Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches Northwest OT- Do you need a car to get around Portland ?

I'm thinking of making a quick trip (2 or 3 days)to Portland soon to check the area out regarding a job. I know there is a good public transport system in the city. Is there any need to hire a car ??

Thanks ..... MarkO

Depends on where your job is located. There may definitely be a need to have a car.

WOW! There are JOBS around Portland!?!?!?

Actually, details on where you'd plan to stay and where the job is geographically would help. Our good light rail system only goes over a few corridors, and our street car system goes between two points through some highlight areas, but other than that, it's the bus.

There is a web site you can find using searches for "Tri Met" and maybe you'll find "TriMet: See where it takes you" and that site will allow you to search routes and do trip planners. The light rail service between downtown and Hillsboro is pretty good, but you will want to check on whether the job site in Hillsboro is close to one of the light rail ("MAX") stops. If you instead plan to have a car, there is a local parking lot known as US Hwy 26 ("The Sunset Highway") which is often clogged with creeping traffic both ways close to its intersection with Oregon Hwy 217, and there are few good auto routes otherwise between downtown Portland and Hillsboro. I work downtown and live in Hillsboro myself. When traffic is dense (when is it not?) that ride may take close to half an hour.

The Orenco Station MAX stop is about a one mile walk, maybe a bit more, to Intel's Ronler Acres facility, in case that's where you'd be headed.