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    1. Rail
    2. Infrastructure

    Eight-day disruption planned for April as TriMet continues work on A Better Red

    March 3, 2022
    A Better Red construction is a necessary first step in a project that will improve reliability and extend MAX Red Line service to Hillsboro.
    Related To: TriMet
    TriMet
    Work will take place near the Gateway Transit Center.
    Work will take place near the Gateway Transit Center.

    TriMet is planning an eight-day disruption to MAX Red Line service from April 2 through April 9, setting the stage for an important series of improvements around the Gateway Transit Center. 

    The work is part of the larger A Better Red project, set to be complete in 2024, that will bring important track improvements between the Gateway Transit Center and Portland International Airport, improving reliability on the Red Line and throughout the entire MAX light-rail system. A Better Red will also extend the Red Line west into Hillsboro to serve 10 more stations. 

    During the first week of April, construction will require changes across the entire Red Line. Shuttle buses will replace trains between Gateway Transit Center and Portland International Airport. Riders will want to use MAX Blue or Green Line trains to connect with Red Line shuttle buses at Gateway Transit Center.  

    The disruption will allow crews to take a 200-foot section of special track just north of the Gateway Transit Center and move it about 500 feet farther north. This work will give crews the room they need to build a critical part of the Better Red project—a new bridge over the existing trackway and I-205 multi-use path, which will alleviate bottlenecks in and around the busy Gateway area. 

    Crews will work around the clock to complete the work, and TriMet plans to resume regular Red Line service on Sunday, April 10. 

    Shuttle buses will be operating between Gateway Transit Center and PDX on the same schedule as Red Line trains, about every 15 minutes. Riders will want to plan some extra time for their trips, as well as check TriMet’s website to see if there are unplanned delays or disruptions. 

    I-205 multi-use path closure 

    Construction near Gateway Green, adjacent to the I-205 multi-use path, has been moving along since September. In mid-March through April, access to the path will be closed between NE Maywood Place and NE Multnomah Street from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., with intermittent 15-minute closures during all other hours. 

    The path closures take place during hours that nearby Gateway Green Park is also closed. The south end of the park has been closed since September 2021 and will remain closed through late 2024 to accommodate the construction activity.