Have you seen the new suspension bridge in Portland? The new suspension bridge, Tilikum Crossing, is the only bridge to be built in Portland in 40 years. It carries only pedestrians, bicyclists, buses, streetcars, and MAX light rail trains over the Willamette River in Southern Downtown Portland, and opened to the public on September 12th.

La Salle has several students that rely on the MAX and Trimet’s bus lines for transportation to and from school. This new line may open opportunities for some students that may live in Milwaukie or Portland. The Orange Line cuts from Oak Grove and all the way across the Willamette into the Portland State University campus, where it becomes the already established Yellow Line.

The Yellow Line then runs from the PSU campus all the way up into North Portland. This means that there will be a one-seat ride from the Expo Center in North Portland down to the Oak Grove and Sellwood area.

Trimet expects high ridership on the Orange Line, and given that this is Portland, they made sure to build the most eco-friendly tracks they could.

“Besides showcasing the first bridge of its kind in the U.S., the Orange Line features a host of sustainable elements like eco-roofs, eco-tracks, and bioswales to capture stormwater runoff,” says Brian Lum, Trimet’s Web and Social Media Specialist.

Tilikum Crossing is the only bridge in the U.S. that will exclusively carry bicyclists, pedestrians, and public transit, but not car traffic. The bridge offers travel both ways across the Willamette and into either Downtown Portland or south into Milwaukie.

Trimet celebrated the opening of the Tilikum Crossing by making all rides on all lines free on September 12th.

***

Have you gone across the new bridge yet? Will it impact how you get to and from La Salle? Let us know in the comments below!