Council Crest (Tunnelwood)

Between 1911 and 1951, the Oregonian and the Oregon Journal published multiple articles promoting the idea of boring a tunnel through Council Crest. The promoters claimed this would improve the travel of people and goods between Portland and the Tualatin Valley. Trains (in 1911) and then cars (in the 1920’s and later) could travel through the mountains rather than over them – and so would avoid climbing as steep of a grade and would let them travel via a more direct (shorter) route.

One tie to Bridlemile was that in the 1911 tunnel article provided there is a map in which the tunnel appeared to exit and go on to SW Shattuck Road. This is shown on the exploded view of the relevant piece of the map (shown below).

Above: Close-up view of a piece of the 1911 map. The close-up shows how the tunnel could exit to Shattuck Road.

There is also a SW Tunnelwood Street connection to the tunnel.  According to a 1999 Oregonian article about Glencullen, this street came about as part of the planning for the Council Crest Tunnel.

Separate from any newspaper article, there is a verbal report from a person who grew up near SW Tunnelwood in the 1950’s and 1960’s who claimed that a tunnel exit, or at least the start of one, was located in the gully adjacent to SW Tunnelwood.

Despite all the claims made that the tunnel would be built, it never was – at least as the promoters envisioned it. In 1970, Oregon opened the final lanes of the Vista Ridge Tunnel, which helped move automotive traffic via I26 to the Portland area’s west side and on to the Tualatin Valley. In 1998, TriMet opened the Robertson Tunnel, which allowed local light rail traffic to go to the Portland-area’s west side and on to the valley. Both the I-26 roadway and the TriMet tracks are located north of Council Crest.

(Above) Map showing various transportation lines that will enter Tualatin valley through tunnel. Sloping hills on either side of Marguam gulch to be terraced and converted into beautiful townsites. Dweller in valley may be able to reach down town business section within 15 to 30 minutes. Plenty of tracks will insure rapid transit.

By Marshall N. Dana

         Suppose you should see a big railroad train turn swiftly up Marquam gulch and instead of dashing to flinders against Council Crest, pass 800 feet or so under the observatory suppose you should see a stream of footmen, automobiles, wagons, moving steadily out of the gulch toward town, and every face wearing an expression of every day matter of course.

Would you think some modern Alladin had rubbed his silver lamp and melted away the age-old barrier between Portland and the Tualatin valley, or would you beseech a specialist to correct the mirage in your eyesight?

         Whatever may be the present idea, hold fast for just a little while and see the dream of the oldest builders of Portland come true?
        How?

Private Subscriptions. 

         The Portland-Tualatin valley tunnel commission has been organized. Its members are property owners – Isador Lang, H. C. Campbell, Henry Hewitt, George Joseph, G. F. Johnson – interested for themselves as well as for the city in cutting a direct way to the biggest suburban home opportunity (the broad Tualatin valley) yet remaining in the Portland vicinity.

         The first plea was for a municipal appropriation. People over in North Albina or Rose City Park begin to question what good a tunnel under Council Crest on the west side would do them.

         The question has been answered by a resolve to have interests that will be directly benefitted pay most of the cost. The city will not be asked to bear the preliminary expense of the bore, although the commission was appointed by the mayor. By private subscription a sum that will progress between $2400 and $5000 is being obtained and this will meet the cost of expert survey of the tunnel site and the estimates of final appropriation

         A bond issue by a popularly organized tunnel company will follow and bonded property will be owned by those on both side who are sure of direct benefits. There are many of these and a 20 to 30 year bond issue of even $3,000,000 would not be a noticeable burden. Isador Lang voices the conviction of all, in fact, when he says the enhanced value of property will pay the tunnel cost several times, and leave a desirable balance.

To Be 6000 Feet Long.

         The survey finished, the estimate of cost made, the bonds issued, then actual construction, It is not believed by the tunnel commission that the actual construction may be reached within a year. It is expected that the tunnel will be 6000 feet long.

         The boring of the Council Crest tunnel, through Marquam gulch, the mouth of which is in South Portland, about a mile from the business center of the west side will compel some revolutionary changes.

         Little Italy will be wiped out. The property will be too valuable to permit the congested bunch of shacks to continue filling the mouth of the gulch.

         Marquam gulch will be nearly filled with the material taken out of the tunnel. The hill sides will be terraced, made into scenic home sites.

         The most important traffic arteries will be made to converge at the tunnel mouth. The Mount Hood and Oregon Electric lines will have common user privileges over Seventy street. Fifty and Sith streets will be occupied by Portland Railway, Light & Power tracks as at present, except that service will be made interurban to the homes and towns on the other side of the hills. The Southern Pacific line on Fourth street, now steam, will be electrified and service quickened.

Could Support Million.

         With such variety of transit facilities the suburban dweller in Tualatin valley will be able to come to business each morning in 15 to 30 minutes, dependent upon the distance of his place of residence from the south mouth of the tunnel. Service will not be delayed because there will undoubtedly be two northbound and two southbound tracks through the bore, in addition to broad team and autoways and protected pedestrian walks.

        To realize why a tunnel has been dreamed of for so many years, and who popular sentiment and definite plan is making the dreams come true, one needs only to follow the laborious present path to the top of the wall-like hills to the south and west of the city. The great valley with its deep soil – the basin of a prehistoric lake – reaches out a fairy panorama of fields and woodland and scattering towns. It is an area that could support a million in population and not be crowded, because it reaches past Garden Home, Shattuck and Beaverton to Hillsboro, Forest Grove and beyond.