Warm Springs tribes keep on truckin’ into the future

A new facility is expected to not only enhance a Central Oregon community, but also make life a little easier for many who are just passing through. On Friday, members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs celebrated the grand opening of the Plateau Travel Plaza in Madras.

The facility is owned and operated by the tribes on land off Highway 26, at the Jefferson County Industrial Park on Northwest Cherry Lane.

“(The land) was put into trust over 40 years ago by our forefathers,” said Austin Greene, the tribal council chairman, said. “This is the result of that work, and setting aside some of our properties here in Madras.”

Belinda Chavez, the director of marketing for Indian Head Casino and the new truck stop, said the complex fills a void.

“The closest full-service truck stop is probably about 100 miles from here,” she said.

That’s good news for drivers of the more than 10,000 vehicles that pass through during peak times — many of them long-haul truckers.

“We have showers and laundry,” Chavez said. “We have 30 slot machines, the Three Teepees Cafe seats right around 70 people, and then we have grab-and-go items at the deli, as well as a large convenience store.”

In addition to all the other amenities, the 10-acre lot has enough room to park about 70 trucks at a time. The truck stop is a place of rest, as well as work.

“We’ve generated close to 80 jobs,” Chavez said. “I think we’re right around 75 or 77, and a large percentage of those are tribal members.” She estimated about 60 percent of them are tribal members.

The travel plaza will be a place to stop for some, and a new beginning for others.

“I think it’s a wonderful day for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs,” Greene said.

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