure, and local voters are de- and most recent MAX lines are pretty The 15-mile Banfi eld MAX Blue Line TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO manding a say on new rail projects. much the same. The Blue Line that opened in September 1986 at a cost of $214 In fact, the next transit corridor project, opened between Portland and Gresham million. By that time, TriMet had pledged the Powell-Division Transit and Develop- three decades ago was intended to reduce to provide MAX service to all three coun- ment Project, is going to include a Bus automobile congestion and smog. Sup- ties in its service district. It picked Wash- Lottery delis may Rapid Transit line. So might the next one, porters of the new line between Portland ington County for the next line, in part be- the Southwest Corridor Plan, which will and Milwaukie say it will reduce conges- cause of the large high-tech industries decide between a MAX and BRT line next tion and greenhouse gas emissions — the moving to the so-called Silicon Forest near spring. form of air pollution that has replaced Hillsboro. Clackamas County would be violate casino ban MacFarlane believes light rail is still a smog as the top concern. served next. viable option, however. Among other Back when smog was the top priority in TriMet originally asked regional voters lar fi ndings. things, he says historically it has been the early 1970s, Portland residents re- to help fund MAX projects with property State audit fi nds The new audit, titled “Ore- shown to leverage private investments belled against the proposed Mount Hood taxes, and voters agreed. In 1990, a whop- gon State Lottery: Unclear near stations, making it a redevelopment Freeway that would have turned South- ping 74 percent of tricounty voters ap- unclear laws allow Laws May Let Prohibited Casi- tool. east Powell Boulevard into a major high- proved a November ballot measure for gambling to thrive nos Operate in Oregon,” found “Communities benefi t in many ways by way, wiping out neighborhoods and busi- $125 million in bonds to help build the that state lottery offi cials rare- having light rail,” MacFarlane says. ness districts on both sides. westside MAX Light-Rail Blue Line ly terminate a retailer’s con- Milwaukie Mayor Mark Gamba agrees. Supported by growing public opposi- between Portland and Hillsboro. The By STEVE LAW tract for violating the casino The top elected offi cial in the Clackamas tion, the Portland City Council and Mult- The Tribune rules. And, auditors noted, lot- County city nearest the southern end of nomah County Commission killed the See RAIL / Page 2 tery offi cials are backing away The Oregon State Lottery from enforcing those rules; in- has failed to apply its own stead, they’re now judging regulations designed to en- whether a business is a casino force the state Constitution- largely by the way it looks. HISTORY OF MAX al ban on nontribal casinos, “It’s just a money machine according to a state audit re- that they really don’t want to leased Thursday. dissect,” said Jeff Geisler, The MAX Orange Line will be TriMet’s The Secretary of State’s au- chairman of Hi-Noon, the Previous MAX projects: Airport MAX Red Line The Interstate 205/ sixth light-rail project in the region. Portland Mall MAX Light dit examined the fi nancial re- neighborhood association for Eastside MAX Blue Line Route: Gateway/Airport/City It is the second phase of the two-part Center Rail Green Line cords of 18 lottery-oriented ca- Hayden Island in North Port- Route: Gresham to down- South Corridor Project to extend MAX ser- Opened: Sept. 10, 2001 Route: City center to fes — bare-bones establish- land. Hi-Noon had requested town Portland vice into Clackamas County. Length: 5.5 miles Gateway Transit Center to ments modeled after Dotty’s the audit last November due to Opened: Sept. 5, 1986 The $1.49 billion line will run 7.3 miles Stations: 4 Clackamas Town Center Deli that revolve around six concerns about crime and vice from the southern edge of Portland State Length: 15 miles (plus downtown along Fifth University to South Waterfront, then over Stations: 30 Construction: May state lottery terminals — and at “Lottery Row,” a cluster of 1999-September 2001 and Sixth avenues between the Willamette River on the Tilikum Construction: March Union Station and Portland found more than half of them lottery-oriented retailers in a Cost: $125 million derive the majority of their rev- tiny strip mall in Jantzen Crossing bridge to inner Southeast 1982-September 1986 State University) Portland, along Southeast McLoughlin Cost: $214 million Opened: Sept. 12, 2009 enue from gambling. Eight Beach. They were supported Boulevard to Milwaukie, fi nally ending at Interstate MAX Yellow Line years ago, the Oregon State by House Speaker Tina Kotek, Length: 10.1 miles (includ- Park Avenue in unincorporated Clackamas Westside MAX Blue Line Route: Expo Center to City Lottery Commission adopted a North Portland Democrat ing 1.8 miles downtown) County. Route: Hillsboro to down- Center administrative rules that whose district includes Hayden Stations: 20 (including 12 It will have 10 stations, 675 Park & Ride town Portland Opened: May 1, 2004 downtown) Island. deemed an establishment in spaces and more than 400 bike parking Opened: Sept. 12, 1998 Length: 5.8 miles Construction: February spaces. The new line is projected to carry violation of the Oregon Consti- The state earned $578.6 mil- Length: 18 miles Stations: 10 2007-September 2009 tution if it gets more than half lion in revenue from lottery an average of 22,765 to 25,500 weekday Construction: November riders by 2030.