couple commute to Intel Ronler Acres Hillsboro and OHSU (Portland: to rent, houses)

[intel-ohsu]

We are a professional couple relocating to Portland for jobs at Intel, Ronler Acres and OHSU, respectively. We have 2 big dogs, I will have to be at Intel by 7am and OHSU is notorious for not having any parking. We are therefore looking for a place to rent for the first year with the following qualities, in decreasing order of importance:

1. fenced yard (that allows 70 lbs dogs)
2. feasible commute time to both places (I am willing to bike to hillsboro up to 10 miles, but I understand it's not always doable due to weather or long work hours)
3. access to Portland greatness (restaurants, farmer's market, natural groceries)

Here are my questions:

a. Beaverton area seems like a no-brainer because it splits the commute. Others would be Multnomah, Sellwood, Moreland, and in NE along the #8 bus route. To o Portland native, does this analysis seem ok? Would living on the East side of the river make my commute to Intel miserable? I understand that the reverse commute on Hwy 26 has become just as bad as the regular one, no?

b. If living in the Beaverton area could my wife do a drive-shuttle to a park and ride or bottom of the OHSU hill? The TriMet website says most park-n-rides get full by 7:30am. Are there any neighborhoods/streets where one could park the car and then take the #8 bus?

c. Tigard has a direct bus to OHSU. I am ruling it out now because it feels like it would be hard to do very much Portland fun if living out there. Is that true?

I am flying out at the beginning of June to look for a place for July 1. Any input is welcome. Examples of similar situations would be super awesome.

Cheers,
-D

[Leisesturm]

Maybe its me but Tigard doesn't seem anymore "out there" than other neighborhoods you mentioned. My perspective is from someone car free and underemployed. Were I employed somewhere like Intel (or OHSU) and a car owner I would not consider Tigard out of bounds, or anywhere along the I-84, or S-26 corridor. I like Hillsboro and Beaverton in that order. Forest Grove is also on my short list but I am into the aesthetics of a college town. There is also Portland itself but I don't know much about day to day living there. You'd be surprised at the number of houses with yards that are in Portland, think east along Foster or Division or Powell. The Mt. Tabor area is someplace I would explore. You'd lose the commute coin toss in that case but someone has to. I don't see a win-win for you.

H

[figmalt]

Before 7:00 the commute on Hwy 26 won't be bad. What do you consider "miserable"? The nice thing about Ronler Acres is that it's so close to Cornelius Pass, which gives you fairly good access to Northwest Portland. There are a lot of back roads through there that will cut your time (Skyline, Germantown, West Union, etc.), at least in the afternoon. They're higher in the hills so you might run into snow in the winter. I haven't found that the surface streets south of 26 save much time since they mostly run right through town, at least for getting to Hillsboro. You might have better luck with surface streets in getting to OHSU from Beaverton.

If you split the difference in Beaverton, you should probably count on about 1/2 hour for each driver each way. It may be less than that with less traffic, but it's a reasonable starting point.

If you live in Tigard, you can take Scholls-Ferry/River Road to by-pass some of the mess on 217, but it probably wouldn't save a lot of time (just not as crowded).

I didn't find the commute between Hillsboro and Portland miserable by car. Less fun on public transportation.

[intel-ohsu]

Glad to hear that Hwy 26 is OK before 7am. In my books a miserable commute is more than 30 minutes by car or more than 45 hr by public transportation or bike. We are currently in Chicago where all commuting options are in the miserable category.

Right now the limiting factor is finding a place that allows big dogs and has a fenced yard. There seem to be more options in St John or far NW Portland area. Is taking the Germantown road to Hillsboro an option, or is it no faster than taking 26? Google maps seems to indicate they're even.

If anyone works at OHSU I would love to hear what you think the ideal location is for comfortably commuting to the top of the hill by public transportation every day. We've learned that driving to OHSU is out of the question.

Thanks everyone,
-D

[Nell Plotts]

I don't think you would like St. Johns. However, if you look at the Portland Public Schools website (I know schools are not an issue, I am thinking about the culture) and take a look at the Skyline Grade School enrollment area. The only minus is that in ice/snow the roads can be dicey but that weather, thankfully, usually happens only a couple days a year. I know a 'back road' route to OHSU via Skyline. Not quick but no traffic to speak of.

Other neighborhoods to consider is Multnomah and Hillsdale.

Look up Vet's clinics in those areas and see if they would be willing to post a 'house wanted' notice on their bb, if you mention your employers that will communicate responsible pet owners.

You will be renting from private parties who may find a tenant by just putting a sign on the lawn.

[hamellr]

I'd second Beaverton for you. You've got MAX both ways (and Intel has a shuttle from the nearest Max station to Ronler Acres.) You can take MAX to the Street Car, take the Street Car to the South Waterfront Area, and then ride the Tram up the hill to OHSU.

[davemess10]

I go to school at OHSU, and you are right it is very messy to take a car up there everyday (really expensive parking and the traffic getting down can be a mess in the evenings). Nice thing is as an employee you will get a crazy discounted TriMet pass ($25/mnth), free access to the Tram and the last non-free leg of the street car, and a bike incentive that will pay you $50 for every 30 days you bike commute to OHSU (and this just has to be "I used my bike for at least a little of my commute", meaning you can use buses or the tram as well).
Sellwood and East Moreland won't be terrible to get to OHSU (better if they ever actually start working on the new Sellwood bridge), but would be a pretty long commute to hillsboro. I would rule North Portland out, as the commute to OHSU on public transit is well over an hour.

Beaverton is okay, but is a suburb, and will feel like one. I had to go to OHSU west campus (pretty much in Hillsboro) and OHSU main campus, so we decided to split the difference at first, meaning living in Almost Beaverton (I live about 200m from the Wash. county line). We have been really unhappy in this location. It is really cut off from Portland (the hills make a natural city/suburb boundary). Most people I know have lived in this area (hillsdale, multnomah, Highway 10) and have moved within a year. If you're looking more for "portland" and it sounds like you are, I would be weary of beaverton, and outter SW Portland in general. It has the worst Bike and pedestrian accessability of anywhere in the city.

The sad news is is that there is no "perfect" location for you.
The good news is is that Portland isn't that big so you can look at some neighborhoods you wouldn't think to look at.
My first suggestion would be the PSU area (good access to Max and slam dunk to OHSU), but might be tough with the Dogs.
It's not everyone's cup of the tea, but the South Waterfront might be an option. A lot of the new highrises are pretty pet friendly.

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by davemess10

Beaverton is okay, but is a suburb, and will feel like one. I had to go to OHSU west campus (pretty much in Hillsboro) and OHSU main campus, so we decided to split the difference at first, meaning living in Almost Beaverton (I live about 200m from the Wash. county line). We have been really unhappy in this location. It is really cut off from Portland (the hills make a natural city/suburb boundary). Most people I know have lived in this area (hillsdale, multnomah, Highway 10) and have moved within a year. If you're looking more for "portland" and it sounds like you are, I would be weary of beaverton, and outter SW Portland in general. It has the worst Bike and pedestrian accessability of anywhere in the city.

Dave. Every morning I get onto Highway 8, east out of Hillsboro and pedal 7.5 miles into Forest Grove. I've never counted them but I'm going to hazard that there are ~ 15 traffic lights on that trip. If I were to start at Goose Hollow and ride 7.5 miles east through Portland, how many traffic lights (intersections) do you imagine I would have to navigate? 50? 70?? The fewer intersections the fewer opportunities for "stuff" between bike/car or bike/ped, etc. The suburbs might not be a lot of things and there are suburbs of carcentric cities where cyclists are not treated very well but Beaverton/Hillsboro/Forest Grove are extensions of Portland and the ethos of an evolving bike aware culture flows freely between the suburbs and the city. There is little difference between the drivers in the burbs and in the city and the overall infrastructure in the burbs is less worn down and much kinder to ones tender bits and the lack of frequent stops for lights is very good for one's ETA. I'd love to ride with you and see for myself the problems you are having learning to love a less cluttered cycling environment.

H

[davemess10]

I said outer Portland, Not Hillsboro and Forest Grove. I'm not debating that the outer western suburbs have some good riding. I train out there sometimes myself. I'm saying that the Western Hills are not the most fun place to be a cyclist or pedestrian in the city.

http://bikeportland.org/wp-content/u...ds_Phase_3.pdf

Look at this map and tell me which quadrant appears to have the least green lines.

I see people every day that live not even a quarter mile from Hillsdale forced to walk in the bike lane on Highway 10 to get to a bus stop, or go shopping in Hillsdale's downtown.

Pedestrian infrastructure is not just less stop lights that make your bike commute faster. It's walking paths, wide shoulders, or SIDEWALKS.

It's not necessarily the problems I'm having, I'm a pretty committed, experienced cyclist who is willing to ride on the stupidly trafficked, marginally safe roads. It's the problem that someone who lives in SW Portland will choose not to ride their bike because they don't see safe/scenic/non-5 lane highway routes to ride. I know my wife, who is a pretty beginner cyclists hates to ride around our place because we only have a few options, and all of them are very major auto thorough fares. I mean who really likes riding next to 5 lanes of traffic being noisy and polluting. And I have been cut off on a fairly normal basis out in "almost Beaverton" where I live. This happens almost daily with people turning right onto Dosch off of Highway 10. The highway 10 Shattuck intersection is a pretty major problem area (people turning into the Albertson plaza).

I understand that you love where you live, and think it is a great biking area. But for this post my opinion matters as the person is looking for a place to live between Hillsboro and OHSU (which is where I live). Sorry, perhaps I should not lump all of Beaverton into my statements, but the parts of Beaverton where I live are not very good.

[speed007]

Hi intel-ohsu,

I am in the same boat as you. I will be starting at Intel and my wife at OHSU in a few months. From an outsiders perspective, and not knowing anything about this place( I am from NY), Beaverton seems like the most sensible choice.

Let me know on what areas you have zeroed in on.

Good Luck