Tualatin Station

Tualatin Station

Station at night in 2008
Location 18955 Southwest Boones Ferry Road, Tualatin
Oregon, USA
Coordinates 45°23′00″N 122°45′52″W / 45.383283°N 122.764556°W / 45.383283; -122.764556Coordinates: 45°23′00″N 122°45′52″W / 45.383283°N 122.764556°W / 45.383283; -122.764556
Owned by Trimet
Line(s)
  Westside Express Service
Platforms 1 side platform
Tracks 1
Construction
Structure type At grade
Parking 154 spaces
Bicycle facilities Lockers and racks
Disabled access Yes
Services
Preceding station   WES Commuter Rail   Following station
Terminus
Commuter Rail

Tualatin Station is a train station along the Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail line in Tualatin, Oregon, United States. The station is the second of five stops northbound of the 14.7-mile (23.7 km) line that connects to the city of Beaverton to the north and to Wilsonville in the south. Opened in January 2009 with regular service beginning in February, the station includes a 130 car park and ride lot and in addition to WES, the station is served by one TriMet bus line, the 76-Beaverton/Tualatin.

History

Planning for a commuter rail line between Beaverton and Wilsonville in Washington County began as early as 1996.[1] In 2001, the Federal Transit Administration authorized the project, and in 2004 they approved the project.[2] Plans for the location of a station in Tualatin were finalized as early as 2001 when a location along Boones Ferry Road was selected in the city’s transportation plan.[3] Construction on the rail line began in October 2006.[4]

In 2006, the Haggen Food & Pharmacy store adjacent to the station began an effort to change the location of the rail stop.[5][6] They contended the station did not have enough parking, original plans for the station included 111 parking spaces, and increased traffic would further increase congestion.[5][6] Haggen’s arguments led to a delay in construction of the station, which was scheduled to begin in July 2007.[5][7] The city and TriMet countered that the location had been selected in 2001 and re-affirmed in 2005 without objection by Haggen, with TriMet later threatening to forgo having a station in the city.[3]

In August 2007, the two sides compromised with the station location remaining as planned, but with increased parking.[3][8] On January 9, 2008, construction on the station began with a groundbreaking ceremony that included local dignitaries such as the head of TriMet, Tualatin mayor Lou Ogden, and county commissioner Tom Brian.[9] The public artwork was installed on September 3, 2008.[10] The line and station opened in January 2009.[11]

Details

The Westside Express Service connects to the Beaverton Transit Center where passengers can connect to MAX Light Rail. The station in Tualatin is one of five on the 14.7-mile (23.7 km) rail line that utilizes Portland and Western Railroad’s freight rail line.[12] Located in downtown Tualatin on southwest Boones Ferry Road at Nyberg Road, the station and line only serve rail passengers during the morning and evening commute times from Monday through Friday.[13] The station connects to TriMet's existing 76-Beaverton/Tualatin bus line.[13]

Tualatin Station has 130 park and ride spaces on site with 24 additional spots in a neighboring connected parking lot for a total of 154 parking spaces.[13] Bicycle amenities include 24 covered bike rack spots and six bike lockers.[14] Design elements of the station's covered passenger area include enhancements over TriMet's standard design including a clock tower and red brick columns designed to fit in with existing architectural styles in the neighborhood.[8] The platform measure 146 feet (45 m) in length and 15 feet (4.6 m) wide.[15] Covering about 2,000 square feet (190 m2), the platform sits four feet above ground level.[15] The Tualatin Development Commission contributed $491,000 for construction to pay for the enhancements.[16]

Public art at the station consists of an interactive sculpture created by Frank Boyden and Brad Rude.[17] The sculpture features bronze heads and a vehicle designed to represent the train and the variety of people who ride the line.[17] The vehicle moves along a track and has an animal figure displayed in a scene atop the piece.[17] Additionally, glass in the windbreak is etched with a willow pattern.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Frost, Danielle (2004-03-24). "Rail project gets closer to station". Wilsonville Spokesman.
  2. ↑ "Wilsonville-to-Beaverton commuter train gets OK". Portland Business Journal. 2004-05-10.
  3. 1 2 3 Bella, Rick. “Tualatin rail stop overrides differences”. The Oregonian, September 26, 2007, Local News, p. C1.
  4. ↑ "TriMet building passenger train line". Portland Business Journal. 2004-10-23.
  5. 1 2 3 Tran, My-Thuan. “Tualatin station short on parking, firm reports”. The Oregonian, March 20, 2007, Local News, p. B3.
  6. 1 2 Tran, My-Thuan. “TriMet, Haggen to meet on moving Tualatin station”. The Oregonian, June 14, 2007, Local News, p. D3.
  7. ↑ Tran, My-Thuan. “West side onboard for risky rail ride”. The Oregonian, April 10, 2007, Local News, p. B1.
  8. 1 2 Foyston, John. “Businesses OK site for rail station in Tualatin”. The Oregonian, August 3, 2007, Local News, p. D3.
  9. ↑ Foyston, John and Steve Mayes, “Construction will start on commuter station”. The Oregonian, January 8, 2008, Local News, p. C3.
  10. ↑ Foyston, John (September 4, 2008). "Ambitious crews install 5 steel sculptures in a day". The Oregonian.
  11. ↑ Rivera, Dylan (October 1, 2008). "TriMet delays opening of Westside commuter rail line until February". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  12. ↑ Tucker, Libby (2007-03-05). "Commuter rail project breaks ground in Wilsonville". Daily Journal of Commerce.
  13. 1 2 3 "Washington County Commuter Rail Project: Station Locations". TriMet. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
  14. ↑ "WES Fares, Route/Station Map and Schedule". TriMet. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  15. 1 2 "Proposed Tualatin Commuter Rail Station and Park & Ride" (PDF). City of Tualatin. January 25, 2007. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  16. ↑ Clampet, Jennifer. “Even six months late, WES to arrive on time in Tualatin”. The Times, January 10, 2008.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Public Art on Commuter Rail. TriMet. Retrieved on August 21, 2008.
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