First Light at Tilikum Crossing

This review is for an event, the First Light at Tilikum Crossing. After years of planning and construction, this Saturday, the 12^th of September, will see the opening of Trimet’s MAX Orange Line, connecting downtown Portland with S.E. Portland and Milwaukie, roughly along 99E, or McLoughlin Boulevard. To enable the Orange Line to cross the Willamette River onto the Eastbank, the cable stayed Tilikum Crossing, featuring two symmetrical towers, was built south of the Marquam Bridge (I-​5) and north of the Ross Island Bridge (US 26).
Tonight’s event, First Light, was one of the more interesting events in the line-​up prior to the Orange Line’s grand opening on Saturday. The ceremonies ran from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., with the illumination of the bridge beginning on schedule, at 9 p.m. The «official» address for this event was the Zidell Yards on the South Waterfront, but Trimet’s «Catch the Orange» website admonished about limited parking and crowds, asking people to take public transit, either the streetcar or the bus, to come to the festivities.
In looking at the map, it seemed likely that the spectacle could be viewed from the Ross Island Bridge, and indeed it could. Parking was a non-​issue on the industrial blocks east of there and the turn out was somewhat thin, and included photographers with tripods. From there, one was able to see the event holistically, with boats in the foreground and the entire downtown skyline beyond. The event began with alternating the colors of the lighting cast on the towers and the cables, and featured shades of green, blue, and, of course, orange. From the Ross Island Bridge, not much was audible other than the whizzing sound of vehicles going by. However, music and the sound of other celebration would have certainly be heard at the official site, on SW Moody Avenue, and on the Eastbank of the river near OMSI. At the end of the celebration with light, the crossing’s illumination settled on one color, which appeared to be either a pale shade of green or a color that might be emitted by aiming light at limestone, though the towers are built of conventionally pigmented concrete.
Continuing on to the Eastbank of the river, immediately south of OMSI, gave a person a closer look at Tilikum Crossing’s towers and even brought one right next to, and at the same level, where the new MAX line and streetcars will travel. That said, not only will the Tilikum Crossing enable MAX to cross the river, it will also enable the streetcars to complete a paper clip shaped route encircling Downtown, including The Pearl District and Northwest, and the Eastbank, including the Lloyd Center business zone.
Note that, on Saturday the 12^th, the day of the official grand opening, the new MAX Orange Line as well as all other light rail lines, streetcars, buses, and the aerial tram will be free to the public and that there will be celebrations all along the new route. Also note that, in addition to transit vehicles using Tilikum Crossing on their train tracks, the public will also be able to enjoy Tilikum Crossing as pedestrians or cyclists from then on.
Seeing First Light was an enjoyable experience and a unique one in kicking off metro Portland’s latest extension of its light rail MAX system and Tilikum Crossing, one of the icons associated with that. It will also give more credence to the moniker «Bridgetown» and mean that posters and t-​shirts of Portland’s many bridges will have to be updated!