Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) will receive from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) a USD 100 million grant for the construction of Max Red Line extension and for reliability improvements project in the Portland metro area. In June 2021, the USDOT announced a USD 250 million funding for transit projects which included a USD 15.7 million grant for the Max Red Line extension.
The 12.5km (7.8 miles) light rail project has a total cost of USD 215 million and the federal funding is provided from the FTA’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Programme.
“FTA is proud to join our partners in Oregon to expand light rail service and improve transit connections in Portland and other important destinations,” FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez said.
The project includes track, switch and signalling work that will allow the MAX Red Line to serve 10 additional stations that currently are served only by the Blue Line, and adds an operator break facility at the Red Line’s new terminus in Hillsboro.
The project adds a second track to two single-track sections of the Red Line, where existing bottlenecks impact schedule reliability for the entire interconnected light rail system. With the second track, the project will rebuild the Portland International Airport MAX station and construct and a new station at the Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center.
The project also covers the construction of a new storage track at Ruby Junction Rail Yard and the procurement of four new light rail vehicles to accommodate the increased transport service.
The extension is expected to enter operation in 2023 and along the entire Red Line the daily ridership is estimated at 20,000 trips.
“This project will better connect people in the Portland metro to jobs, education, services and health care – and of course, to the airport” the U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, said.
Max Red Line extension will help connect Beaverton, Portland International Airport, and the Gateway Transit Center, providing a frequent, reliable and low-carbon transport option to more users, including a one-seat ride from Hillsboro to Portland International Airport.
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