[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 108 (Wednesday, September 6, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           20TH ANNIVERSARY OR PORTLAND'S MAX LIGHT RAIL LINE

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2006

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today we are celebrating the 20th 
anniversary of the opening of Portland's pioneering MAX--Metropolitan 
Area Express--one of America's first light-rail lines. Since 1986, MAX 
has been one of our region's most visible icons of livability--and has 
served as an inspiration to cities across the Nation and around the 
world. Instead of building yet another expensive and destructive 
freeway that would have divided and degraded Southeast Portland, we 
created MAX and coaxed higher-value investments from Federal 
transportation dollars. While this was certainly controversial at the 
time, our decision led to a renaissance for both Gresham and Portland 
and increased value for our entire region.
  This anniversary gives us the opportunity to think about how our 
current decisions will be celebrated in another 20 years. If we are to 
continue our success, we must leverage what we've accomplished in the 
years ahead.
  With light-rail, that's exactly what we're doing. In the last 20 
years we have built three more extensions: Westside MAX, Airport MAX, 
and Interstate MAX. We are also hard at work on extending the system to 
the south and are hopeful that the next project will cross the Columbia 
River, expanding our regional system to include Vancouver, Washington.
  The overwhelming popularity and success of our light-rail system is a 
testimony to wise investments, meaningful public participation, and 
regional leadership that took the political risks to make it all come 
together. The result has been a regional transportation system that 
truly supports the communities it serves and provides people with 
reliable and efficient choices to cope with congestion, skyrocketing 
oil prices, and global warming.
  My heartiest congratulations to TriMet, elected officials, business 
leaders, and citizens throughout the Portland region for this amazing 
success story.

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