The Mount Hood Freeway 50 Years Later

Oregon Journal July 26, 1974

On July 25, 1974, the Portland City Council withdrew its support for the planned Mount Hood Freeway through Southeast Portland. The moment marked what was probably the final nail in the controversial freeway's coffin. In February that year, a judge had ruled that the freeway route, roughly along Division Street and Powell Boulevard from the Willamette River to 122nd, had been selected illegally back in May 1969. Just two weeks after the court decision, Multnomah County withdrew its support for the freeway.

Although the makeup of the council had changed, the City had been officially in favor of the freeway (and the route) dating back to at least 1965. Between February and July 1974, it remained unclear if Portland mayor Neil Goldschmidt could get a majority of the City Council to agree to withdraw its support for the freeway. In late February, the council decided to postpone any decision regarding the freeway until at least June. Then, in March, commissioner Lloyd Anderson left the council to become director at the Port of Portland. This left Goldschmidt without any clear anti-Mount Hood Freeway allies on the council. As mayor, Goldschmidt was able to recommend Anderson's replacement, Charles Jordan, for appointment, pending council approval. The City Council soon approved Jordan and he became Portland's first African American city commissioner. Jordan's appointment was no guarantee that Goldschmidt had another anti-freeway vote, and two other council members, Mildred Schwab and Connie McCready, remained reluctant to take a side on the freeway issue. Meanwhile, Commissioner Frank Ivancie was a staunch freeway supporter and would remain in opposition to any effort to stop the freeway. 

As the time neared for the Portland City Council to consider their support for the freeway, the Oregonian conducted a poll that showed that the freeway was favored by a 2-1 margin. Ivancie, along with the Oregonian's editor Herbert Lundy, and publisher Robert Notson, wanted the freeway built and used the poll to urge for a public vote on the matter. One issue with the poll, however, was that it included participants that lived outside of the City of Portland. Still, it was clear that there was still significant support for the freeway.

Mount Hood Freeway poll results. Oregonian July 24, 1974

From July 23 - 25, 1974 the Portland City Council held public hearings about the Mount Hood Freeway. Goldschmidt had early support from Charles Jordan, but he still had to convince either Connie McCready or Mildred Schwab that the best solution was to stop the freeway and work to direct the funding toward other transportation alternatives, especially mass transit. Both McCready and Schwab were deeply concerned about the potential loss of housing that the Mount Hood Freeway would incur and ultimately sided with Goldschmidt and Jordan. The City of Portland's July 25, 1974 withdrawal of support for the Mount Hood Freeway remains one of the most important moments in Portland transportation history.

Oregonian July 26, 1974

Although efforts were made over the next few years to get the Mount Hood Freeway back on the table, it never again had the support of the City or County. Eventually, money that had been earmarked for the freeway were used on a variety of transportation projects in the Portland area. The first MAX light rail line is perhaps the most well known, but in fact, Mount Hood Freeway money went to several other highway-related projects. Properties that had been acquired by the State along the proposed freeway route, were put to other uses or sold. Stand in a place like Piccolo Park on SE 27th Avenue near Division, and you are standing on land that was once targeted for the freeway.