Plan ahead for possible delays, plan your trip to a cooling center

*UPDATE 2: With cooling centers closing by this evening, anyone needing to get home from those centers who can’t afford the fare can ride TriMet without paying through 9 p.m. They won’t be denied a ride or get a citation if going home from a cooling center and can’t pay fare. We ask that they let the bus operator know they’re heading home from a cooling center.

*UPDATE 1: This post has been adjusted to clarify that due to the National Weather Service’s heat advisory, and with cooling centers open, we’re encouraging anyone who might need relief from the heat to ride to a cooling center, even if you can’t pay fare. Effective immediately, riders won’t be denied a ride or get a ticket if you are going to a cooling center.

With temperatures expected to soar past 90 degrees from today through Saturday, July 31, TriMet is gearing up, getting ready and recommending that riders plan ahead and check service alerts for possible heat-related delays. When it gets hot, we slow trains through some areas to keep them moving without damaging the system.

Minor delays may happen on MAX Green and Orange lines when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees, as trains will decrease their speed in some areas. All MAX lines will slow in high speed areas when temperatures climb past 100 degrees. In extreme heat, the copper in the overhead wires expands, so we’ll be watching for sagging wires during the next three days. We’ll also be watching the rails, which are made of steel. They can expand and potentially kink, bending outward, requiring trains to run slower through the area.

WES will slow down at 100 degrees and be replaced by shuttle buses at 105 degrees. Riders can expect 20-minute delays when trains are slowed.

Riding during the heat

During extreme heat, we encourage that riders bring some water and dress in light, breathable clothing.

We’ll be running air conditioning on our buses and trains. But when the heat is excessive, and doors are opening and closing, vehicles can still become warm. We also remind riders that masks are currently required for everyone on board TriMet and at our transit centers and rail platforms.

Heading to a cooling center for relief

High temperatures can be oppressive and dangerous for those with underlying health issues or no way of cooling off at home. We urge people to seek out a cooling center if they’re feeling uncomfortable or recognizing the signs of heat-related illness.

You can find links to the cooling centers in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties at trimet.org/heat, as well as information about how our service may be affected by extreme temperatures.

Due to the National Weather Service’s heat advisory and with cooling centers open, TriMet encourages people needing relief from the heat to ride to a cooling center, even if they cannot afford fare effective immediately. On buses, please let the operator know you are heading to a cooling center. You can also reach our customer service team for help between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. by texting or calling 503-238-RIDE.

Below is a list of cooling centers you can access by bus or train.

Multnomah County

Multnomah County East Building, 600 NE 8^th St, Gresham

• The facility is located near the Gresham Central Transit Center, served by MAX Blue Line trains and bus lines 2, 9, 20, 21, 80, 81, 82 and 84

Sunrise Center,18901 E Burnside St, Portland

• The center is a short walk from the Rockwood/E 188^th Ave MAX station, which serves the Blue Line.

The Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland

• Located in downtown Portland, the building is within steps of bus lines 1, 2, 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 30, 94 and the MAX Green and Yellow lines.

The Matt Dishman Community Center, 77 NE Knott Street, Portland

• The community center is within walking distance of bus lines 4, 6, 24 and 44.

The Charles Jordan Community Center, 9009 N Foss Ave, Portland

• The community center is served by the Line 4-Fessenden.

All 15 of Multnomah County library branches are also open and can be used as cooling centers. Check the county’s website for addresses and operating hours.

Washington County

Tualatin Public Library, 18878 SW Martinazzi Ave, Tualatin

• The library is served by Line 76-Hall/Greenburg

Tigard Public Library, 13500 SW Hall Blvd, Tigard

• The library is served by Line 76-Hall/Greenburg

Tigard Senior Center, 8815 SW Omara St, Tigard

• The senior center is served by the Line 76-Hall/Greenburg

St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 3700 SE 79th Ave, Tigard

• The church is a short walk from stops for bus lines 45, 93 and 94.

Conestoga Recreation and Aquatic Center, 9985 SW 125th Ave, Beaverton

• The center is served by lines 62 and 92.

Beaverton City Library (Murray Scholls), 11200 SW Murray Scholls Pl, Beaverton

• The library is within walking distance of a stop for Line 62-Murray Blvd.

Beaverton City Library, 12375 SW 5th St, Beaverton

• The library is served by lines 52, 76 and 78.

Tualatin Hills Athletic Center, 5707 Walker Rd, Beaverton

• The athletic center is served by the Line 62-Murray Blvd.

Hillsboro Brookwood Library, 2850 NE Brookwood Pkwy, Hillsboro

• The library is served by lines 42 and 48.

Hillsboro Shute Park Library, 775 SE 10th Ave, Hillsboro

• The library is served by lines 46, 47, 48 and 57.

Hillsboro Civic Center, 150 E Main St, Hillsboro

• The center is served by MAX Blue Line trains at the Mark O. Hatfield Government Center station and bus lines 46, 47, 48 and 57.

Cornelius Public Library, 1370 N Adair St, Cornelius

• The library is served by the Line 57-TV HWY/Forest Grove

Forest Grove Senior and Community Center, 2037 Douglas St, Forest Grove

• The community center is served by the Line 57-TV HWY/Forest Grove

Forest Grove City Library, 2114 Pacific Ave, Forest Grove

• The library is served by the Line 57-TV HWY/Forest Grove

Clackamas County

Gladstone Public Library, 135 E Dartmouth St, Gladstone

• The library is served by the Line 31-Webster Rd.

Max Peterson Park Splash Pad, 400 E Exeter St, Gladstone

• The park is served by the Line 31-Webster Rd.

Oak Lodge Library, 16201 SE McLoughlin Blvd, Oak Grove

• The library is served by the Line 33-McLoughlin/King Rd.

The Father’s Heart Street Ministry, 603 12th St, Oregon City

• The facility is served by the Line 32-Oatfield.

Reformation Covenant Church, 1201 JQ Adams St, Oregon City

• The church is within walking distance of the Line 32-Oatfield

West Linn Public Library, 1595 Burns St, West Linn

• The library is within walking distance of stops for the Line 35-Macadam/Greeley.

Heat impacts on MAX trains

The upcoming heatwave is within TriMet’s operational threshold. The system can accommodate temperatures up to about 110 degrees, which had never been recorded here until June’s heat dome event. That was an historic situation that tested the limits of the MAX system.

We have begun looking into how the system dealt with that unprecedented heat and what we can do to make the system more climate resilient in the future. This evaluation is ongoing as we investigate what possible solutions are available.