A section of Gresham’s MAX Blue Line will be closed from April 7-13 for rail crossing upgrades

Improvements are coming to a rail crossing in the heart of Gresham, work that will increase the durability of the MAX system and create a better commute for riders and motorists alike. For crews to complete the work, a section of the MAX Blue Line will be closed between E 172nd Avenue and Cleveland Ave MAX stations from Sunday, April 7, through Saturday, April 13. 

The work will impact five MAX stations, with shuttle buses serving all closed stations and taking riders between E 172nd Ave and Cleveland Ave. We have tried to arrange shuttle buses so riders won’t have long waits, but changes to the MAX schedule may impact connections.

Bus Line 20-Burnside/Stark will also experience a minor detour in both directions while construction is taking place.

We encourage riders to plan their trips now at trimet.org/planner, using April 7-13 as the dates, and to expect them to take a little longer. As buses may be a faster option for some trips, it’s also important to note that FX2-Division–as well as lines 9, 20, 25 and 77–may experience higher ridership during the disruption.

The Gresham MAX Improvements Project will replace the crossing and rail located at the intersection of Southeast Stark Street and East Burnside Street, near the Rockwood/SE 188th Ave MAX Station. The intersection is a busy one, located in an area that has seen growing transportation demands since 1986. That’s when the MAX Blue Line opened. In the following 38 years, the crossing has seen countless vehicles–trains, cars and trucks–travel over it. Rail crossing improvements like this one are an important part of providing efficient, reliable and safe light rail service–now and in the future.

Getting around the disruption

Sign up for service alerts now for a reminder about this disruption and others that may affect you. You can do so at trimet.org/email. During the disruption, TriMet will have On-Street Customer Service as well as other field staff at stations to provide in-person guidance on making connections.

Shuttle buses will be clearly marked, arriving about every 15 to 20 minutes. No other MAX service will be impacted by the disruption.

Why rail crossings?

Rail crossings can see more activity than almost any other place on the MAX system. They’re built to withstand decades of jostling and heavy vehicles traveling over them, both light rail and automobiles. But there comes a time when crossings should receive some attention. This not only prevents the possibility of unplanned repairs and keeps people moving, it ensures our light rail system is as safe and reliable as it can be.

After decades of use, crossings can begin to sink and dip when vehicles pass over them. The upcoming work will benefit MAX Blue Line riders, who will feel a smoother rider once it’s completed. Motorists will likely feel less of a jolt when they drive through the intersection as well.

Making Transit Better

TriMet works continuously to improve our MAX and bus systems. Over the past several months, we’ve completed major construction on portions of the A Better Red MAX Extension and Reliability Improvements project, including the completion of a second track and new MAX station at Portland International Airport, the result of four months of work last summer, and the new Gateway North MAX station and MAX bridges just north of the Gateway Transit Center. Also in March, we completed work that ultimately will allow us to extend the MAX Red Line to Hillsboro starting later this summer. While the Gresham MAX Improvements Project is unrelated to A Better Red, it is part of the overall goal of making transit better.

We thank our riders for their patience as we complete the work, which will also include litter removal and station deep cleaning. The upgrades will make this part of the MAX system more resilient at the same time as improving the riding experience by making it smoother and quieter. For more information, visit trimet.org/improvements.