Here Comes Portland's New Orange Line

TriMet will get a new addition to its rail system later this month, when it opens the new Orange Line.

1 minute read

September 4, 2015, 12:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


[Updated Sept. 4, 2015] Joseph Rose shares a short list of things to learn about Portland's forthcoming Orange Line, scheduled to open on September 12, connecting Portland to Milwaukie.

Included among the five factoids about the line, which will pass over the picturesque Tilikum Crossing (also known "as the first bridge in the United States to carry buses, bikes, trains, streetcars and people walking but no private cars"):

  • "TriMet will test the first pay-to-enter fare gates on the Orange Line."
  • "Construction of the Tilikum Crossing as part of the Orange Line will finally allow the long-truncated Central Loop line to link directly to downtown and the South Waterfront."
  • Construction of the new line also included $65 million in improved bike commuting facilities.
  • The Orange Line also adds additional capacity on the Yellow Line.
  • New access toOregon Health & Science University, one of the largest employers in the state.
*This post was updated with the proper nomenclature for the rail line.

Thursday, September 3, 2015 in The Oregonian

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

People board a bus in Seattle.

Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion

Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.

15 minutes ago - KOMO News

Elon Musk in front of a sign for Grok 3

Post election, Texas is no longer Musk’s 'AI oasis'

Elon Musk dolled out $446 million on the 2026 midterms, the most ever spent by a non-canidate.

1 hour ago - Politico

People vote in Chicago behind blue privacy screens

Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners

Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents

November 5 - Block Club Chicago