Home : Economic Benefits

Connecting people to jobs

The Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project is essential to the long-term economic vitality of our region, helping to connect people to their jobs and higher education. It also is providing many short-term benefits for the regional economy.

• Estimates forecast that the project will create up to 14,500 jobs based on $854 million in eligible construction spending, which includes construction, engineering and administration.
• This forecast includes up to 7,122 direct jobs, which are occupations that work directly on the light rail project, such as planners, designers, engineers and construction workers.
• The forecast also calls for up to 7,370 indirect or induced jobs. Indirect jobs include positions at suppliers of materials for the project, such as steel, concrete, wood, and more. Induced jobs are jobs created by the spending of project salaries for items such as groceries, gas, entertainment, etc.

• Learn how job creation was estimated for the project (43 KB PDF)

 

Direct jobs To date, more than 210 private-sector firms are working, or have completed work, on the project, including 75 disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) firms, and the list of companies continues to grow. Direct jobs created: 577 on-site construction jobs since construction began in April 2011. 862 professional and technical jobs since March of 2009, when the project entered Preliminary Engineering. Professional and technical jobs include employees that have worked a minimum of 160 hours.

1,439 Direct jobs created As of May 10, 2012, as reported by PMLR contractors.

Indirect and induced jobs The indirect and induced jobs are estimated based on a direct multiplier of 8.63 jobs per million dollars of eligible construction spending. Through April 2012, the project has expended approximately $131.7 million on construction.

1,137 Indirect and induced jobs created Estimated based on construction spending through April 30, 2012.

 

Economic benefits at a glance

 

Project construction workers, Portland region

 

Project contractor firms, Portland region

• All project contractors (current and past) (34 KB PDF)

 

 

Buy America for project materials

The project is expected to create more than 7,300 indirect and induced jobs by buying American-made materials under federal Buy America requirements and generating spending in the local economy.

As of April 2012

 

Worker profiles

The project workforce is skilled, diverse and dedicated to creating a safe, efficient and accessible light rail extension.

• Read profiles of project firms and workers

Growing businesses

New economic development along the project alignment will provide employment opportunities, encourage walking and cycling, and enhance livability.

• Learn about new businesses and developments along the project alignment

Saving riders money

Transit riders also benefit economically by choosing light rail. According to the American Public Transit Association (APTA), a Portland resident who chooses public transit saves $10,313 a year, based on a per gallon gas price of $3.43.

Estimates predict the MAX line constructed by the project will carry 17,000 riders at the end of its first year of service. That's $175.4 million in rider savings for that year. And at the end of 30 years of service, the MAX line is expected to carry 22,765 riders annually, which equals $234.8 million in annual rider savings

• View the APTA Transit Savings Report