Bucking a multi-year tradition, this year’s Portland State University spring commencement ceremony will not fall on the sa
me day as the Rose Festival Parade. Although some might think this will improve traffic problems that have plagued the ceremony in previous years, the university still anticipates “frustrating congestion” in the Rose Quarter.
Graduates, friends and family are encouraged to leave ample time to arrive at the ceremony. While limited parking is available, the university recommends that commencement-goers take TriMet.
Multiple bus lines, including lines that run through all parts of Portland, serve the Rose Quarter neighborhood. Commencement-goers can also arrive at the Rose Quarter via the MAX light rail.
The MAX blue line, which travels from Hillsboro to Gresham, passes the Rose Quarter every 15 minutes, as do the yellow (Expo Center-Pioneer Square) and the red (Beaverton-Portland International Airport) lines. If commencement-goers leave from downtown near PSU, the route on public transportation to the Rose Quarter falls within Fareless Square, where there is no charge to riders.
For those who do not wish to take public transit, a limited amount of public parking is available at the Rose Quarter. The Rose Quarter parking lots have 2,600 spaces, 62 of which are reserved for people with disabilities. Commencement parking will be a flat $10 in all Rose Quarter garages, which will open four hours before the ceremony begins.
Pre-paid parking can be purchased at the Rose Quarter box office or at any Ticketmaster location. RVs may be parked at the Rose Quarter’s Benson parking lot for a higher fee.
Additional parking is available at the nearby Convention Center. The Convention Center parking lot, which opens at 5:30 a.m., offers 800 spots. It costs $3 for the first hour, and $1 for every hour after that, up to a maximum of $8. The Convention Center is located at 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
There are various pay-to-park parking lots surrounding the Rose Quarter. Most lots sell spots from $5 to $10 per day, with some selling spots by the hour. Meter parking is available on both Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Grand Avenue.
Minimal free street parking will be available in the vicinity of the Rose Quarter, but it is likely to be the first option to be taken.
TriMet warns that as part of the Rose Festival, the Epilepsy Foundation Northwest will be holding its annual “Step Into Summer” epilepsy fundraising walk June 17, at 10 a.m. on the Eastbank Esplanade, which may increase traffic in the neighborhood.
Those arriving from the west are advised to avoid traffic that may be heavy near the World Forestry Center, as 10 a.m., June 17 marks the beginning of their “Day of the African Child” celebration.
TriMet offers assistance to those who need help planning trips, and can be reached at www.trimet.org or on the phone at 503-238-RIDE.
More than 2,000 graduates will participate in the spring commencement, which will take place Saturday, June 17, at 10 a.m.