I love living in the Brooklyn Neighborhood. It's one of the oldest neighborhoods in Portland and it was the downtown city center until the Ross Island Bridge was built. The additions of the Powell Blvd and McLaughlin Blvd caused our neighborhood to became boxed in by these very busy streets. Add the Brooklyn Yard to the mix and our neighborhood is sort of stuck like a weird island with not the best access to the neighborhoods next to us.
That is all going to change soon! It feels like I've been waiting for the Milwaukie Max Line forever! We are finally to the point where construction is gearing up to start. This 7.3 mile track will transform SE Portland. This new line will start at Portland State University, stop at OHSU in South Waterfront, cross over the brand new bridge (which is being built now), stop at OMSI and the Spring Water corridor, travel down 17th Ave, stop at Bybee (West Moreland), another stop along the Spring Water corridor, stop in downtown Milwaukie and eventually end in Clackamus. How amazing is that? Brooklyn will go from almost no access to extreme access and livability. The new MAX line will also create much better bike and pedestrian paths along the line.
This line will be completed in September 2015 and it will completely change the way I live my life. I can't wait! Watch these two short movies that explain where all the stops will be and the improvements that will happen. I will have a MAX stop 5 blocks from my house It's an exciting time!
