Railroad Right-Of-Way

Redevelopment in the inner east side will be compromised in all three freeway options if the railroad right-of-way is not removed from 1st Avenue. It is projected that over 100 trains a day will pass through this right-of-way in 20 years when high-speed rail and commuter trains become a reality. This will create a barrier to the riverfront and a discouragement for redevelopment almost equal to the presence of the freeway.

• The Union Pacific railroad line could be moved from 1st Avenue to beneath Grand Avenue in a tunnel that retains the same 1% grade found on 1st (red dashed line). The Grand Avenue right-of-way is wide enough to accommodate two tracks for freight trains and two for passenger trains without condemning any adjacent private property (see rail cross-section below)). New construction techniques could even allow Grand Avenue traffic to remain above while the tunnel is created below. Because the Eugene to Vancouver, BC line is one of the few nationally-designated high-speed rail corridors, there may be large sums of federal money available to pay for such a tunnel.
• The relocation of the Union Pacific line underground eliminates the need for viaducts over 1st Avenue. The plan calls for the removal of the viaducts emanating from both the Morrison and Burnside Bridges.
• The quantity of passenger trains coming into Portland will have difficulty crossing the Steel Bridge and will experience significant delays coming into Union Station. It is therefore time to consider a new train station on the eastside (blue circle). Located at the Rose Quarter, the new train station could offer convenient connections to the East-West MAX, North-South MAX and Airport MAX. The platforms for the station would be located underground below Interstate Avenue and the site of the Red Lion Hotel nearby. The station house itself could be directly above (offering travelers an immediate and dramatic view west towards downtown) or could be an adaptive reuse of the Memorial Coliseum building.