Construction of new MAX line to impact traffic
»Play Video
PORTLAND, Ore. – Construction of Portland’s new light rail project will impact traffic this week on the South Waterfront, a TriMet spokeswoman said.
28 large girders will be placed along the new route. The girders weigh over 40 tons each.
TriMet says drivers should be prepared for the following traffic changes during the week of Oct. 8-12:
• SW Harrison Street between SW Naito Parkway and Harbor Drive will be closed to auto traffic Monday, Oct. 8 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Naito exit from I-5 North will be closed on Wednesday, Oct. 10 through Friday, Oct. 12 between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. Drivers should use Macadam exit.
• SW Harbor Drive southbound will be reduced to one lane Oct. 9-12 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Temporary complete closures of Harbor Drive will occur while girders are suspended over Harbor Drive on Oct. 10 and 11.
• No left turn onto SW River Parkway will be allowed Tuesday, Oct. 9. Enter area on Montgomery or Sheridan. No right turn from SW River Parkway onto Harbor Drive will be allowed on Oct. 10 and 11. SW River Parkway between Harbor Drive and SW River Drive will be closed on Friday, Oct. 12 from 7 a.m to 9 p.m.
• The Portland Streetcar will not operate between PSU Urban Center and SW Lowell Street in South Waterfront on Monday, Oct. 8 and Friday, Oct. 12. Shuttle buses will provide alternative service for the entire service day, and riders should expect some delays through the construction zone.
• The east sidewalk on Harrison Street is currently closed to pedestrians and cyclists and should reopen the week of Oct. 22. Both sidewalks on Harrison will be closed Friday, Oct. 12. There will be other periodic sidewalk, bike lane and turn lane restrictions in the areas throughout the week to ensure safety.
The new Portland-Milwaukie light rail transit project stretches 7.3 miles and is the area’s sixth MAX construction project. It will extend the Green and Yellow lines at Portland State University to the South Waterfront, Southeast Portland, Milwaukie and North Clackamas County.
The new route will expand the MAX system to 60 miles and 97 stations.
It’s scheduled to open in September, 2015.
A bridge to nowhere....A train that brings crime where ever it goes. Â Thus the name "Crime Train". Â Destroyer of neighborhoods.
I've read a lot of people calling this the crime train, and from my wife having a 2nd job at Clackamas Town Center, I can certainly understand how it's brought plenty of undesirables to the area that might not normally be there. However, I'm wondering if the combination of the elimination of the free rail zone and more notably, an increase in fare enforcers, will reduce the criminals on it to score easy marks for free? If they used to go on the MAX for free & not harassed to show tickets, but now can't get away w/that as much - will the crime drop?
 Even with more enforcement, it's not going to stop. The hoodrats manage to get on buses without paying with a driver there(it's fun to watch - a couple of guys distract the driver while one rushes to the back of the bus to open the rear door and let the rest on), they don't have much hope of stopping people from jumping on a MAX without paying unless they put a permanent fare inspector at each door on the train. And that's never going to happen.
 @mine9 Or turnstiles, like every other mass transit system I've seen. Â
@OSUx2 How about MAX gets it's own police force. I forgot, that costs money.
I wonder how much a fare enforcer costs Tri-Met per year, and how much they bring in by revenue in the form of citations for lack of tickets? If it comes fairly close to being a wash (or even pays for itself), why not add more enforcers? I don't particularly like living in something akin to a police state, but I wouldn't have a big problem showing a ticket upon exiting a train every few times I rode.
 @OSUx2 Wait.  Think about this.  If they have lots of fare enforcement, then no-one would ride without a ticket, and then they wouldn't have anyone to cite: high cost; no revenue.  There are certainly some people that would buy tickets that would otherwise have ridden free, but that's not likely to pay for much enforcement.  The main thing it would do is cost a lot of money and eliminate some of the people who only use it because they can get on for free.  On the other hand, I think that's a good thing.  We need to clean up Max a bit.
Another path for the muggers and gang bangers to use after they do their crimes in and around the metro area!
I bridge to nowhere.. just like Alaska
ONLY Portland IS stupid enough to build such large bridge that excludes auto traffic.........
Â
Seriously, I've read this is the largest bridge to be built in the lower 48 that excludes auto traffic...... all that money just to see it sit vacant the majority of the time.
No MAX story is complete without a least one âcrime trainâ so there you go.
 @JTesla Don't forget the issue on the bus the other day, Crime Bus!
Shut it all down!! The horrors!
@thebigbooty @JTesla we should shut down all cars because people commit crimes in those too, and we must kick everyone out of their houses since people commit crimes in homes as well; therefore, shut down all crime cars and crime houses!
I just came to look at all the people whine and complain but there was nobody here then Sortbate....sourbait....logged in and made my day.
Â
Max is the most successful transportation system in the united states based on investment cost and long-term value; the ROI is off the charts.
Â
There should be an entire national high speed train system under construction now as a "makes works project" to stimulate the economy. Hoover dam was such a project and it increased American national security by creating the electrical power for Kaiser Aluminum that produced the raw materials for Boeing to make the aircraft that won the second world war.
Â
A national rail system would create jobs now and decrease oil dependency in the future.Â
@Icarus A National Rail System? Where is this money coming from? If you want to DECREASE oil dependency in the future then maybe you should not vote for 0bama. Yeah, I know he wants us to go solar, wind and bio-fuels. Those are very expensive alternatives. This country can't pay it's bills much less make a budget that it can stick to. What would the national rail system do? Freight? Move people? Money, money, money....
 @Billy Batts  @Icarus You know, they aren't making oil any more.  One day soon, it'll be gone.  Might be nice to be planning for it.
@Icarus  """"the ROI is off the charts.""""
Â
Please enlighten us..... what are the numbers.
Â
Â
 @Icarus return of investment.. are you serious? Its NOT profitable when it takes 6$ of tax money for every passenger.
A big waste of money....Not wanted or needed.
 @sortbait I want it too.  Use it nearly every day.  I haven't driven a car downtown in years.
 @sortbait I want it.