TriMet awarded nearly $100 million federal grant for Red Line extension

Sept. 27, 2021

The funding is provided through the CIG Program and will help deliver the 7.8-mile light-rail extension.

A conceptual rendering showing the second track on a new structure north of Gateway Transit Center that will help provider faster travel times for inbound MAX riders.

County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) received a $99.9-million grant through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program to extend its MAX Red Line 7.8 miles.

The $215-million “A Better Red” project will add 10 stations on an extension from the west terminus to provide additional capacity to Beaverton and Hillsoboro, where the west terminus will be located at the Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport station.

The eastern portion of the line will see a second track added to two single-track sections. The single-track sections form bottlenecks that impact reliability challenges on the Green and Blue MAX Lines in addition to the Red Line. 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. To accommodate the increased service, the project includes four new light-rail vehicles.

"FTA is proud to join our partners in Oregon to expand light rail service and improve transit connections in Portland and other important destinations," said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez.

FTA Administrator Fernandez will join TriMet officials and other community stakeholders on Sept. 28 for a project groundbreaking.

TriMet expects the extended MAX Red Line to be operational in 2024.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.