I used to take the #33 bus to the downtown Milwaukie Transit Center where I would wait for the #70 bus which I would then take into work. Between waiting and riding the trip would take anywhere from 40 to 50 minutes -- more if the Union Pacific Train was blocking the route at 12th and Clinton. Now I walk to the Max Stop at Park Avenue, get on a comfortable light rail train and within less time than it used to take me to get from my house into downtown Milwaukie I find myself at the Clinton Street stop. Then I can catch a #70 bus a block or two away or more likely just walk on into work. The route takes about 23 minutes but I feel very energized by the time I walk into my office. And the best part is that even with the walk, I find I am getting to work in much less time with a great deal more comfort.
I don't use the light rail just for getting to and from work. Since it is a very pleasant ride I like to hop on whenever possible. Last week I took a 30 minute jog from my house into downtown Milwaukie where I bought a soy latte at The Painted Lady Coffee Shop before catching the light rail back home. On another day I took two of my grandchildren on the light rail to the Johnson Creek Nature area where we read all the signs and tried to spot some fish in the creek before the four year old began to lose interest. Then we hopped on the light rail going back into Milwaukie and went to the Painted Lady for chocolate, a short game of chess, and then back on the light rail home. In the process I am teaching my 11 year old grandson how to use the Max; how to buy tickets, validate them and have them close at hand to show to transit inspectors if they happen to come by (which has happened several times!)
There was also a day last week when I was feeling down after my mom's funeral and I just wanted to get out and move around. In the very old days I might have jumped in a car and taken a long soothing drive - but I have too much awareness of Climate Change and Carbon Emissions to take a long ride in any car these days. It was a good moment for my husband and I to get on the light rail train together and ride into downtown Portland and over the bridge before stepping off and getting on a home bound light rail train. The ride was quiet and soothing just as I had hoped.
Yes, I have been taking mass transit for enough years by choice to know that there can be unpleasant moments caused by unhappy or disrespectful fellow riders, but these are generally few and far between. I find that more people on the light rail so far have been enjoying the ride - looking out the windows and chatting with others - as opposed to plugging into some device and ignoring everything and everyone. And sure, the novelty may wear off at some point, but for now, I intend to enjoy the fruit of many years of community labor and have a good time riding on the Orange Line.
I hope you have pleasant public transit in your city!
Looking up through the Park Street Station Art work..
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