U.S. Transportation Secretary Mineta Announces $39.1 Million For Under-Budget, Ahead-of-Schedule Transit Project in Portland, OR

Residents of Portland, OR, will benefit from expanded light rail service and other transit enhancements as a result of a grant totaling $39.1 million announced today by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta.  Delivered under budget and ahead of schedule, the new Interstate Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) line provides rail access through a diverse residential neighborhood and links two of the city’s emerging business and entertainment centers.

“When this new line goes into operation on Saturday, the people of Portland will enjoy improved access to recreation and business centers along Interstate Ave.,” said Secretary Mineta. “The federal government is doing its part by making a significant investment in the Portland area to keep commuters and the economy moving.”

"The Interstate MAX extension is an important part of transforming Portland's light rail system into a network that is a model for the rest of the country,” said U.S. Sen. Gordon H. Smith of Oregon. “It will go a long way toward alleviating traffic congestion and improving the quality of life in Portland and its surrounding communities."

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded the grant to the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) for the 5.8-mile light rail extension that will open for revenue service on Saturday, May 1. The new extension will carry passengers from the Rose Quarter to the Exposition Center, with ten new stations along Interstate Avenue. In addition to enhanced transit services, new economic and residential development has already been generated along the new light rail line.

FTA funding for the Interstate MAX light rail extension project includes the purchase of light rail electronic propulsion cars, a maintenance facility, traction power equipment, train control signals, civil and system final design, property acquisition and program administration. Today’s grant will bring the total federal funding for this project to $178.7 million.