Future plans for a light rail station near the intersection of SE Harold Street and McLoughlin are now in doubt. As plans move forward on the proposed Milwaukie MAX Project, a vocal minority has cast a cloud of doubt on a station in this area.
The Brooklyn and Sellwood-Moreland neighborhoods have long sought a way to strengthen and restore its historic connections to Reed College. As has been outlined in several articles in the Sellwood Bee newspaper, a station at Harold would create a direct link for pedestrians and bicylists from McLoughlin to Reed College, the Crystal Springs Rhododendren Garden, and the massive Wimbleden Square apartment complex.
Some planners have questioned the added cost of a station at Harold Street. It is estimated that a pedestiran bridge in this location over the Brooklyn Rail Yard would cost between 6 and 8 million dollars. However, an added bridge in this area is highly supportive of local land use goals and goes a long ways towards addressing long standing transportation connectivity issues. While some may worry about the cost of a station in this area, it should be noted that the addition of a station in the South Waterfront area has added approximately $36 million to the cost of this rail line.
A station at Harold Street would also promote the development of new commercial and residential properties along the McLoughlin corridor in both Brooklyn and in Sellwood-Moreland. Several businesses in this area will be displaced by this project. In fact, the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood has already had property in this area rezoned to accomodate mixed-use development.
Please contact our local representatives on the Milwaukie MAX Steering Committee and let them know how you feel about the need for a station at Harold Street. Our representatives our Metro Councilor Robert Liberty and City Commissioner and Mayor Elect Sam Adams.
