MAX Blue, Green and Red lines disrupted June 8-9, as crews finish installation of a  temporary platform to keep riders moving during months-long improvement project

The NE 82nd Ave MAX Station is getting a major makeover! Starting this June, crews will begin the months-long process of modernizing the nearly 40-year-old station. 

But first, a two-day disruption, from Sunday, June 8, through Monday, June 9, is needed to prepare the area around the station for significant construction activity beginning later this summer. Crews will use the two days to install a stairway on the southbound side of Northeast 82nd Avenue, across the street from the regular entrance to the MAX station. 

Once the temporary platform opens, the new stairs will allow riders to access it. The elevator will remain operable during most of the renovation project. A platform-level pathway will connect the elevator to the temporary platform. 

When trains return to regular service on Tuesday, June 10, there will be no access to the regular NE 82nd Ave MAX Station as crews perform renovations there through the end of the year. While construction is taking place, riders will use the temporary MAX platform to board and exit trains. This will allow MAX trains to continue to serve the station during construction.

Two-day MAX disruption: June 8-9

The June 8-9 disruption will affect MAX Blue, Green and Red lines. Shuttle buses will replace MAX service between the Oregon Convention Center MAX Station and the Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center. The shuttle buses will depart every five minutes for most of the day. However, trips may take an extra 30 minutes, and we encourage riders to plan their trips now by going to trimet.org.

If you have questions about arrival times or getting around during the disruption, look for TriMet’s On-Street Customer Service team, wearing green vests. You can also call or text TriMet’s Customer Support Center at 503-238-7433 (RIDE) daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Temporary platform to keep riders moving

Crews have already constructed a temporary MAX platform west of the station. It will open to riders on June 10 and offer many of the same amenities, including signage, lighting and a shelter. Most important, the platform will keep riders moving during construction. 

The stairs leading down to the temporary platform will be on the opposite side of Northeast 82nd Ave, adjacent to the southbound lanes and across the street from the entrance to the MAX station.

The renovation represents a major investment in the MAX system, making it safer, more comfortable and more durable. The station is not only one of our oldest, it is also vital in connecting East Portlanders to jobs, education, healthcare and services. This project will help revitalize the station while laying the groundwork for future development and investment in the surrounding community.

The renovation will include:

• Stairway construction: The existing stairway will be rebuilt.
• Shelter renovation: The current shelter will be re-roofed and refurbished, preserving its historic design. A second shelter will be added to the east side of the platform.
• Lift building removal: The non-operational lift building at the end of the platform will be removed completely to improve sight lines. Constructed in the 1980s, these buildings formerly housed devices that lifted people in mobility devices into MAX trains. They became obsolete when low-floor trains were introduced in the 1990s, and many have already been removed from the system. 
• Barrier replacement: The existing bollard and cable barrier on the edge of the platform will be replaced with a guardrail for improved safety.

Additional improvements will include upgraded signage and lighting. The mural by acclaimed artist Alex Chiu on the west end of the platform, will be preserved.

Making Transit Better

TriMet appreciates our riders’ patience as we work to improve community connections. As a busy transit hub in the heart of Northeast Portland, the NE 82nd Ave MAX Station links thousands to jobs, services and healthcare. 

The NE 82nd Ave MAX Improvements Project is part of systemwide modernization efforts aimed at providing a more accessible, welcoming and reliable transit experience for the Portland region – today and into the future. This includes the introduction of our newest trains, the Type 6, which started service earlier this year.

Other significant projects have included our recently completed East Burnside MAX Improvements Project and A Better Red MAX Extension and Reliability Improvements Project, which extended the MAX Red Line 10 stations west. 

Improvements like these benefit everyone! Safe, reliable and comfortable public transit means less congestion, cleaner air and safer roads. It also means a thriving economy, giving people access to work, education, stores, services and recreation. 

More information about the project and service impacts is available at trimet.org/improvements.

Limited service impacts during construction’s first phase, starting, Tuesday, April 15 with the building of a temporary platform

The first phase of a major renovation of the NE 82nd Ave MAX Station will begin on Tuesday, April 15, with the construction of a temporary MAX platform that will open later this summer.  

Construction of the temporary platform marks the start of a broader effort to improve one of the oldest and most heavily used stations in the MAX system. While riders may notice construction taking place near the station for the next few weeks, there will be no disruption to MAX Blue, Green or Red Line service during this first phase of the project.

Construction begins with a temporary platform

Initial work will focus on constructing a temporary platform located just west of the existing station. Once built, the temporary platform will have lighting, a weather shelter and signage. It will be connected to the main station’s elevator via a walkway. It is expected to open in June and allow TriMet to maintain uninterrupted MAX Blue, Green and Red Line service during demolition and construction of the NE 82nd Ave MAX Station, which will last through the end of 2025.

Minimizing impacts on riders

The temporary platform will allow the station renovation to proceed with minimal rider disruption. Crews will need to demolish significant parts of the station to rebuild it, which can only take place if the station is closed. However, the project will require a few short disruptions this summer and fall. TriMet will inform the public of those in advance.

Station updates focus on accessibility and design

Renovations to the NE 82nd Ave MAX Station are designed to enhance safety, accessibility and the overall rider experience while preserving key cultural elements. Planned upgrades include:

• New concrete surfacing
• A rebuilt stairway
• A refurbished shelter that maintains its original design
• The addition of a second shelter to match the original shelter 
• Updated lighting and signage
• The removal of the inoperable mobility-device lift building, which has not been used since the mid-1990s
• The replacement of outdated barriers with a modern guardrail

The mural by local artist Alex Chiu, located next to the elevator, will be preserved as part of TriMet’s commitment to celebrating community identity.

Strengthening community connections

Located at the intersection of transit and opportunity, the NE 82nd Ave MAX Station is important in connecting East Portlanders to jobs, education, healthcare and services. This project will help revitalize the station while laying the groundwork for future development and investment in the surrounding community.

All construction activity will take place at the track level between the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and I-84. There will be no changes to the station’s street-level entrance or elevator access during the construction of the temporary platform.

The project is part of systemwide modernization efforts aimed at providing a more accessible, welcoming and reliable transit experience for the Portland region today and into the future. This includes the introduction of our newest trains, the Type 6, which began earlier this year.

TriMet crews work day and night — cleaning trains, removing graffiti and scrubbing stations — to keep the system inviting

At the Cleveland Ave MAX Station in Gresham, TriMet Service Aide Matt Sunshine, equipped with the typical tools of the cleaning profession, steps onto a MAX Blue Line train.

Service Aides like Matt have about 10 minutes to wipe down surfaces, sweep out trash and mop the floors before vehicles depart. At the end of each MAX line, the trains have a brief layover to give operators time for a break. The Service Aides are trained to work quickly and purposefully. After all, this is the cleaners’ time to shine.

It’s a fast-paced job to make the riding experience as comfortable as possible, but Matt has found more than just work here — he’s found a sense of purpose and community that has kept him with TriMet through changing times. Starting as a temporary cleaner, he has become a part of TriMet’s expanding efforts to spruce up buses, trains and facilities.

“I got laid off from my previous job as a cook. When I was hired by TriMet, I was in the first group of COVID cleaners,” Matt says. “When COVID started cooling down, the restaurant wanted people back, so they called me, and I said, ‘no, I like it at TriMet too much. Sorry, I’m staying here.’”

He says the great environment and his dedicated and helpful co-workers have inspired him for five years. Knowing that riders appreciate his work — often thanking the team for what they do — is also a bonus. These factors are a major reason 2024 was a record-setting year for sprucing up the system.

Riders are taking notice of the more welcoming station areas and the heightened attention to maintaining a safe and inviting experience. Joan R. said she had stopped riding for a time but decided to give it another go after learning about TriMet’s efforts around cleanliness and safety. The riding experience exceeded her expectations.

“I used MAX yesterday, and it is a 180-degree difference — it is secure and clean,” Joan wrote in an email.  “I am so impressed and pleased with the changes. I now have a HOP card!”

TriMet is not letting up! Riders have told us that cleaner, brighter and more vibrant vehicles and stations make them feel better about riding. We understand. Over the first four months of 2025, crews have notched 792 reports of pressure washing and 1,096 for track cleaning, setting us on track for another record-setting year.

Multiple cleaners, one mission

With a service area spanning 533 square miles, TriMet’s Facilities Management team and other crews play a critical behind-the-scenes role in keeping the region’s transit system clean, safe and running smoothly. In 2024, the department introduced the Clean Team and delivered major systemwide improvements — often under tight timelines and challenging conditions.

Matt explains what his days look like as a Service Aide, addressing the onboard needs of trains when they reach the end of the line — the last station on each line, where operators take breaks. 

“Every time a train comes in, I hop on board,” Matt says. “I sweep up the trash. I wipe down the seats. I mop the floors. I make it smell good if it needs to be freshened up a little bit, and make it a more pleasant riding experience.” 

All told, TriMet’s cleaners performed 36,982 activities at the end of all the MAX lines in 2024. Additionally, cleaners pressure-washed stations 3,170 times in 2024 and cleaned litter from the tracks 2,561 times. 

Trains are cleaned throughout the day, and both trains and buses are cleaned once they’re done carrying passengers. Service workers, who work overnight between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., can give vehicles more attention by wiping windows, scrubbing off mud and performing more detailed work. Meanwhile, the Clean Team, made up of TriMet employees, focuses on maintaining cleanliness and safety at stations and surrounding areas.

Various teams, one mission

In addition to the increased presence of safety and security personnel across TriMet’s transit system, our various cleaning teams help maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all riders. 

Keeping our system orderly is a shared responsibility. Riders can help by using trash cans at stations and on board, avoiding feeding pigeons and reporting inappropriate behavior when you see it. To report a non-urgent safety, security or cleanliness concern 24/7, text or call our hotline at 503-238-7433 (RIDE) or submit a report at trimet.org/security. Every small action helps keep our transit system safer and more welcoming for everyone.

Open houses invite feedback on transit priority concepts for the 82nd Avenue Transit Project; online event open now, in-person event Wednesday, April 23

TriMet is holding open houses on the 82nd Avenue Transit Project this month, and we want to hear from you! The purpose of the open houses is to learn how you feel about tools we are considering for speeding up buses and moving them around traffic.

The 82nd Avenue Transit Project will improve travel times while providing better connections to jobs, schools, shopping, services and other destinations for those who live, work and move through the 82nd Avenue corridor. It lays the groundwork for TriMet’s next FX — Frequent Express — bus line. This will bring better, faster service with higher-capacity buses to 10 miles of 82nd Avenue, between Clackamas Town Center and the Cully neighborhood of Northeast Portland. 

Fewer delays keep buses on time

TriMet has already incorporated features into the design for the 82nd Avenue Transit Project that are expected to speed up bus trips by up to 20%. These features include consolidating existing stops, building up curbs for easier boarding, using bigger buses with boarding at all three doors and allowing bikes on board, to eliminate delays caused by loading. We’ll also use transit-signal priority for the project, where buses and signals communicate to give buses the go-ahead first.

Even with these improvements, it may be harder for buses to stay on schedule as traffic congestion grows. The open houses will explore other transit-priority tools to keep buses moving, including bus lanes in key locations.

Visit trimet.org/82nd to review the plans, weigh potential outcomes and leave your feedback. We’ll hold an in-person open house on Wednesday, April 23, 4-6:30 p.m. at PCC Southeast on 82nd Avenue. The open house will be in the Great Hall of the Mount Tabor Building. 

More tools to keep buses moving

Currently, 82nd Avenue is served by TriMet’s Line 72-Killingsworth/82nd. Not only does Line 72 see more riders than any other TriMet bus line, but it also experiences more delay. Congestion on 82nd is only expected to increase in the coming years, so transportation partners are taking steps now to look to the future and determine ways to keep buses – and the riders on them – moving past traffic. The open houses will explore additional transit-priority tools to speed up buses. These include:

• Business access and transit lanes (BAT lanes): This would convert the existing curbside lane into a BAT lane, reserved for buses, right-turning autos and emergency vehicles. Car traffic would stay in the inner lanes, and business entrances would be accessible from the outer lanes, as they are today. We are currently studying two scenarios: one with some BAT lanes and one with more BAT lanes. 
• Intersection widening: The project team is also studying the concept of widening 82nd Avenue near three congested intersections, to create space for BAT lanes while preserving existing lanes for people driving. This is being considered near SE Powell Boulevard, Holgate Boulevard and Foster Road.

Find additional details on the proposals, including detailed descriptions and diagrams at trimet.org/82nd. The online open house will be open for feedback through Sunday, April 27.  It’s important to note the features under consideration will require additional study and analysis and may not be included in the final project, as they could bring costs that exceed project funding.

The 82nd Avenue Transit Project

TriMet FX® service on 82nd Avenue will mean less crowding on buses, fewer delays, faster trips, a safer environment for walking and rolling and a more livable, better-connected urban corridor. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the new service opening to riders in the summer 2029. 

TriMet thanks our project partners for their continued support and coordination of planning efforts and funding opportunities, including Metro, the City of Portland, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Multnomah County, Clackamas County and Port of Portland.

A two-week project, April 27-May 10, will improve the durability of TriMet’s original rail line

Mark your calendars. Improvements are coming to the MAX light rail system this spring.

TriMet will perform a series of upgrades on the MAX Blue Line east of the Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center from April 27 through May 10. The two-week-long East Burnside MAX Improvements Project will require crews to work on and above the tracks to replace and upgrade equipment for durability, extra reliability and a smoother ride. 

It’s not a stretch to say that extreme heat can vex the light rail system, causing overhead wires to sag. Instead, we turn to a system that applies tension to keep the wires taut as temperatures creep upward. Crews will install a new version of the system during the project as the summer months approach.

The overhead wires will receive further attention elsewhere, with crews planning to replace about 8,000 feet of them. The two weeks of construction will give crews time to make the necessary upgrades to the overhead wire system, replace a rail crossing, and improve other elements of the track. 

Moving riders around construction

TriMet has plans in place to help riders navigate the disruption. We have worked to limit the impacts as much as possible, including reducing the disruption during the second week. 

Week 1 (April 27-May 3): Shuttle buses will serve riders between Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center and Cleveland Ave MAX Station – the end of the MAX Blue Line in Gresham.

Week 2 (May 4-10): The disruption area will be shortened. Shuttle buses will serve riders between E 172nd Ave and Cleveland Ave MAX stations only. 

Remember to plan by going to trimet.org/planner. If you plan on riding during the disruption, make sure to include future travel dates. Riders will want to plan an extra 30 minutes for their trips. You can also sign up for service alerts to be delivered directly to you via text message or email by going to trimet.org/email.

Staying ahead of Mother Nature

The overhead wires are like the circulatory system of MAX trains, pumping cleaner, renewable electricity into every vehicle. During the East Burnside MAX Improvements Project, TriMet’s crews will retrofit some overhead wires to make them more resilient to extreme heat and boost their durability. TriMet will do this by upgrading systems that have served riders for decades.

The overhead wires need to be tight, like a stretched rubber band, for trains to move at normal speeds. However, when temperatures soar above 90 degrees, “thermal expansion” causes the copper wires to droop. That’s why TriMet uses weight stacks, which weigh a ton and are connected to the wires, to keep the wires tight in extreme heat. The system works well, with the weights dropping toward the ground when temperatures rise. However, it has become so hot in recent years, including a record-setting 116 degrees in 2021, that there have been times when the weights have hit the ground.

By introducing the new, automated overhead wire tensioning system in some areas, TriMet will replace the weight stacks that have been in use. Enter a new, automated overhead wire tensioning system. The new system applies more pressure, about 3,000 pounds of it overall.  

Rebuilding the eastbound and westbound rail crossing at Northwest Eleven Mile Avenue in Gresham will give motorists and MAX riders a smoother ride through the intersection. This current crossing was installed decades ago and is in heavy use. In addition to autos and MAX Blue Line trains, every train that enters and leaves our Ruby Junction Rail Operating Facility travels over the crossing. New track parts, including 50-100 rail ties, will also be added during construction.

Cleaning will also be a priority during the project. Crews will clean closed stations, remove litter and graffiti and clear brush on the east end of the MAX Blue Line when the trains aren’t running. Riders can expect to see more TriMet employees near closed stations and shuttle bus locations to help them make their connections. Look for people wearing green vests (On-Street Customer Service), blue vests (Ride Guides) or TriMet uniforms. We will also have extra safety and security personnel available to support riders. 

Minor traffic impacts

Crews will sometimes need to work in the roadway. Auto traffic will be limited to a single lane near Northwest Eleven Mile Avenue and East Burnside Street, and traffic controls will be in place to help drivers navigate the work. Additionally, two four-hour street closures will be needed for rail welding, restricting all vehicular access to Northwest Eleven Mile Avenue between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. 

MAX improvements

TriMet works to keep our transit system in the best condition possible through regular upkeep and maintenance. This is why the MAX Blue Line, the second oldest light rail line on the West Coast, has provided millions of trips since opening in 1986. 

As much as we try to work during overnight hours or in ways that minimize rider impacts, some work can only be done when we stop service altogether. We thank our riders for their patience and understanding as we prepare to kick off the project.

In recent years, MAX improvements projects have resulted in rail improvements through Downtown Portland, upgrades to rail crossings in Gresham and the recent introduction of our Type 6 MAX trains earlier this year. 

For information about the upcoming disruption, go to trimet.org.