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 Few cities in the world are as accessible as Portland and communities along the Willamette Valley-Interstate 5 corridor. Portland is an established transportation center for the Pacific Northwest.
The Port of Portland exports more wheat than any other port in the United States, and is the second largest grain exporting center in the world. Portland is ninth in total tonnage and the 15th largest container port in the country. Its strategic location provides fast routes for cargo shipped between both the Pacific Northwest and Midwest and Asian markets. Portland Ship Yard, owned by the Port and operated by Cascade General, is one of the most modern in the country.
Portland International Airport is a gateway to Asia and a hub for both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Served by 35 airlines, Portland International handles more than 13 million passengers and over a quarter million tons of air cargo annually.
Air and marine operations at the Port of Portland influence more than a quarter of all jobs in the greater metropolitan area, creating $900 million in direct earnings for workers and $3.5 billion in business for the private sector.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads link the Port of Portland, as well as businesses and industries throughout the greater metropolitan area, with markets in all parts of the U.S. Almost 4,000 interstate trucking companies also link the region with the rest of the nation.
U.S. Interstate 5 passes through the heart of downtown Portland, leading directly to Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, and south to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego for quick transportation up and down the West Coast. Interstate 84 at Portland and leads east across the state, then to Salt Lake City where it merges with Interstate 80 and travels east to New York. Interstate 205 parallels I-5 east of downtown Portland.
Greater Portland is also served by MAX, the metropolitan area's express light-rail system, and by Tri-Met, a three-county public-bus system.
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