TriMet's MAX Red Line will not operate one weekend in July to all construction crews to continue working on a new light-rail bridge just north of the Gateway Transit Center.
Red Line trains will not be running July 30-July 31. Riders will be able to use shuttle buses for trips from the Gateway Transit Center to Portland International Airport (PDX).
Roughly 10 months after the A Better Red project broke ground, it’s making visible progress near the Gateway Transit Center and Gateway Green Park. With the bridge’s supports, known as piers, in place, crews can now place the pier cap over the existing track. Pier caps transfer pressure from the bridge’s supports, making them sturdier and more resilient. The work is an important step in constructing a bridge that will carry a second MAX track, intended to relieve bottlenecks as Red Line trains come into Gateway.
For riders traveling from the Gateway Transit Center to PDX, shuttle buses will be running about every 15 minutes. Signs will be posted directing riders to the shuttle bus stops. During the busiest times, TriMet staff will be present to help riders get around the disruption.
TriMet’s A Better Red project will extend the MAX Red Line west to the Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport Station, serving 10 extra stations that only Blue Line trains currently serve. Also among the improvements will be the addition of a second set of tracks in the Gateway area and near Portland International Airport.
Once completed in 2024, the A Better Red project will not only extend Red Line service west, creating direct “train-to-plane” trips for more riders and adding to overall capacity, but the addition of a second track will also improve reliability across the MAX system. With three lines—Blue, Green and Red— funneling into Gateway, trains sometimes have to wait for others to clear. The extra tracks will move trains around each other and keep them on time throughout the system
