Do we need a tunnel for the MAX trains?

(JUNE 29, 2019) TriMet manages all of the MAX trains in the Portland metropolitan area. Metro is the regional government for the metropolitan area. Together, they are exploring the idea of building a tunnel for the MAX trains under the Willamette River and downtown Portland.

Currently, thousands of people ride MAX trains. All MAX trains cross one bridge: the Steel Bridge. The bridge is old, and it can carry only one train at a time. Sometimes there is a train every 90 seconds. That's as many as 40 trains every hour. The metropolitan region is growing, but the transportation system cannot support many more riders.

In addition, the MAX is slow through the center of Portland. Trains share the streets with cars, trucks, busses, bikes, and pedestrians (people walking). The trains must also be short. They cannot be longer than a city block. This means they can carry fewer passengers than longer trains.

Last year, a study by TriMet reported that a tunnel underneath downtown Portland could save riders a lot of time. It would also improve traffic.

According to a report from Metro, the new MAX Tunnel Study has the following five goals:

1. Improve people’s mobility

By reducing travel times and improving reliability, we connect people more quickly to jobs, school, families, recreation and communities.

2. Support the region’s economy

Faster travel helps people and businesses.

3. Minimize environmental impacts

We can reduce pollution by reducing the use of cars.

4. Create a more resilient transportation system

A new tunnel will be able to survive a major earthquake.

5. More time to enjoy life

When people spend less time in traffic, they have more time to spend with friends and family and to do the things they love.

Metro and TriMet want to know what the community thinks of a tunnel before it starts a more formal planning process.

To learn more about this project, go to: www.oregonmetro.gov/maxtunnel