February 27, 2009
Portland Mall gears up for permanent changes
Installation of temporary cones and barriers for Mall Safety Week, MAX systems testing takes place Saturday
Major changes are coming to downtown Portland as construction nears completion on the Portland Mall Light Rail Project. On Saturday, February 28, temporary cones and barriers will be installed to direct autos and bicycles to the dedicated left-hand travel lane on the Mall. Immediately following the barrier installation, autos and bicycles can no longer use the transit lanes to travel along 5th and 6th avenues from Union Station to Portland State University.
Before the barrier installation, TriMet crews will perform systems tests using a new MAX train on the new Portland Mall light rail line.
Installation of barriers and cones to direct traffic to use the left lane only and test of overhead power and signal systems with new Type 4 MAX train will start on 5th Avenue at NW Irving traveling to Portland State University and then returning on 6th Avenue to Old Town.
MAX testing will begin at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, February 28, and last until 1:30 p.m. Cone and barrier installation will have one crew starting at 5th Avenue at Irving heading south and one crew starting at 6th Avenue heading north. The cone and barrier installation will take place from 2-6 p.m., Saturday, February 28.
Mall Safety Week March 2-8
With the cones and barriers, TriMet is educating motorists and bicyclists about the new configuration of traffic and transit lanes on the Mall as part of a safety campaign March 2 through 8. The barricades will block access to the right side transit lanes, restricting vehicles and bikes to the left-hand traffic lane along the Mall. The barriers serve as a visual reminder to motorists and cyclists that they are no longer allowed to cross the bumpy white line and use the transit lanes.
Traffic officers will issue warnings for violations during the week. Starting March 9, enforcement will include citations for unlawful traffic and pedestrian actions.
MAX trains on the Mall
Before cones and barriers are installed on Saturday, a new Type 4 MAX train will operate under its own power while crews check substation operation and the overhead power and signal systems to ensure the train is able to smoothly travel through intersections and safely pull into and away from platforms. The train will be moving at walking speed and may need to make multiple passes and operate in reverse under the direction of flaggers.
Following Mall Safety Week, MAX trains will be on the Mall about once a week for systems testing. MAX operator training on the Mall begins in early May.
About the I-205/Portland Mall Project
TriMet's fifth MAX line–the future Green Line–will add 8.3-miles of light rail between Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center, and to 5th and 6th avenues in downtown Portland between Union Station and Portland State University (PSU). It is the first light rail extension into Clackamas County. It will serve the heart of downtown Portland 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.