AHC Education Manager Val Ballestrem is going on the road to talk about a road. You can hear him speak on "Next Exit Concrete Forest: The Mt. Hood Freeway Story".  Enjoy Oregon Encyclopedia History Night in the historic surroundings of McMenamins' Power Station Theater at Edgefield.

In the 1960s, city planners had their eyes on a highway running from the Marquam Bridge through southeast Portland up to SE 122nd Avenue in an attempt to speed traffic to Mt. Hood. By 1974, the freeway plan had all but died, having met opposition from residents, environmental groups, and proponents of public transportation (led by Neil Goldschmidt). Val traces the origins of both the original freeway plan and the protest against it, and connects the debate to Portland's present landscape.

For more information, go to http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org