HILLSBORO, Ore. (KPTV) – TriMet celebrated its newly expanded MAX Red Line on Wednesday at the station near the Hillsboro Airport and Fairgrounds.
The expansion project received nearly $100 million in federal funding and added ten stations to the Red Line between Beaverton and Hillsboro, allowing people to travel from Hillsboro Airport to PDX.
During the celebration on Wednesday, TriMet said it takes a village to make the Better Red project a reality.
“A Better Red (MAX line) is not just about expanding one line, it’s about improving our entire MAX system,” said Sam Desue Jr., TriMet’s general manager.
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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration, along with TriMet and other local partners, participated in the celebration. FTA Acting Director Veronica Venterpool emphasized that public transit is a growing need in the region.
“In the Pacific Northwest, Portland and Seattle alone account for over 148 million public transit trips annually,” said Venterpool. “In fact, this urbanized area is the 13th highest ridership area in the entire country.”
Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai also spoke at the event about her personal experiences with public transportation.
Fai, who came to the U.S. as an immigrant and refugee more than two decades ago, said public transit helps people stay connected to their local community.
“As I navigated this new and unfamiliar place that I now call home, public transportation, particularly MAX and TriMet buses, became my lifeline – my lifeline and my family’s lifeline,” Fai said.
The completion of the Better Red project marks the end of TriMet’s largest light rail project in nearly a decade.
Hillsboro Mayor Steve Calloway said he is proud to see his city continue to grow and develop alongside TriMet.
“These developments contribute to Hillsboro consistently being ranked as one of the most livable places in the U.S. and named one of the best places to live in the U.S., and TriMet plays a critical role in that success,” Calloway said. “As Hillsboro has evolved, so has TriMet, and today we celebrate the Red Line extension.”
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