The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) recently received $28.7 million in federal funding through the American Rescue Plan, the coronavirus relief bill allocated by the Federal Transit Administration.
Funding will extend the MAX Red Line and for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
The MAX Red Line extension project will include an additional 7.8 miles of service that will connect the Beaverton Transit Center to Downtown Hillsboro.
The BRT project will create a 15-mile line between Portland’s Central Business District and Gresham.
“TriMet thanks the Oregon congressional delegation and the Federal Transit Administration for this important assistance in two capital projects to make our transit system more efficient and reliable,” Sam Desue, Jr., TriMet interim general manager, said. “In an era of global climate change, we need to make transit more accessible for everyone and a better option than driving. Division Transit Project will connect more people in Gresham, east Multnomah County, and downtown Portland to jobs, education, and services. Funding for the MAX Red Line not only gives more of residents in Washington County a one-seat ride to and from Portland International Airport, but it will increase the reliability of our entire light rail system’s reliability. TriMet is part of the solution as we all work together to take on this climate imperative.”