Say farewell to big bumps at three rail crossings in Washington County, as TriMet gears up for next round of improvements at transit centers
Where the road meets rail, the ride just became smoother in parts of Washington County, as TriMet’s Westside MAX Improvements project ended on schedule over the weekend.
MAX Blue and Red Line trains resumed regular service on Sunday, Aug. 9.
During the two-week project, July 26 through Aug. 8, crews upgraded three rail crossings. These are the parts of the system where the rail, road and sidewalks merge. Crews improved drainage near the crossings, helping to redirect road runoff. They also repaired rail and repaved sections of the street along Southwest Merlo Road, Southwest 170th Avenue and West Baseline Road.
By their nature, rail crossings experience all sorts of vehicles rolling over them, from 100,000-pound trains to cars to tractor-trailers and buses. They are designed to be durable. But they are not totally resistant to the combination of heavy-duty vehicles and groundwater erosion, which can, over decades, cause them to droop below the road. Keeping crossings in tip-top shape requires the care and attention of construction crews, working to ensure that the next time you cross these tracks — whether in a train, bus or automobile — it will be smoother.
We thank our riders and the community for their patience and understanding during the project. We never like to disrupt service or close roads, but occasionally it is necessary for major projects such as this.
With another project completed, TriMet continues our commitment to keeping our transit system in a state of good repair. Starting this fall, crews will shift to the places where thousands of riders begin and end their trips every day: transit centers.
Next stop for construction
Major overhauls of the Beaverton Transit Center and Oregon City Transit Center are getting underway as part of our Layovers & Transit Centers Improvements Project.
While construction will be noticeable to those traveling through the transit centers, it will not disrupt regular bus or MAX service. Riders may encounter temporary changes, including relocated stops or adjusted walking paths, but both transit centers will remain open and accessible throughout the work.
At the Beaverton Transit Center, upgrades will include installing new, high-capacity bus shelters, enhancing lighting systems and adding more security cameras to improve safety. To accommodate future transit demands, capacity will be expanded for both 40-foot and 60-foot buses. The project will also introduce two overhead pantograph chargers designed to power electric buses operating out of the transit center.
Similar improvements are coming to the Oregon City Transit Center, where crews will install new curb ramps and sidewalks to improve accessibility. New lighting and security cameras will also be installed, along with new bus shelters and updated landscaping.
Throughout construction, buses and trains will continue serving riders on their regular schedules. Riders should follow posted signs and directions on site but can otherwise continue using the transit centers for their regular trips.
Construction is expected to last through fall 2027.
Making Transit Better
Improving parts of TriMet’s system that have served the community for generations allows us to keep riders moving and adapt to how the region lives now. It helps us meet everyone’s needs, whether or not they’re an active user of our transit system. These are investments that pay off over time, with strong transit systems like ours improving access to jobs, school and recreation, reducing congestion and benefiting the region’s bottom line.
Recent improvements include:
- Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People: Earlier this summer, we replaced sections of the concrete deck along Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People, and the Harbor Structure, deep-cleaned the rail and installed more efficient lighting to help preserve the nation’s most distinctive transit bridge.
- Westside MAX rail crossings: Our most recent project rebuilt three aging rail crossings at Southwest Merlo Road, Southwest 170th Avenue and West Baseline Road. The project improved drainage, replaced worn track components and stabilized the crossings, helping eliminate the big bumps you might experience when traveling over them.
- Upgrading substations along the MAX Blue Line: An ongoing project to modernize electrical substations that power MAX trains is underway. We are replacing aging equipment, some of which is 40 years old, to ensure the system can continue to deliver dependable service for decades to come.
Much of TriMet’s work happens behind the scenes. Crews replace, upgrade and, in some cases, completely rebuild critical infrastructure that keeps the system running reliably. Many of these assets were built decades ago and were designed to standards that have since evolved.
For more information, visit trimet.org/bettertransit.