Visiting Portland State University

Portland State University is a great place to study transportation planning and engineering. Portland, Oregon is famous for its multimodal transportation system. Portland is a hub for advanced transportation research conducted at Portland State University in close partnership with renowned transportation agencies and firms. We have vibrant undergraduate, Master’s and Ph.D. programs with full funding (tuition plus a stipend) available for top students, energetic and committed faculty, more than 25 specialized transportation courses, we are part of the new Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium, have beautiful new classroom buildings, laboratories and a wonderful downtown Portland location!

Travel Reimbursement Awards

STEP, through a grant from OTREC, also offers a limited number of travel reimbursements for prospective graduate students who live out of state and would like to visit the campus. STEP will reimburse up to $350 of actual travel costs upon submittal of receipts. To be eligible for a travel reimbursement, prospective students should first apply to a graduate program and then contact the STEP advisor. A recommendation from one of PSU's faculty before visiting the campus is required.

Plan Your Trip

We advise students to include a Friday during the academic year so that they can participate in the transportation seminar, hosted every Friday. One possible place to stay is the University Place Hotel (owned by PSU) which has a special vistors rate and is 1 block from the Engineering Building. There is also a hostel in Northwest Portland that is an easy streetcar ride away that has very reasonable rates. If desired, a current graduate student may also be able to host you. Expect to spend all day Friday on a campus tour. A typical schedule looks like this:

* 9:00-10:00 Coffee w/ Dr. Monsere, Meet in office, EB301B
* 10:00-10:20 Meet with Dr. Scott Wells, EB202K
* 10:30-11:00 ITS Lab and Research Tour, EB315
* 11:00-11:45 Campus Tour w/ Michael Wolfe - Start from EB315
* 12:00-1:30 Transportation Seminar, URBN 204
* 1:30-2:30 Lunch with Students, Cha! Cha! Cha!
* 2:30-3:00 Meet with Dr. Gliebe and Dill, URBN 350T
* 4:00-4:30 Closing Session with Dr. Monsere and Bertini, EB315
* 5:00 Happy Hour with students faculty, Haborside

Getting to the PSU Campus

	From the airport: Just 20 minutes from downtown, Portland International Airport (PDX) is easy to use. Light rail runs every fifteen minutes from the airport to downtown. When you arrive at Portland International Airport you can walk from the baggage claim area to the light rail station (less than 500 feet) and take the Red Line to City Center. You can get off at the Pioneer Square Station and walk south to the PSU campus on 5th or 6th. You can go 2 more stops on MAX to the Galleria Place stop and transfer to the streetcar to PSU. Portland's public transportation is excellent. Use the trip planner on TriMet's site if you want better directions. Once you get to downtown Portland, all transit rides in the downtown's "Fareless Sqaure" are free.
	From Union Station: Portland Union Station is served by three scheduled Amtrak intercity passenger trains. Its a short bus ride to Portland State down the transit mall (under construction - see TriMet web for details).
	Helpful maps: Maps of Portland (from the city of Portland's Office of Transportation) for driving or walking. A campus map will be very helpful

What to Do in Portland?

Part of your visit should include some tourist activities. Afterall, there is a reason why the Pacific Northwest and Portland is one of the most liveable places in the United States.

Top Ten Things to do in Portland - courtsey of P. Koonce, Kittelson

1. Pioneer Courthouse Square (Downtown, a short walk, SW 6th & Morrison) - Portland’s Living Room, if you haven’t spent 10 minutes there, you haven’t seen the City
2. Powell's Books – (Downtown, Streetcar, NW 10th and Burnside) – If Portland is a City of Books, this is it’s heart, Powell's is the largest independent book store in the country.
3. Brewpubs. (Throughout the City) – Craft Brewing Magazine has called Portland the microbrewery capital of the world, with more than 70 operating in the City. Whether it be the unique chain of brewpubs owned by the McMenamins brothers or a nationally known beer like Widmer, they are everywhere.
4. Ride a Bike (Throughout the City) – Named Best Bicycling City in America for several years running, Portland prides itself on being friendly for two wheeled transportation. From the Eastbank Esplanade to the Springwater Corridor, borrow a bike and get out and see the City.
5. Portland Streetcar and Light Rail (Downtown, a short walk) – Portland has been operating light rail since 1986, streetcar since 2001, it is one of those things that makes Portland, Portland.
6. Chinese Garden (Downtown, bus ride, SW 3rd & Everett) – An urban oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony. An authentic all-seasons Ming Dynasty classical Chinese garden with a teahouse built by artisans from Suzhou, China.
7. Oregon Zoo (MAX Light Rail, SW Portland) – Oregon’s Zoo is also home to the deepest light rail station in the country. The zoo is world renown for its elephants.
8. Portland Art Museum (Downtown, a short walk, SW Park & Madison) – Portland’s very own, which is one of the 25 largest museums in the country.
9. Multnomah Falls (45 miles east of Portland, a drive) – The falls are the second highest year-round waterfall in the nation at 620 feet. Take in the beauty of the Columbia Gorge and the historic Columbia River Highway during the trip.
10. Portland’s Aerial Tram (South Waterfront, Streetcar south terminus, SW Gibbs & SW Moody) – Portland’s newest venture into transportation, it is a unique urban development tool to connect the Oregon Health Sciences University with an exciting new neighborhood.
    

Forms You Will Need

• Travel Reimbursement Form - Please complete and bring receipts (showing PAID or zero balance) for us to process.
• For the form: PSU ID - Assigned to you on admissions, or your SSN
• Title: Visiting Graduate Student
• Official Station: CEE
• PSU Department: CEE
• Contact: Nicole Braman, 5-503-725-2417;