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Remembering Terry Moore

In December 2015, Terry Hofferber Moore (1949-2014) was co-recipient of the 17th annual Harold M. Haynes Citizen Involvement Award, honoring outstanding leadership in engaging community members in civic affairs. She was nominated for her extensive work in her community and the metro area. Among her many contributions to community livability, she was influential in advocating that TriMet design all light-rail trains and buses in the low-floor style, making stops and vehicles accessible for all users per the Americans with Disabilities Act. This influenced transit design throughout the United States.

She was elected to the Metro Council and served from 1992-1995. During this time, she advocated for the Sunset Transit Center Pedestrian Bridge over Highway 26. As a citizen and Board Member of the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, Moore preserved key sections of the Fanno Creek Trail. She guided the completion of the section from Oleson Road/Garden Home Recreation Center to SW 92nd and Allen Blvd. She also served as the board's president and worked to balance the needs of organized sports and facilities, while providing opportunities for non-organized recreation in open spaces, trails, and natural spaces infrastructure.

Willy Moore, Terry Hofferber Moore's husband, gives a tribute to Terry during the Haynes Award Ceremony.

Her family, friends and other supporters are now advocating for TriMet to name the Sunset Transit Center Pedestrian Bridge over Highway 26 as the Terry S. Hofferber Moore Memorial Bridge. They are asking all who agree to attend the January 27 TriMet Board meeting to show support. The meeting is at 9 am, in the Portland Building Auditorium, 1120 SW 5th Avenue, Portland.

The following is excerpted from a letter delivered to Neil McFarlane, TriMet General Manager, in November.

“Terry was instrumental in many projects that make the Portland region a nicer and easier place to live. The most visible is this pedestrian bridge. In 1995 and 1996, as an elected Metro councilor, Terry identified the need for a pedestrian bridge across Highway 26 (Sunset Highway) connecting the Sunset Transit Center/Max Light Rail Station and parking garage to the Cedar Hills Shopping Center and the Cedar Hills neighborhood. Terry convinced the other Metro councilors and Tri-Met leadership and staff of the need for this important infrastructure link as the Westside Max Light Rail was being built. Terry was on the front line working with Metro staff and councilors and Tri-Met leaders and staff to find funding within the Metro budget and from the Federal and State regional transportation funds that Metro manages for the pedestrian over-crossing. Without her foresight and hard work, this pedestrian over-crossing would not have been built. (Please see the five photos of the bridge and approach walkways below.)

The pedestrian bridge connects the Sunset Transit Center to the Cedar Hills shopping center.

“In 1984, prior to Terry’s success with the Sunset Transit Center, she spearheaded the coalition to persuade the Tri-Met board to buy all future MAX light rail train cars and buses in the low-floor (no steps) style. Terry lobbied to make all MAX light-rail stops fully and completely accessible, as required in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The result was an easier boarding process for all users—parents with strollers, elderly with walkers, bicycles, etc—and consequently, improved schedule reliability. During this period in transit development, Tri-Met and the Portland region were regarded as the national model for transit revival. Tri-Met’s decision to go with low-floor light-rail cars and buses greatly influenced other U.S. metropolitan areas to adopt the low-floor design. Low-floor transit is the predominate mode in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis, Houston, Atlanta and Charlotte.

“Our request for naming the Sunset Transit Center bridge is not to glorify Terry but recognize this project as one of the many visible, important contributions she made for her community and the metro area. It is also a reminder for all of us, and those who come after us, of the importance of civic contributions.

“Terry’s work is certainly worthy of a celebration of a citizen who worked very hard for the civic good. We hope you agree and will work with us to make this naming happen.”

“Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: “This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better”.  ~ Governor McCall interview with Studs Terkel”

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