Editing MAX Light Rail (section)

===South/North plan===

At the same time TriMet was planning the Westside MAX in the mid-1980s, [[Metro (Oregon regional government)|Metro]] regional government announced new light rail proposals for [[Clackamas County, Oregon|Clackamas County]]. Its planning committee—the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT)—proposed two separate routes that would have run between downtown Portland and [[Oregon City, Oregon|Oregon City]] via [[Milwaukie, Oregon|Milwaukie]] and between [[Portland International Airport]] and [[Clackamas Town Center]] via [[Interstate 205 (Oregon–Washington)|I-205]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Where's east side light rail going next? |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=April 3, 1986 |page=2}}</ref> Further planning led JPACT to favor the I-205 corridor due to an existing [[Right-of-way (property access)|right-of-way]] along the [[I-205 Transitway]], an unfinished mass transit component of the freeway that had been built to accommodate a busway.<ref>{{cite news |last=Briggs |first=Kara |title=Metro considers transit options along I-205 |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=July 24, 2002 |page=D2}}</ref><ref name="after-35-years">{{cite news |last=Redden |first=Jim |title=After 35 years of waiting, TriMet's Green Line hits all the parties: Thousands ride new I-205 line that was born of a '70s freeway rebellion |newspaper=Portland Tribune |date=September 10, 2009 |url=http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=125252833417516900 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608052643/http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=125252833417516900 |archive-date=June 8, 2011 |access-date=May 13, 2014}}</ref> TriMet, however, prioritized the Westside MAX during its bid for federal matching funds and the I-205 plans were put on hold.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kohler |first=Vince |title=Joint efforts of business, government could spur rail line; both groups need to finance, back line along I-205, panel says |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=May 23, 1988 |page=B5}}</ref> In 1989, studies for both I-205 and Milwaukie proposals received funding from the U.S. [[Senate Committee on Appropriations]] under the condition that they included potential route extensions to [[Clark County, Washington]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kohler |first1=Vince |last2=Stewart |first2=Bill |title=Light-rail proposals gain ground in Congress; senate panel approves transportation funding bill, aiding plans for new Oregon City, Vancouver lines |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 10, 1989 |page=C2}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Stewart |first=Bill |title=County light-rail project gains momentum |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 12, 1993 |page=B2}}</ref> Metro completed the studies in 1993, ultimately abandoning I-205 in favor of a route along the [[Interstate 5 (Oregon)|I-5]] and [[Willamette River]] corridors.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Citizens advisory committee endorses pair of light-rail routes |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 11, 1993 |page=B3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Decisions to be made soon on north–south light rail |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 7, 1993 |page=C4}}</ref> It finalized a single {{convert|25|mi|km|adj=on|abbr=out}} line from [[Hazel Dell, Washington]] south to Clackamas Town Center via Milwaukie,<ref>{{cite news |last=Leeson |first=Fred |title=Planners narrowing options for north–south light-rail line |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 13, 1994 |page=C5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McCarthy |first=Dennis |title=Light-rail service? On to Oregon City! |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 15, 1994 |page=D2}}</ref> which Metro and TriMet formally named the South–North Line.<ref name="Selinger"/>{{rp|80}} Metro said it adopted the name "South/North" instead of the more conventional "North/South" word order, at the request of representatives in the southern part of the corridor after the southern leg, which had long been planned to be the next-priority MAX corridor after the Westside line, was merged with the northern leg as a single proposed project.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Ask the O (Q & A): Q:Why is the next phase of light rail being called 'South–North' instead of 'North–South', a more familiar use of the words? |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=December 1, 1994 }}</ref>

In November 1994, 63% of Portland area voters passed a $475{{nbsp}}million [[ballot measure]] to fund Oregon's portion of the project.<ref name="Selinger"/>{{rp|80}} The following February, however, Clark County residents defeated a tax measure that would have funded Washington's share.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stewart |first=Bill |title=Clark County turns down north–south light rail |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 8, 1995 |page=A1}}</ref> To move the project forward, TriMet downsized the plan and abandoned the line's Clark County and North Portland segments up to the [[Rose Quarter]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Oliver |first1=Gordon |last2=Stewart |first2=Bill |title=MAX may skip Clark County, N. Portland |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 1, 1995 |page=B1}}</ref> That July, the [[Oregon House of Representatives]] approved a $750{{nbsp}}million transportation package, which included $375&nbsp;million for the scaled-back line.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Ashbel S. |last2=Mapes |first2=Jeff |title=Legislature is finally working on the railroad |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=August 4, 1995 |page=A1}}</ref> The funding was annulled by the [[Oregon Supreme Court]] due to the inclusion of unrelated measures that violated the state's constitution.<ref name="light-rail-history">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Some light-rail history |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=October 7, 1996 |page=A8}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Spicer |first=Osker |title=Light-rail would be good for areas |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 31, 1996 |page=C2}}</ref> The legislature met again in February 1996 and passed a revised $375{{nbsp}}million package,<ref name="light-rail-history"/> but light rail opponents forced a statewide vote and defeated it the following November.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Oliver |first1=Gordon |last2=Hunsberger |first2=Brent |title=Tri-Met still wants that rail line to Clackamas County |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 7, 1996 |page=D1}}</ref> A third proposal between Lombard Street in North Portland and Clackamas Town Center followed.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=South–north light-rail issue keeps on going |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 12, 1997 |page=A1}}</ref> This time, Metro and TriMet pursued the project without seeking contributions from either Clark County or the state, instead sourcing funds from Clackamas County and Portland. In 1998, TriMet placed a new ballot measure to reaffirm voter support for the $475{{nbsp}}million originally approved in 1994.<ref name="Selinger"/>{{rp|80}} The measure failed by 52% in November of that year, effectively canceling the proposed line.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Oliver |first1=Gordon |title=South–north line backers find themselves at a loss after election day defeat |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 7, 1998 |page=B1}}</ref>