Closures of westbound I-84 planned this month for TriMet’s ‘A Better Red’ project

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Weekend shutdown of I-84 west near I-205 interchange from 10 p.m. June 24 through 4 a.m. June 27 to allow for construction on a new MAX bridge

A two-mile stretch of westbound I-84 near the I-205 interchange will close from 10 p.m. Friday, June 24, through 4 a.m. Monday, June 27, to allow crews to perform construction for a new light rail bridge over the freeway. Nighttime closures will also occur leading up to and immediately following the weekend shutdown.

I-84 west closure schedule

Weekday closures:

10 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly

June 22 & 23, June 27-29

Weekend closure:

10 p.m. Friday, June 24, to 4 a.m. Monday, June 27

The NE 102nd Ave onramp will also be closed at these times.

The closures are part of TriMet’s “A Better Red” MAX Red Line extension and improvements project. During the weekend shutdown, crews will drill a 102-foot deep shaft for the new light rail bridge’s foundation next to I-84. Once completed, the bridge will add another set of tracks to carry MAX Red Line trains through the Gateway area, helping to alleviate bottlenecks there and improve reliability across the MAX system.

TriMet’s bus and MAX service will not be affected by the work.

Getting around the project

With construction taking place near the I-84 and I-205 junction, auto drivers heading west on I-84 will be able to take southbound I-205 as an alternate route. Drivers will want to merge back onto I-84 past the Gateway area. We encourage motorists to plan out an alternate route in advance and to expect traffic to be heavier than usual. You can visit ODOT’s TripCheck.com for real time traffic information. To plan a transit trip, go to trimet.org to use our Trip Planner and, for notifications about delays or disruptions, sign up for service alerts to be delivered directly by text or email. For information about the project, check out the webpage: trimet.org/alerts/i84/.

A Better Red to improve and extend MAX service

TriMet’s A Better Red project will upgrade our celebrated train-to-plane service to help serve more MAX Red Line stations, with improved efficiency that will be felt throughout our rail system. It will extend the Red Line west 10 stations to Fair Complex/Hillsboro Airport, meaning more people will benefit from direct trips to and from Portland International Airport without needing to transfer. Currently, only the MAX Blue Line serves those ten stations.

Among the other improvements will be the addition of a second set of tracks in the Gateway area and near Portland International Airport. They’ll reduce the delays that happen when trains traveling in both directions have to wait for oncoming trains to pass. With the Gateway Transit Center serving MAX Blue, Green and Red lines, helping Red Line trains move more efficiently will also keep trains on time elsewhere. For more information about the project, visit trimet.org/betterred.