During the planning stages of a westside light rail line, Hillsboro rezoned much of the area around the station to increase building densities.[1] Initial planning began in 1979, with groundbreaking on the Westside MAX project coming in 1993.[1] On September 12, 1998, the Quatama station opened along with the Westside MAX line.[2] The area around the station was named Quatama after the former station on the Oregon Electric Railway.[3] That train stop was near the current one and was on property owned by the Oregon Nursery Company and settled in part by Hungarians.[3]
In 1998, and again in 2004, the weather vane at the station was vandalized.[4] Within several months of opening, the park-and-ride lot was at 92% capacity and by July 1999, the lot was filled to capacity during the peak travel times on the MAX line.[5][6] A fight injured a 17-year-old at the station in October 2000.[7] Hillsboro planned to improve street connections to the station as part of the planned redevelopment in the south Tanasbourne area announced in 2006.[8]
The station's platform was vandalized in a graffiti spree in June 2007 along with several surrounding developments.[9] In October of that year a 12-year-old was attacked with a hammer at the station.[10] In 2008, TriMet secured a grant from the Transportation Security Administration to allow the transit agency to add security cameras to the station.[11]
In September 2017, the station was renamed from Quatama/Northwest 205th Avenue station to Quatama station, in connection with street-name changes[12] approved by the Hillsboro city council in October 2016.[13] The changes included the renaming of NW 205th Avenue within Hillsboro as NE John Olsen Avenue, scheduled for October 2017.[14]
Details
An eastbound train at the station
Designed by the architectural group OTAK Inc., the station features a single island platform between the two tracks.[15] Located on northwest Quatama Road at northwest 205th Avenue in Hillsboro, the station is served by the MAX Blue Line.[16] The station includes a park-and-ride lot, bike lockers, bike racks, has a variety of public artwork, and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.[16] It was situated in fare zone 3 until TriMet discontinued all use of fare zones, in September 2012. The station sits on 3.35 acres (13,600 m2) on the south side of the rail line.[17] Construction of townhomes and condominiums in the area was a result of the station.[18]
Public art
Artwork at the station has a theme of understanding nature.[19] One piece of art reflecting that theme at the stop is a weather vane designed by Michael Oppenheimer.[20] The weather vane is titled “Cattail Tunes” and is based on the plant that grows in nearby wetlands.[20] Constructed of stainless steel rods, the piece is composed of five rods standing 24 feet (7.3 m) tall and six feet apart.[21] The rods are topped with metal cattail heads, each a different height so that they sway differently from each other.[21]
Continuing with the natural elements theme, the platform has animal tracks etched into the concrete while the windscreen in the passenger shelter includes a map of the watershed for the Tualatin River etched into the glass.[19] Across from the platform is a plaza entitled “Flow” which features a simulated creek in the concrete.[15] Along the creek are boulders that have scientific images engraved into them, along with a water basin that illustrates how water run-off occurs.[19] The inspiration for this artwork comes from an arrangement made by a Japanese macaque at the Oregon National Primate Research Center across the street from the station.[15] Designers for the artwork at Quatama Station were Jerry Mayer, Valerie Otani, Bill Will, and Fernanda D'Agostino.[15]
Former bus service
Quatama station was served by one TriMet bus line, 49s-Quatama, from September 1999[22] to February 2004.[23] Line 49s ("s" for shuttle) connected the station with areas to the north, including the former Oregon Graduate Institute.[24] Low ridership was the reason for its elimination in 2004.[23]
References
^ abHamilton, Don. Creating a lifeline to guide community growth. The Oregonian, September 9, 1998.
^Mapes, Jeff. Gore walks tight line on Clinton. The Oregonian, September 13, 1998.
^ abGross, Florence (October 19, 1976). "Communities: Railroad station lends name to Quatama area". The Hillsboro Argus.
^Olsen, Dana. Vandals damage artwork. The Oregonian, April 28, 2004.
^Oliver, Gordon. Mixed results for MAX’s ultimate test. The Oregonian, July 13, 1999.
^Hamilton, Don. Park-&-Ride lots use fluctuates in wake of Westside light rail. The Oregonian, November 19, 1998.
^Frank, Ryan. Aloha teen knifed in fight at MAX station. The Oregonian, October 18, 2000.
^Bermudez, Esmeralda. Plan highlights. The Oregonian, November 16, 2006.
^Snell, John. Hillsboro Boys arrested in tagging spree. The Oregonian, June 27, 2007.
^Crombie, Noelle. Public Safety. The Oregonian, October 24, 2007.
Blue Line
