September 11, 2006

Westside MAX reaches 8th birthday

76 million trips & ridership continues to grow

The Westside MAX light rail line has tallied 76 million rides in the 8 years since it opened on September 12, 1998.

For the year, the 18-mile Westside extension carried 11 million trips, exceeding 2008 ridership projections. The extension stretches 18 miles, connecting Hillsboro, Beaverton and Portland to the overall light rail system.

In September 2003, TriMet extended Airport MAX Red Line service eight more miles from downtown Portland to Beaverton Transit Center, adding more service where Westside ridership is heaviest and providing direct airport service to more riders.

TriMet's overall MAX system covers 44 miles and has 64 light rail stations. Since Eastside MAX opened in 1986, 305.5 million trips have been taken on the Blue (Eastside and Westside), Yellow and Red lines combined.

Making Tracks Toward Tomorrow

A fifth ligth rail extension is set to start construction in February 2007. The 8.3-mile I-205/Portland Mall MAX Light Rail Project will extend light rail into Clackamas County for the first time and in downtown Portland along a new alignment on the Portland Mall. The Portland Mall segment will add light rail along 5th and 6th avenues between Union Station and Portland State University. This project will connect with downtown's busiest destination - Portland State University - and accommodate future rail extensions to Milwaukie, Vancouver and southwest Portland.

TriMet will also begin construction of the 14.7-mile Washington County Commuter Rail line next month. Commuter rail will use existing freight tracks between the cities of Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville. The line will provide rush-hour only service and open in fall 2008.