25 years of MAX—483 million rides
September 2, 2011
Gresham & Portland celebrations mark the anniversary of region's first light rail line
TriMet's Eastside MAX Blue Line today celebrated 25 years of service with events in Gresham and Portland. The 15-mile Eastside MAX line was the first built in the region and only the third modern light rail line in the U.S. at the time. Now, there are about 30 light rail systems in the U.S.
The MAX line was built when the region stopped the planned 8-lane Mt. Hood Freeway through Southeast Portland, and the federal freeway funds were exchanged for light rail and other transportation improvements. Since the first line opened in September 1986, 483 million trips have been taken on the entire 52-mile MAX system. During that same time, 1.4 billion trips have been taken on TriMet buses.
"In the past 25 years, we have significantly expanded our transit system, reached record ridership while also helping to create and enhance neighborhoods along all of our MAX lines," said TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane. "We're a national leader in creating great communities with transit because it's more than just moving people from one location to another, it's about the land use and transit connection that has helped make this a great place to live."
MAX is a catalyst for transit-oriented development. Since the decision to build light rail in 1980, more than $10 billion in development has occurred within walking distance of MAX stations along the entire 52-mile MAX system.
Background
TriMet's first light rail line, the 15-mile Eastside MAX Blue Line, opened with a weekend celebration Sept. 5-7, 1986, with 200,000 riders packing the trains day and night.
The Portland region would look much different today if MAX was not built. In 1969, the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Transportation Study called for 54 new highways in the region, including the 8-lane Mt. Hood Freeway that was set to cut SE Portland in two. Bold leadership and public resistance to the freeway sparked the light rail concept. Funds from the Mt. Hood Freeway and another abandoned freeway, I-505, were used to fund light rail, and improve a 4.5-mile stretch of I-84 and other regional roads.
Building a 52-mile system
The MAX system started with the connection between Gresham and Portland. It now extends 52 miles and also serves Beaverton, Hillsboro, the Portland International Airport (PDX) and N/NE Portland. About 130,000 MAX trips are taken each weekday on the 52-mile MAX system. The segments opened in the following years:
- 15-mile Eastside MAX between Portland and Gresham opened September 1986 (renamed MAX Blue Line)
- 18-mile Westside MAX between Portland, Beaverton and Hillsboro opened September 1998 (renamed MAX Blue Line)
- 5.5-mile Airport MAX extended from the Gateway Transit Center to PDX opened September 2001 (MAX Red Line)
- 5.8-mile Interstate MAX extended from the Expo Center to the Rose Quarter opened in May 2004 (MAX Yellow Line)
- 8.3-mile I-205/Portland Mall MAX between Gateway Transit Center to Clackamas Town Center, and a second alignment through downtown Portland along the Transit Mall opened September 2009 (MAX Green Line)
What's next—Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project
The region's sixth light rail project – the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project is in the design/construction phase. The 7.3-mile project extends from the terminus of the MAX Green and Yellow lines at Portland State University to South Waterfront, SE Portland, Milwaukie and Park Avenue in Clackamas County, and is set to open in fall 2015.