With southbound I-5 near the Rose Quarter scheduled to close for up to five weeks starting Friday night, TriMet is reminding travelers that MAX can help them avoid much of the congestion expected to snarl roads in the weeks ahead.
While the project will get underway late at night on Sept. 11, the first full day the project will affect roads is Saturday, Sept. 12. The first weekday when commuters may want to consider traveling by MAX is Monday, Sept. 14. They can start planning ahead now by going to trimet.org.
During the Oregon Department of Transportation’s I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project, MAX Yellow Line will be a great alternative for people traveling between the Vancouver area, North Portland and Downtown Portland. Because MAX operates largely on its own right-of-way, trains can keep moving even when nearby roads are backed up.
MAX Yellow Line runs parallel to I-5, with Park & Rides available at Expo Center and Delta Park/Vanport MAX stations. Oregon Metro has designated 200 spaces at Expo Center for TriMet riders during the I-5 closure. Visit trimet.org/parkandride for information about all of TriMet’s parking facilities.
ODOT warns that traveling by automobile may take two to three times longer during peak travel hours while the project is underway. By comparison, a typical MAX Yellow Line trip between Expo Center and Downtown Portland takes about 30 minutes.
MAX Blue, Red and Orange lines also provide options for travelers looking to avoid expected congestion on I-205, I-84 and other major routes.
Source: TriMet