July 6, 2007
Portland Mall track construction to close portion of streetcar July 6-9
Southern end of streetcar closed, shuttle buses to provide service
Portland Mall Light Rail construction on SW 5th at Market and Montgomery streets will cause a weekend streetcar closure. Streetcar service south of SW 10th/11th & Clay will close at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 6 until 4 a.m. Monday, July 9. TriMet will provide bus service to connect riders to the streetcar; other streetcar service will remain on schedule.
Construction
Crews will work around the clock installing rail crosses between the new MAX tracks and the streetcar. Crews will start by sawing through the existing track to remove it. The area beneath the track will be demolished and crews will install conduit, aggregate, rebar and concrete. The new rail units will allow light rail to cross the streetcar tracks and proceed down 5th Avenue. The rail crosses will be welded together and once installation is complete, crews will safety certify the work before resuming service.
Service Around Work Zones
A shuttle bus will run about every 15 minutes between SW 10th/11th & Clay and South Waterfront.
Traveling to NW Portland
- Streetcar riders heading to NW Portland can board at the following locations: SW 10th & Clay
- SW Clay & 5th Avenue
- All other closed northbound stops have a shuttle stop adjacent to the stop
Traveling to PSU & South Waterfront
Streetcar riders heading to South Waterfront can board a bus at the following locations:
- SW Market & Park Avenue
- SW Harrison & 3rd Avenue
- All other closed southbound stops have a shuttle stop adjacent to the stop
Continuing Work
Although streetcar service will resume July 9, the intersection of 5th and Market Street will remain closed for additional work until July 23. SW 5th will also be closed between Clay and Market streets until July 23, but local access will be available.
Future Rail Ties
MAX rail tie-ins will occur in late July and October, with weekend closures of the existing MAX line:
- July 27-30, 2007: MAX lines on SW 5th at Yamhill and Morrison
- October 2007: MAX lines on SW 6th at Yamhill and Morrison
About the project
- The Portland Mall project is part of the 8.3-mile I-205/Portland Mall MAX Light Rail Project.
- TriMet’s fifth MAX line will add light rail to 5th and 6th avenues between Union Station and Portland State University (PSU), and between Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center.
- It is the first light rail extension into Clackamas County, it will serve the heart of downtown and the busiest transit destination in the TriMet system - PSU.
- When it opens in September 2009, it will help revitalize the Mall and poise the region for future rail extensions.