You might’ve noticed that the MAX has been undergoing lots of changes recently. The new Type 6 models were recently debuted on the MAX system, there were many outages during the winter storm, and on top of that, the “A Better Red” project by TriMet has led to closures due to construction delays and shuttle buses filling in for the MAX. But what is all of this construction about?
TriMet’s MAX Blue Line extends from Gresham all the way to Hillsboro, it gets consistently high ridership from commuters living in Hillsboro coming into the city to work. However, the Red Line has less ridership as it terminates in Beaverton. According to TriMet, “During the afternoon peak, Blue Line trains are full while Red Line trains are generally only half-full,” demonstrating the need for improvement on the Red Line’s capabilities. TriMet’s work-in-progress “A Better Red” project is moving the terminus out to the Hillsboro Airport, making it more accessible for commuters living in the Hillsboro area. The project adds 10 more stops allowing it to run along the Blue Line for longer, increasing the availability of MAX trains servicing the area.
Additionally, the “A Better Red” project is improving the reliability of access to the Portland International Airport, making public transit even more accessible. Parking at the airport is expensive and potentially puts your car at risk for break-ins as it sits in the large airport parking lot. A ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft is also an option, but can be very expensive and busy at peak times. The project will make it much easier to take the MAX to the airport, saving you the hassle of parking at the airport and saving you money on parking or ridesharing fees.
The project is expected to finish in early March, where the MAX-replacing shuttle buses will be retired and access to the stations will be available again. The project will cost approximately $215 million, with $100 million in federal funding. TriMet claims the improvements will “create up to 1,200 jobs for the region” and make public transit more accessible for the residents of the nearby region.
