TriMet Bridge Groundbreaking Event Video


Here is the full-length video (30min) from today’s TriMet press event held at OMSI, marking the official start of construction for the first new Portland-area Willamette river crossing in approx. 40 years. This video features the complete remarks, with a few occasional extra shots edited over the top.

(Updated July 5th – Original version contained a typo. If you have embedded or posted a link to the original video, please update your links. Thank you.)

Although these sorts of events tend to be scripted, there was one interesting moment where Rep. Blumenauer choked up a bit when suggesting a possible name for the structure.

There was a proliferation of the color orange at the event, flags, banners, jackets, neckties, and even cookies. TriMet did everything but come out and confirm that this will be the Orange line, but Sam Adams did it for them. But sometimes a cookie is just a cookie.

TriMet also did a “Bridge School” presentation earlier in the day which was of a more technical nature, addressing how the bridge would be constructed, and taking a few questions including addressing the issue over river clearance. That video will be posted tomorrow. (You may wish to save technical questions until tomorrow’s post.)

This bridge will serve bus and light rail transit, pedestrians, and bicyclists (and eventually streetcars, too). The bridge is being constructed as part of the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project.

Speakers include:

Neil McFarlane, General Manager, TriMet
Earl Blumenauer, US Representative
Kurt Schrader, US Representative
Sam Adams, Mayor, City of Portland
Gail Achterman, Chair, Oregon Transportation Commission
Carlotta Collette, Councilor, Metro
Jim Bernard, Commissioner, Clackamas County
Deborah Kafoury, Commissioner, Multnomah County
Scott Moore, Vice President, Public Affairs, Union Pacific


27 responses to “TriMet Bridge Groundbreaking Event Video”

  1. Wouldn’t it be cool if Kurt Schrader said this more to his constituents? Perhaps if he would have spoken sooner we would have seen a different result on the Clackamas vote for funding the Sellwood Bridge.

  2. “Although these sorts of events tend to be scripted, there was one interesting moment where Rep. Blumenauer choked up a bit when suggesting a possible name for the structure.”

    The “Baldwin Bridge” actually has a nice ring to it, and he certainly has left a great mark on both MAX and the city in general, but I wasn’t aware that Greg Baldwin had passed away. When did that happen?

  3. but I wasn’t aware that Greg Baldwin had passed away

    I don’t have any idea … I can’t find any articles online if that is the case. I didn’t mean to imply that he was, perhaps Earl was just being sentimental over a friendship. Anyone know?

  4. “Perhaps if he would have spoken sooner we would have seen a different result on the Clackamas vote for funding the Sellwood Bridge.”

    Surely you jest.

    Every conceivable thing, most of it contrived or irrelevent, was said by the overwhelming yes campaign and the fee was crushed.

    The next crushing defeat will be when Clackamas County votes against their share of this celebrated project.

    But I was there and enjoyed the event.

    Glad to have a video, with Commissioner Bernard’s comments to share with Clackamas Voters.

  5. Oh, and thanks for the compliment Al! But I must say that you confound me: Surely a video with little technical substance and a bunch of political folk up on stage would be irresistible for making a “smart ass” comment? :-)

  6. Surely a video with little technical substance and a bunch of political folk up on stage would be irresistible for making a “smart ass” comment? :-)

    I did, on my own site, didn’t feel I had the right to make fun of all this nonsense over here because your production is always impressive.

    But I do find all this crazy hoopla strangely bizarre, so unfounded in the reality of our daily lives.

    It’s like these politicians are from a distant planet, hidden deep in the galaxy far from the view of ordinary people.

    Living lives of pomp and circumstance while Rome burns in the background, its all very Kafkaesque.

    Remember the last time they had some bizarre ceremony? As if any of this really matters to anybody but the people involved with it directly:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxZljejZu-o

  7. I hate these political ribbon cutting ceremonies for public works projects, even for projects I like.

    They’re just a waste of money and free PR and marketing for politicians.

  8. I know it’s way early, but have any determinations been made as to which bus lines might be rerouted onto the new bridge? I’m thinking 9, 17, 19, 31-33, and 99 would be among the likely candidates.

    Although I skipped the video for the reasons ws mentioned above, I find this bridge project more promising than Clusterfudge #1 (CRC) or Clusterfudge #2 (Sellwood).

  9. I think Trimet plans to reroute Bus 9, 17, and 19 via the new bridge. Bus 31-33 will probably not be serving downtown after the line is complete. These buses will dump us at Milwaukie to take MAX to Downtown or wherever you want to go.

  10. Would the 99 even continue to run at all? (If it does, I imagine it too would be truncated at Milwaukie). Generally, TriMet’s MO when opening new rail service is to get rid of the old express busses in the same corridor.

  11. These things are subject to change, but a look at the project FEIS had a route 31 extension replacing the 33 between Milwaukie and Oregon City, the 33 running from Milwaukie at least to the Caruthers Bridge and possibly to the Portland Mall, and the 99 between Milwaukie and Oregon City. The map is on page 4-15 (Chapter 4) of the FEIS.

  12. Generally, TriMet’s MO when opening new rail service is to get rid of the old express busses in the same corridor.

    Oh boy, there is gonna be some pissed off long time riders if this happens!

  13. There really SHOULD be a regular service single-seat bus ride from Oregon City to downtown Portland, however this settles out. At least until the Orange Line (or however it’s finally branded) is extended to Oregon City.

  14. a regular service single-seat bus ride from Oregon City to downtown Portland

    If the Lake Oswego streetcar doesn’t happen, there will still be the 35. But I thought they were going to enhance the service on McLoughlin south of Milwaukie.

  15. Al M,
    You had a perceptive comment under one of your videos:
    Really??? I think if we all had a bus stop right out our front door and a strait shot to work. We would take the bus. Now the yard I work at it would take me 2? hrs and 3 trans. Now it only takes 15min in my car. Wtf do you think I will take??
    jazyb 1 year ago

    This is how most of the small entrepreneurial class has to operate.

  16. Speakers include:
    Neil McFarlane, General Manager, TriMet
    Earl Blumenauer, US Representative
    Kurt Schrader, US Representative
    Sam Adams, Mayor, City of Portland
    Gail Achterman, Chair, Oregon Transportation Commission
    Carlotta Collette, Councilor, Metro
    Jim Bernard, Commissioner, Clackamas County
    Deborah Kafoury, Commissioner, Multnomah County
    Scott Moore, Vice President, Public Affairs, Union Pacific

    I wonder if Mr. Moore would have any words of wisdom for the rest of them. Of course, he is placed last.

  17. Mr Moore looked none too happy to be there. Of course, everyone there knows that UP’s demands for a wider buffer zone are what necessitated a lot more properties to be acquired, and subsequently a big hike in capital costs for the project. I’m sure he couldn’t get out of that ceremony fast enough.

  18. UP, if like other railroads, does seem to know how to lay down track at an economical price. This is a lesson that could be learned.

  19. Of course, he is placed last.

    I don’t quite see the significance here… If someone is truly apprehensive about a speaker getting the rhetorical upper-hand, why let them go last, when they’ve heard everyone else’s position and can steer the audience to their point of view, all the while giving the concluding remarks?

    Further, if you’re worried what the guy is going to say, why give him the podium at a media event?

    I can certainly understand that there is tension and disagreement between project planners and the UP, and I’m sure I’m just nitpicking here, but why is having him go last an advantage? It’s not as if any politicos were spirited away early… everyone was up on the dais the whole time.

    But since the nits are now on high alert for potential picking, did anyone catch the “Highway 99W” flub, or the confusion over who was mayor of what town (or boulevard)?

  20. RIP Greg Baldwin.

    Baldwin, Gregory Steven 70 Dec. 21, 1940 June 25, 2011 Greg Baldwin was a well-known architect and urban designer.

    (Read the rest of the obituary at the Oregonian.)

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