The once-named Fareless Square never was square in shape,
but it did start out in the mid-1970s as a vaguely rectangular zone -- one
that covered most of traditional downtown for TriMet bus routes. The
busy Rose Quarter area and Lloyd District, both close-by, but east of the
Willamette River, were added to the free territory in 2001. This
eastern part of what has become the Free Rail Zone is a narrow strip
which includes four closely
spaced stations on Eastside MAX, and one later-added station along the
Yellow Line, branching off
to the north.
This view is along the Blue, Red and Green Lines, on reserved lanes next to
NE Holladay St. The nearby blocks bustle with activity, and feature,
among other things, the city's convention center, a
very large shopping mall, and office buildings, many hotels and motels, and
a large variety of restaurants. |
