View source for MAX Blue Line

{{short description|Light rail line in Portland, Oregon}}
{{good article}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2019}}

{{Infobox rail line
| name                            = MAX Blue Line
| other_name                      = '''Eastside segment:'''<br/>Banfield Light Rail Project<br/>Eastside MAX<ref name="max-blue-line-eastside-factsheet-2016">{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/publications/pdf/factsheets/max-blueline-eastside.pdf |title=Banfield Light Rail Eastside MAX Blue Line |publisher=TriMet |date=July 2016 |access-date=August 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509045244/http://trimet.org/publications/pdf/factsheets/max-blueline-eastside.pdf |archive-date=May 9, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><br/>'''Westside segment:'''<br/>Westside MAX<ref name="max-blue-line-westside-factsheet-2016">{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/publications/pdf/factsheets/max-blueline-westside.pdf |title=Westside MAX Blue Line Extension |publisher=TriMet |date=July 2016 |access-date=September 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302190959/http://trimet.org/publications/pdf/factsheets/max-blueline-westside.pdf |archive-date=March 2, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| color                           = {{rcr|TriMet|blue}}
| image                           = MAX train crossing Steel Bridge in 2009 - street view of SD660 LRVs.jpg
| image_width                     = 
| image_alt                       = A light-rail train crossing a bridge
| logo                            = {{ric|TriMet|Blue|size=24}}
| caption                         = A Blue Line train crossing the Steel Bridge in Portland
| type                            = [[Light rail]]
| system                          = [[MAX Light Rail]]
| status                          = <!-- Only use when line is not operating normally -->
| locale                          = [[Portland, Oregon]], U.S.
| start                           = {{stn|Hatfield Government Center}} in [[Hillsboro, Oregon|Hillsboro]] (west)
| end                             = {{stn|Cleveland Avenue}} in [[Gresham, Oregon|Gresham]] (east)
| stations                        = 48 (1 temporarily closed)<ref name="station-closures-2020">{{cite news |last=Altstadt |first=Roberta |title=TriMet to make MAX service more efficient with closure of three stations in Downtown Portland in March 2020 |publisher=TriMet |date=July 24, 2019 |url=http://news.trimet.org/2019/07/trimet-to-make-max-service-more-efficient-with-closure-of-three-stations-in-downtown-portland-in-march-2020/ |access-date=July 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724212820/http://news.trimet.org/2019/07/trimet-to-make-max-service-more-efficient-with-closure-of-three-stations-in-downtown-portland-in-march-2020/ |archive-date=July 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| website                         = [https://trimet.org/schedules/maxblueline.htm MAX Blue Line]
| routes                          = 
| daily_ridership                 = 55,370 ({{as of|2018|September|lc=yes}})<ref name="September 2018 ridership">{{cite web |title=September 2018 Monthly Performance Report |url=https://trimet.org/about/pdf/2018/2018-09.pdf |publisher=TriMet |access-date=February 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222055135/https://trimet.org/about/pdf/2018/2018-09.pdf |archive-date=February 22, 2019}}</ref>
| open                            = {{Start date and age|1986|09|05}}
| close                           = 
| owner                           = [[TriMet]]
| operator                        = TriMet
| character                       = At-grade, elevated, and underground
| stock                           = 
| linelength                      = {{convert|33|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}{{efn|name=rounding}}
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = 2
| gauge                           = {{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| minradius                       = 
| maxincline                      = 7.0%<ref name="LRA-1994"/><ref name="steel over">{{cite book |author=Sheldrake, Arlen |title=Steel Over the Willamette |year=2012 |publisher=Pacific Northwest Chapter, [[National Railway Historical Society]] |location=Portland, Oregon |page=42 |isbn=978-0-9851207-0-2 |display-authors=etal }}</ref>
| electrification                 = {{750 V DC|conductor=overhead}}
| speed                           = 
| elevation                       = 
| map                             = {{MAX Blue Line}}
| map_state                       = collapsed
| map_name                        = Route diagram
}}

The '''MAX Blue Line''' is a [[light rail]] line serving the [[Portland metropolitan area]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Oregon]]. Operated by [[TriMet]] as part of [[MAX Light Rail]], it connects [[Hillsboro, Oregon|Hillsboro]], [[Beaverton, Oregon|Beaverton]], Portland, and [[Gresham, Oregon|Gresham]]. The line serves 48 stations; it travels {{convert|33|mi|km|0}} from [[Hatfield Government Center station]] in Hillsboro to [[Cleveland Ave station]] in Gresham. Service runs for 22{{frac|1|2}} hours per day from Monday to Thursday, with [[headway]]s of between 30 minutes off-peak and five minutes during [[rush hour]]. It runs later in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays and ends earlier on Sundays. The Blue Line is the busiest of the five MAX lines, having carried an average 55,370 riders each day on weekdays in September 2018.

The success of local [[Highway revolts in the United States|freeway revolts]] in Portland in the early 1970s led to a reallocation of [[Administration of federal assistance in the United States|federal assistance funds]] from the proposed [[Mount Hood Freeway]] and [[Interstate 505 (Oregon)|Interstate 505]] (I-505) projects to mass transit. Among various proposals, local governments approved the construction of a light rail line between Gresham and Portland in 1978. Referred to as the '''Banfield Light Rail Project''' during planning and construction as a part of the [[Banfield Freeway]] redevelopment, construction of what is now the '''Eastside MAX''' segment began in 1983. The line was inaugurated as the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) on September&nbsp;5, 1986.

Planning for an extension of MAX to the west side began as early as 1979. Known as the '''Westside MAX''', construction was delayed by nearly a decade due to funding disagreements. Originally designed to terminate at 185th Avenue near the border of Hillsboro and Beaverton, proponents for a longer line achieved a supplemental extension to downtown Hillsboro just before groundbreaking in 1993. The Westside MAX opened in two phases following delays in tunnel construction; the first section up to [[Goose Hollow, Portland, Oregon|Goose Hollow]] opened in 1997 while the rest opened on September&nbsp;12, 1998.

In 2000, the two distinct segments, already operating as a single [[through route]] between Gresham and Hillsboro, were unified in passenger information as the Blue Line after TriMet introduced a [[color code|color coding]] scheme in preparation for the opening of the [[MAX Red Line|Red Line]] to [[Portland International Airport]]. The Blue Line currently shares its route with the Red Line on the west side, between [[Hillsboro Airport/Fairgrounds station]] and [[Rose Quarter Transit Center]]. On the east side, it shares tracks with both the Red Line and the [[MAX Green Line|Green Line]], between Rose Quarter Transit Center and [[Gateway/Northeast 99th Avenue Transit Center]].

==Eastside history==
===Early freeway opposition===
{{see also|Mount Hood Freeway|Interstate 505 (Oregon)}}

Following the recommendations of [[Robert Moses]], the [[Oregon State Highway Department]] developed a plan for [[freeway]]s in the [[Portland metropolitan area]] in 1955 that proposed,{{sfn|Fackler|2009|pages=9–10}} among others, the Stadium, [[Mount Hood Freeway|Mount Hood]], and Industrial freeways.<ref name="traffic-of-future">{{cite news |last=Shoemaker |first=Mervin |title=Plan Given for Traffic of Future |work=[[The Oregonian]] |date=June 29, 1955 |pages=1, 33 |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=EANX-NB&docref=image%2Fv2%3A11A73E5827618330%40EANX-NB-12BCD5C6DF477322%402435288-12B2D4D018410623%4034 |access-date=July 8, 2022 |url-access=registration |via=[[NewsBank]] |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220543/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DEANX-NB%26docref%3Dimage/v2%253A11A73E5827618330%2540EANX-NB-12BCD5C6DF477322%25402435288-12B2D4D018410623%254034 |url-status=live }}</ref> Added to the [[Interstate Highway System]] as [[Interstate 405 (Oregon)|Interstate 405]] (I-405), the Stadium Freeway was the first to start construction in 1963.{{sfn|Kramer|2004|p=65}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Edwards |first=Herman |date=October 13, 1963 |title=Earth-Moving Equipment Starts Gouging Out Bypass Road For Freeway Construction |page=40 |newspaper=The Oregonian}}</ref> Its route through [[Downtown Portland, Oregon|downtown Portland]] led to [[Eminent domain in the United States|condemnation]]s that fostered one of the first [[Highway revolts in the United States|grassroots opposition to freeways]],{{sfn|Kramer|2004|p=66}}{{sfn|Thompson|2005|page=4}} which grew considerably as planning continued for the others.<ref name="Portland kills">{{cite web |url=http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-23466-feb-4-1974-portland-kills-the-mount-hood-freeway.html |title=Feb. 4, 1974: Portland kills the Mount Hood Freeway... |last=Mesh |first=Aaron |newspaper=[[Willamette Week]] |date=November 4, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010161716/https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-23466-feb-4-1974-portland-kills-the-mount-hood-freeway.html |archive-date=October 10, 2018 |access-date=July 26, 2018}}</ref> In 1971,{{sfn|Thompson|2005|page=2}} the Portland–Vancouver Metropolitan Transportation Study (PVMTS),{{efn|The Portland–Vancouver Metropolitan Transportation Study, also referred to as the "Portland–Vancouver Metropolitan Area Transportation Study", or PVMATS, by some publications, was an agency charged with highway planning.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://library.oregonmetro.gov/files//abbott-a_history_of_metro_may_1991.pdf |last1=Abbott |first1=Carl |last2=Abbott |first2=Margery Post |title=Abbott: A history of Metro, May 1991 |date=May 1991 |publisher=[[Metro (Oregon regional government)|Metro]] |page=3 |access-date=July 10, 2022 |archive-date=July 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708210051/http://library.oregonmetro.gov/files//abbott-a_history_of_metro_may_1991.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>}} published a "1990 Transportation Plan".{{sfn|Fackler|2009|page=90}} The plan, later adopted by the [[Columbia Region Association of Governments]] (CRAG) as a [[regional transportation plan]],{{sfn|Thompson|2005|page=2}} called for 54 new road and highway projects.{{sfn|U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration|U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration|Oregon. State Highway Division|1980|page=1-4}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Stein |first=Joseph A. |title=Air pollution is what happens when you drive into town |magazine=Northwest Magazine |publisher=The Sunday Oregonian |date=August 26, 1973 |page=12 |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=EANX-NB&docref=image%2Fv2%3A11A73E5827618330%40EANX-NB-1311D466F8F02CC8%402441921-130FCF7C2F089617%40154 |access-date=July 10, 2022 |url-access=registration |via=NewsBank |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220543/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DEANX-NB%26docref%3Dimage/v2%253A11A73E5827618330%2540EANX-NB-1311D466F8F02CC8%25402441921-130FCF7C2F089617%2540154 |url-status=live }}</ref> That same year, an anti-freeway group called Sensible Transportation Options for People (STOP) was formed, while [[Neil Goldschmidt]] ran a successful election campaign on freeway opposition to become a member of the [[Government of Portland, Oregon|Portland City Council]] and eventually, mayor.{{sfn|Thompson|2005|page=5}}

By 1972, local groups had filed lawsuits against the [[Oregon Transportation Commission]] to halt the Mount Hood and Industrial—by then called [[Interstate 505 (Oregon)|I-505]]{{sfn|Kramer|2004|p=70}}—freeways.{{sfn|Fackler|2009|pages=92, 102, 112}} For I-505, a [[United States district court|U.S. district court]] forced the Highway Department to conduct an appropriate [[environmental impact statement]] (EIS) after [[Northwest Portland, Oregon|Northwest Portland]] residents alleged that [[National Environmental Policy Act]] guidelines were ignored.{{sfn|Kramer|2004|p=70}}<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--no by line; staff writer(s)--> |title=Foes sue to halt NW Portland Freeway |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 18, 1971 |page=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--no by line; staff writer(s)--> |title=Impact statement ordered for I-505 freeway corridor |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=December 4, 1971 |page=}}</ref> In 1973, a separate EIS prepared by [[Skidmore, Owings & Merrill]] determined that if built, the Mount Hood Freeway would only add more traffic to downtown Portland than the surface streets could handle.<ref name="Portland kills"/><ref name="Minicars">{{cite book |editor1-last=Sultana |editor1-first=Selima |editor2-last=Weber |editor2-first=Joe |title=Minicars, Maglevs, and Mopeds: Modern Modes of Transportation Around the World: Modern Modes of Transportation around the World |publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]] |date=2016 |isbn=978-1440834950 |page=314 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r8LWCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA314 |access-date=July 30, 2018 |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220542/https://books.google.com/books?id=r8LWCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA314 |url-status=live }}</ref> Then, on February 4, 1974, [[United States federal judge|U.S. District Judge]] [[James M. Burns (judge)|James M. Burns]] rejected the freeway plan after finding that the corridor selection process failed to follow the appropriate procedures.<ref name="Portland kills"/><ref name="Hell">{{cite web |url=http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-4212-highway-to-hell.html |title=Highway to Hell |last=Young |first=Bob |date=March 8, 2005 |newspaper=Willamette Week |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917044251/https://www.wweek.com/portland/article-4212-highway-to-hell.html |archive-date=September 17, 2018 |access-date=July 26, 2018}}</ref> [[Multnomah County, Oregon|Multnomah County]] and the City of Portland withdrew their support for the Mount Hood Freeway later that year,<ref name="Portland kills"/>{{sfn|Fackler|2009|pages=92–93}} and in 1978, the City of Portland did the same for I-505.{{sfn|Kramer|2004|p=71}}{{sfn|Fackler|2009|page=108}}

===Transitway planning and construction===

With highway revolts similarly occurring in cities across the country,{{sfn|Fackler|2009|page=112}} the [[U.S. Congress]] passed the [[Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973]] containing a provision that allowed state governments for the first time to transfer federal funds from withdrawn interstate projects to other transportation options,{{sfn|U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration|U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration|Oregon. State Highway Division|1980|page=1-6}}{{sfn|Thompson|2005|pages=7–8}} including [[mass transit]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Weingroff |first=Richard F. |title=Busting The Trust |magazine=Public Roads Magazine |publisher=[[Federal Highway Administration]] |date=July–August 2013 |volume=77 |number=1 |url=https://highways.dot.gov/public-roads/julyaugust-2013/busting-trust |access-date=August 1, 2022}}</ref> The Mount Hood Freeway and I-505 were officially removed from the Interstate Highway System in 1976 and 1979, respectively, but planning for the use of around $200&nbsp;million from the Mount Hood Freeway and $154&nbsp;million from I-505{{sfn|Kramer|2004|pp=72, 74}} on other projects in the Portland area started much earlier.{{sfn|Thompson|2005|pages=7}} In May 1973, [[Governor of Oregon|Governor]] [[Tom McCall]] assembled a [[task force]] to determine alternative uses for the highway funds.{{sfn|U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration|U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration|Oregon. State Highway Division|1980|page=1-5}} The task force, in turn, recommended a network of "transitways".{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=21}} The task force was subsumed into CRAG in 1974, and CRAG incorporated its recommendations in an "Interim Transportation Plan" (ITP) adopted in June 1975.{{sfn|U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration|U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration|Oregon. State Highway Division|1980|page=1-6}} The ITP identified three corridors for potential funding using the highway funds: [[Banfield Freeway|Banfield]], [[Oregon City, Oregon|Oregon City]]/Johnson Creek, and [[U.S. Route 26 in Oregon|Sunset]] (Westside).{{sfn|U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration|U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration|Oregon. State Highway Division|1980|page=1-6}} In 1976, CRAG moved forward with a detailed study of the Banfield Corridor and put planning for the other corridors on hold.{{sfn|U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration|U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration|Oregon. State Highway Division|1980|page=1-7}}{{sfn|Thompson|2005|pages=12}} Among five alternatives developed by the Highway Division, including the removal or extension of an existing [[high-occupancy vehicle lane]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Hortsch |first=Dan |title=Light rail alternative studied for Banfield |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 3, 1977 |page=C1}}</ref> a [[bus rapid transit|busway]] had been favored for the Banfield Corridor.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Meetings on transit ideas slated |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=May 4, 1975 |page=C2}}</ref> Support for light rail on the corridor grew following the mode's inclusion as a sixth alternative in a 1977 EIS, though there was also opposition.<ref name="max-blue-line-eastside-factsheet-2016"/><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Tri-Met board backs Banfield rail option |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 8, 1977 |page=1}}</ref> Notable opposition came from the East County Concerned Citizens; 5,400 individuals signed a petition against any alternative involving light rail for costs and lack of presumed ridership. The group endorsed a plan to add an HOV lane and general lanes to Banfield instead. This opposition was notable, especially in comparison to the 340 individual comments received during a discussion period in 1977–1978.<ref name="pdxs_">{{Cite web |title=Banfield Transitway Project, Multnomah County: Hearing and Project Report |work=TriMet/ODOT |date=1978 |access-date=28 June 2020 |url=https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=oscdl_trimet |archive-date=July 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702000516/https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=oscdl_trimet |url-status=live }}</ref>

In September 1978, TriMet became the first jurisdiction to adopt a resolution supporting a combined light rail and highway expansion plan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hortsch |first=Dan |title=Tri-Met board votes to back Banfield light-rail project |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 27, 1978 |page=F1}}</ref> Remaining local jurisdictions each announced their support by November,{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=30}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Alesko |first=Michael |title=CRAG endorses light rail plan |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 17, 1978 |page=D3}}</ref> and the State Transportation Commission approved the project in 1979.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hortsch |first=Dan |title=Atiyeh to include light-rail system in '79–'81 budget |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=December 20, 1978 |page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=McDonough |first=Sanda |title=Governor signs bill for light-rail project |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=July 24, 1979 |page=B1}}</ref> The Banfield light rail project received federal approval for construction in September 1980.<ref name="Conceptual Design">{{cite report |author=Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon |title=Banfield Light Rail Project: Conceptual Design Information for the City of Portland |url=https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=oscdl_trimet |publisher=TriMet Collection |volume=9 |date=November 1, 1981 |access-date=July 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928184313/http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=oscdl_trimet |archive-date=September 28, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|36}} Plans for a 27-station, {{convert|15.1|mi|km|1|adj=on}} line,<ref name="MR-1987Nov">{{cite news |last=Shedd |first=Tom |title=MAX: Portland's Light Rail Is an Instant Success |date=November 1987 |magazine=[[Modern Railroads]] |pages=14–15 |publisher=International Thomson Transport Press |location=Chicago, Illinois |issn=0736-2064}}</ref><ref name="TRB-E3145">{{cite report |title=Transportation Research Circular Number E-3145 – Joint International Light Rail Conference: Growth and Renewal |url=http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/circulars/ec145.pdf |publisher=[[Transportation Research Board]] |date=July 2010 |issn=0097-8515 |page=11 |access-date=May 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721185212/http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/circulars/ec145.pdf |archive-date=July 21, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|name=rounding|Although several sources provide more precise figures, TriMet itself almost always gives only rounded figures for the lengths of the distinct  segments of the Blue Line, of {{convert|15|miles}} (Banfield/Eastside MAX), {{convert|12| miles}} (Westside MAX), {{convert|6|miles}} (Westside MAX Hillsboro Extension), and a total of {{convert|33|miles}}, with no tenths digit. At least one TriMet-issued news release referred to the Blue Line's length as "nearly 33 miles".<ref>{{cite web |last=Becker |first=Tim |url=http://news.trimet.org/2018/08/rail-crossing-improvements-in-gresham-to-affect-max-service-auto-traffic/ |title=Rail crossing improvements in Gresham to affect MAX service, auto traffic |publisher=TriMet |date=August 10, 2018 |access-date=May 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214102931/http://news.trimet.org/2018/08/rail-crossing-improvements-in-gresham-to-affect-max-service-auto-traffic/ |archive-date=December 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>}} running from [[Library/Southwest 9th Avenue and Galleria/Southwest 10th Avenue stations#11th Avenue loop tracks|Southwest 11th Avenue]] in downtown Portland to just east of [[Cleveland Avenue station|Cleveland Avenue]] in Gresham, were produced by Wilbur Smith Associates.{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=31}} The project estimated a budget of $225.5&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|225500000|1981}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars), of which $146.9&nbsp;million went to light rail.<ref name="Conceptual Design"/>{{rp|8}} Planners selected the [[Steel Bridge]] to carry the alignment over the [[Willamette River]] because it had been designed for the use of the city's former [[Tram|streetcar]]s.<ref name="Conceptual Design"/>{{rp|26}} In the east side, planners routed the line through a former [[Mount Hood Railway and Power Company|Mount Hood Company]] interurban [[Right-of-way (transportation)|right-of-way]], which occupied the median of East Burnside Street between 99th Avenue in Portland and Ruby Junction/197th Avenue, along which interurban service had ended in 1927.<ref name="TNERJ-1995Spring">{{cite news |last=Wilkins |first=Van |title=Portland's MAX |date=Spring 1995 |magazine=[[The New Electric Railway Journal]] |pages=12–18  |issn=1048-3845}}</ref>{{rp|13}}<ref name="gresham-downtown">{{cite web |url=https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2014/04/16/walk_there_gresham_downtown.pdf |title=Gresham: Downtown |publisher=Metro |date=April 16, 2014 |access-date=September 2, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128211023/https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2014/04/16/walk_there_gresham_downtown.pdf |archive-date=November 28, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> From Ruby Junction to Cleveland Avenue, planners assumed acquisition of a two-mile (3.2&nbsp;km) section owned by the [[Portland Railway, Light and Power Company|Portland Traction Company]] (PTC).<ref name="acquires right-of-way">{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Tri-Met acquires rail right-of-way |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=December 17, 1983 |page=D9}}</ref> In August 1983, PTC agreed to surrender this segment as part of a longer abandonment up to Linnemann Junction,<ref>{{cite news |title=Public Notices; Portland Traction Company, Docket No. AB-225 (Sub-No. 1)F, Notice of intent to abandon and discontinue Service |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=August 17, 1983 |page=4}}</ref> a total of {{convert|4.3|mi|km|adj=off}} of right-of-way, which TriMet bought for $2.9&nbsp;million in December of that year.<ref name="acquires right-of-way"/> Anticipating 42,500 riders by 1990,<ref name="Conceptual Design"/>{{rp|11}} TriMet purchased 26 light rail vehicles from [[Bombardier Transportation|Bombardier]], with each car costing $750,000.<ref>{{cite news |last=Running |first=Jim |title=Light-rail line nerve center taking shape for arrival of first car |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=October 18, 1983 |page=ME1}}</ref> Bombardier started their production in 1982 and began delivering them in 1984.<ref name="late arrival">{{cite news |last=McConnell |first=Pete  |title=Trollies' late arrival won't delay light rail |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 16, 1982 |edition=East Metro |page=ME1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=First car for light rail delivered |date=April 11, 1984 |newspaper=The Oregonian |page=C4}}</ref> [[ZGF Architects LLP|Zimmer Gunsul Frasca]] designed the line's stations and overpasses, earning the firm a [[Progressive Architecture Award]] in 1984.<ref name="System Inaugurated">{{cite magazine |last=Murphy |first=Jim |title=Portland transit system inaugurated |magazine=[[Progressive Architecture]] |volume=67 |date=November 1986 |page=25}}</ref>

[[File:1985 redecking work, Steel Bridge, Portland.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Photograph showing a lattice of steel girders on the Glisan Street ramp of the 1912 Steel Bridge, in Portland as redecking work is under way| Redecking work on the Glisan Street ramp of the [[Steel Bridge]] in 1985]]

The groundbreaking ceremony took place at [[Ruby Junction/East 197th Avenue station|Ruby Junction Yard]], which would house a {{convert|98000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} maintenance and operations building, in March 1982.<ref name="Trolley News">{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Richard |date=Summer 1982 |title=Portland Light Rail |url=http://oregontrolley.com/transfer/archive/documents/1982/TPN_Summer_1982.pdf |work=The Trolley Park News |page=5 |publisher=[[Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society]] |access-date=July 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730235431/http://oregontrolley.com/transfer/archive/documents/1982/TPN_Summer_1982.pdf |archive-date=July 30, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ground-breaking">{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=At ground-breaking: Festivities herald transitway |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 27, 1982 |page=A12}}</ref> Light rail construction, which progressed largely east to west, commenced the following year in April, on the two-mile (3.2&nbsp;km) section between Ruby Junction and Cleveland Avenue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Tri-Met opens bids on first light-rail track work |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 11, 1983 |page=B1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Light-rail work gets go-ahead |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 31, 1983 |page=D16}}</ref> The Ruby Junction facility opened as the system's first maintenance complex later that July.<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Sara |title=Operations center forms heart of MAX system |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 4, 1986 |page=8ME}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Ruby Junction due to open in July; track work beginning |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=June 2, 1983 |page=C7}}</ref> By January 1984, work had reached East Burnside Street.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Work to begin on more light rail segments |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 4, 1984 |page=B4}}</ref> To minimize the cost of the Banfield Freeway segment,<ref name="Trolley News"/> track right-of-way excavation and freeway widening took place simultaneously.<ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title='Big, bad Banfield' work shifts into high gear |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=April 27, 1983 |page=B12}}</ref> Construction along this segment nonetheless slowed due to late material deliveries, particularly between Northeast Union and 39th avenues.<ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=After miles of frustration, construction ends under budget |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 5, 1986 |page=T9}}</ref> Track work in downtown Portland, the final section to be built, began in March 1984 and involved utility relocation, [[cobblestone]] paving, and tree planting across 36 downtown blocks.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--no by line; staff writer(s)--> |title=Light-rail work [photo and caption only] |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 10, 1984 |quote=Ralph L. Mowatt, a welder for Portland General Electric Co., cuts iron beam in street at Southwest First Avenue and Morrison Street on Friday as construction on the Banfield light-rail project moved downtown this week with utilities beginning to relocate lines. |page=C1}}</ref><ref name="light-rails-jolly">{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Light rail's jolly trolley progress on track |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 4, 1986 |page=B5}}</ref> The line's use of the Steel Bridge necessitated a $10&nbsp;million rehabilitation that started the following June.<ref name="oreg-1984-jun12">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Steel Bridge shut down for light rail |date=June 12, 1984 |newspaper=The Oregonian |page=B1}}</ref> System testing followed the completion of electrification work.<ref name="light-rails-jolly"/> This included the validation of the new light rail cars, which initially encountered electrical braking glitches, by putting each of them through {{convert|1500|mi|km}} of on-track testing.<ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=End in sight for light rail's 'breakdowns' |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=April 7, 1986 |page=B2}}</ref> On July 28, 1986, an eastbound car conducting a test run struck and killed a man who had trespassed onto the light rail tracks near Northeast 68th Avenue.<ref>{{cite news | last=Hallman | first=Tom Jr. |title=Light-rail car strikes, kills man |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=July 30, 1986 |page=B2}}</ref> The Steel Bridge reopened in May 1986 after encountering a nine-month delay caused by structural problems and late deliveries. The bridge's owners—the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads—added to the delay by insisting on the replacement of the bridge's 64 lift cables, which TriMet claimed had not been in the original contract.<ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Light-rail decision planned for May 15; system opening depends on status of Steel Bridge work |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=April 14, 1986 |page=B8}}</ref><ref name="oreg-1986may30">{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |date=May 30, 1986 |title=Bridge party trumpets reopening |newspaper=The Oregonian |page=E2}}</ref>

===Inauguration and later improvements===
[[File:TriMet Bombardier LRV and wheelchair lift at 1st and Stark in 1987.jpg|thumb|left|alt=see caption|A MAX car stopped at [[Oak Street/Southwest 1st Avenue station|Oak Street station]] in 1987]]

On September 5, 1986, the $214 million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|214000000|1986}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars) light rail line—now called Metropolitan Area Express (MAX)—opened for service.<ref name="max-blue-line-eastside-factsheet-2016"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=All aboard! MAX on track; ride free |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 5, 1986 |page=1}}</ref> Its new name was selected through a public contest held by ''[[The Oregonian]]'' and TriMet in June 1986.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Name That Train Contest |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=June 30, 1986 |page=A8}}</ref> TriMet designer Jeff Frane, who attributed inspiration to his son Alex, made the winning suggestion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/max/25years.htm |title=TriMet: Celebrating 25 Years of MAX Blue Line to Gresham |publisher=TriMet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714071627/https://trimet.org/max/25years.htm |archive-date=July 14, 2017 |access-date=July 27, 2018}}</ref> As the planning of an extension to the west side progressed, this line came to be referred to as the Eastside MAX.<ref name="max-blue-line-eastside-factsheet-2016"/> Freeway transfer funds provided $178.3 million, or 83 percent of the total cost. The project was completed $10 million under budget.<ref name="max-blue-line-eastside-factsheet-2016"/><ref name="System Inaugurated"/> An estimated 250,000 people attended the opening celebrations which spanned three days.<ref name="System Inaugurated"/> Downtown retailers, many of whom had opposed light rail, reported substantial increases in sales following the line's opening.<ref name="national-notebook">{{cite news |last=McCloud |first=John |title=National Notebook: Portland, Ore.; Where MAX Is the Most |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 28, 1986}}</ref> Nine new bus lines were created and six existing bus routes were modified as feeder routes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wade |first=Michael |title=New bus routes to feed light-rail stations |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 4, 1986 |page=8ME}}</ref> MAX trains initially operated between 5:00&nbsp;am and 1:30&nbsp;am, with [[headway]]s as short as seven minutes. Fares ranged $0.85–$1.30 to travel up to four paid zones.<ref name="going-to-the-max">{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Going to the MAX: Your ticket to light rail |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 5, 1986 |page=T10}}</ref> Rides were free within [[Fareless Square]] from opening day until 2012.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=At last, here's your chance to jump all over Tri-Met |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=August 24, 1986 |page=A20}}</ref><ref name="kills">{{cite news |last=Rose |first=Joseph |title=TriMet board kills Portland's Free Rail Zone, raises fares, cuts bus service over protesters' shouts, jeers <!--print edition headline: "TriMet slices services, to jeers"--> |date=June 13, 2012 <!--print edition date June 14, 2012, p. 1--> |newspaper=The Oregonian |url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2012/06/trimet_board_kills_portlands_f.html |access-date=July 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615213600/http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2012/06/trimet_board_kills_portlands_f.html |archive-date=June 15, 2012}}</ref>

Originally, MAX trains did not automatically stop at every station, if no one was waiting to board when a train approached a given stop. MAX cars were equipped with stop-request [[Pull cord|bell cords]] (as are commonly found on American [[transit bus]]es), which passengers needed to pull to signal the operator that they wanted to get off at the next stop. However, after finding that the times when a train could pass a station without needing to stop{{spaced endash}}because no one was getting on or off{{spaced endash}}were mainly limited to late-night hours and a small number of less-used stations, TriMet removed the bell cords in November 1994 and changed its operating practices to have trains stop at every station at all times.<ref name="LRMT-1994dec">{{cite news |title=World News [regular news section] |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |magazine=[[Light Rail and Modern Tramway]] |publisher=[[Ian Allan Publishing]] |date=December 1994 |page=331 |issn=0964-9255}}</ref>

[[File:Gresham Central MAX station in 1989 with outbound train arriving.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Photograph of Greshan Central Station showing a train with the station platform in the background|Gresham Central station in 1989, when the line section on which it is located was still single-track]]

From 1986 to 1996, most of the line's easternmost two miles (3.2&nbsp;km), beyond the Ruby Junction maintenance facility, operated as bidirectional [[single-track railway|single-track]].<ref name="TRB-221">{{cite book |title=Special Report 221 – Light Rail Transit: New System Successes at Affordable Prices |url=http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr221/221.pdf |publisher=[[Transportation Research Board]] |year=1989 |isbn=0-309-04713-7 |pages=25, 34, 90, 92, 317, 319, 468 |access-date=May 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710103622/http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr221/221.pdf |archive-date=July 10, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|319–320}}<ref name="kunz-1986">{{cite news|last=Kunz |first=Richard |title=Portland: MAX-imum effort |magazine=[[Passenger Train Journal]] |date=December 1986 |pages=14–16 |issn=0160-6913}}</ref> Trains traveling in opposite directions were unable to pass in these sections, resulting in delays when service ran behind schedule. In early 1996, a second track was laid and a second platform was constructed at [[Gresham Central Transit Center]],<ref name="reopen 4 stations">{{cite news|last=Chen |first=Stanford | title=MAX line will reopen 4 stations in Gresham: After three months of work on double-tracking, the new light-rail service is touted as an improvement, with more trains and less waiting |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=May 10, 1996}}</ref> making the section [[double-track railway|double-track]] and eliminating the only remaining single-track on the Eastside MAX.<ref name="LRMT-1996jul">{{cite news |title=World News Review [regular news section] |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |magazine=[[Light Rail and Modern Tramway]] |publisher=[[Ian Allan Publishing]] |date=July 1996 |page=274 |issn=0964-9255}}</ref> The new track was brought into use in May after a three-month suspension of MAX service east of [[Rockwood/East 188th Avenue station]];<ref name="reopen 4 stations"/> it had been replaced by shuttle buses to allow the work to be carried out.<ref name="LRMT-1996jul"/><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Construction will close 4 Gresham MAX stations| newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 16, 1996}}</ref>

Since the inauguration of MAX, TriMet has added four [[infill station]]s to the original alignment. In March 1990, the system opened the [[Mall/Southwest 4th Avenue and Mall/Southwest 5th Avenue stations|Mall stations]]—their names referring to the Portland Transit Mall—to coincide with the opening of [[Pioneer Place]] shopping mall in downtown Portland.<ref name="oreg-1990mar27">{{cite news |author=<!--no by line; staff writer(s)--> |title=Arriving with a smash (photo and caption only) |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 27, 1990 |quote=A Metropolitan Area Express train breaks through a banner Monday afternoon marking the opening of a new light-rail station in front of Pioneer Place...}}</ref> After operating for 30 years, these stations closed permanently in March 2020, owing to low ridership and to speed up train travel times across the city center.<ref name="2-stations-close">{{Cite news|last=Theen|first=Andrew|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2020/02/2-downtown-max-stations-close-permanently-next-week-changes-coming-more-than-a-dozen-trimet-bus-routes.html|title=2 downtown MAX stations close permanently next week; changes coming to more than a dozen TriMet bus routes|date=February 25, 2020|newspaper=The Oregonian|access-date=March 9, 2020|archive-date=March 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200309011757/https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2020/02/2-downtown-max-stations-close-permanently-next-week-changes-coming-more-than-a-dozen-trimet-bus-routes.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 1990, the [[Oregon Convention Center]] opened to the public with MAX service from [[Convention Center station (TriMet)|Convention Center station]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Kirchmeier |first=Mark |title=3-year-old MAX near turning point |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 29, 1989 |page=E10}}</ref> Work on the line's newest station, {{stn|Civic Drive}}, started in 1997 as part of the Civic neighborhood development,<ref>{{cite news |last=Briggs |first=Kara |title=Winmar prepares to start project |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=May 15, 1996 |page=B2}}</ref> but was delayed for approximately twelve years due to a lack of funding. Construction resumed in May 2010 and the station opened on December 1, 2010.<ref name="trimet051710">{{Cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=No. 85! TriMet breaks ground on new MAX station | publisher=TriMet |date=May 17, 2010 |url=http://trimet.org/news/releases/2010/may17-civicdrive.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202103058/http://trimet.org/news/releases/2010/may17-civicdrive.htm |archive-date=December 2, 2010 |url-status=unfit |access-date=January 23, 2019}}</ref><ref name="civic-drive-opens">{{cite news |last1=Rose |first1=Joseph |last2=Buxton |first2=Matt |last3=Beaven |first3=Stephen |title=New MAX station opens at Civic Drive On Wednesday |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=December 4, 2010}}</ref>

In 2015, TriMet began renovating fourteen of the system's oldest stations, between [[Hollywood/Northeast 42nd Avenue Transit Center]] and Cleveland Avenue. The project includes the installation of new windscreens, shelter roofs, [[passenger information system|digital information display]]s, lighting, and [[Closed-circuit television|security camera]]s. Three stations—{{stn|Gresham City Hall}}, {{stn|East 122nd Avenue}}, and {{stn|East 162nd Avenue}}—have been renovated as of February 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/bettertransit/bluelineupgrades.htm |title=Renovating MAX Blue Line Stations and Crossings |publisher=TriMet |access-date=February 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212072928/https://trimet.org/bettertransit/bluelineupgrades.htm |archive-date=February 12, 2019}}</ref>

==Westside extension==
===Early planning and delays===
{{see also|Forest Grove branch#History}}
[[File:VIEW OF RAILWAY CORRIDOR FROM 185TH AVENUE, FACING EAST - Oregon Electric Railway Westside Corridor, Hillsboro Extension, Between 185th Avenue and Hillsboro, Beaverton, HAER ORE,34-BEAV,1A-1.tif|thumb|left|alt= Photograph of a single railway line crossing a road | The former-OE railway crossing on 185th Avenue in 1995, prior to the start of construction]]

On September 30, 1908, an [[interurban]] rail service ran for the first time between Portland and [[Hillsboro, Oregon|Hillsboro]].<ref name="willamette-valley-railways">{{cite book |last=Thompson |first=Richard |title=Willamette Valley Railways |date=January 1, 2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G42lB3U1aQUC&pg=PA29 |publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] |isbn=978-0738556017 |access-date=May 29, 2019 |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203224009/https://books.google.com/books?id=G42lB3U1aQUC&pg=PA29 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|31}} It was operated by the [[Oregon Electric Railway]] (OE), which built a [[Forest Grove branch|branch line]] from its [[Garden Home–Whitford, Oregon|Garden Home]] depot to [[Forest Grove, Oregon|Forest Grove]].<ref name="walking tour 2013">{{cite web |url=https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/SHPO/docs/HillsboroOrencoWalkingTour2013.pdf |title=Historic Hillsboro Old Orenco Walking Map |publisher=[[Hillsboro, Oregon|City of Hillsboro]] |date=2013 |access-date=January 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108212849/https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/HCD/SHPO/docs/HillsboroOrencoWalkingTour2013.pdf |archive-date=January 8, 2019}}</ref> The [[Great Depression]] and the rise of the [[automobile]] in the 1920s led to the closure of the Forest Grove Branch in 1932.<ref name="willamette-valley-railways"/>{{rp|29}} The [[Burlington Northern Railroad]] (BN) later acquired much of this alignment and used it for freight service. It abandoned a segment between [[Orenco, Oregon|Orenco]] and central Hillsboro in 1977.<ref name="hillsboro-ext-seis">{{cite report |date=1994 |title=Hillsboro Extension of the Westside Corridor Project, Washington County: Environmental Impact Statement |publisher=Federal Transit Administration |page=P1–P5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ih03AQAAMAAJ |access-date=July 29, 2018}}</ref>{{rp|3–32}}

In 1979, plans to restore passenger rail service from Portland to the west side emerged with a proposal to extend MAX to 185th Avenue, near the Hillsboro–[[Beaverton, Oregon|Beaverton]] boundary.<ref name="OE Westside">{{Cite web |url=https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/or/or0300/or0330/data/or0330data.pdf |title=Oregon Electric Railway Westside Corridor (Burlington Northern Railroad Westside Corridor) |last1=Keeler |first1=Robert W. |date=August 1993 |work=[[Historic American Engineering Record]] |publisher=Library of Congress |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=December 17, 2022 |archive-date=December 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217224913/https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/or/or0300/or0330/data/or0330data.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|2}}<ref name="hillsboro-ext-seis"/>{{rp|2–1}} In 1983, [[Metro (Oregon regional government)|Metro]] (the successor to CRAG) selected light rail as the preferred mode alternative, and the [[Federal Transit Administration|Urban Mass Transportation Administration]] (UMTA) released $1.3&nbsp;million to begin a preliminary engineering study.<ref name="hillsboro-ext-seis"/>{{rp|2–2}}<ref name="Tri-Met heats up">{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Tri-Met heats up study for westside light rail |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 7, 1987 |page=E14}}</ref> That same year, newly appointed Hillsboro Mayor [[Shirley Huffman]] began lobbying for the line's extension to downtown Hillsboro. She traveled frequently to [[Washington, D.C.]] to lobby [[United States Congress|Congress]] and UMTA.<ref name="Fiery">{{cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Don |title= Shirley Huffman, fiery lobbyist, earns praise; hard work and a sharp phone call put light-rail trains into downtown Hillsboro |work=The Oregonian |date=February 23, 2000 |page=E2}}</ref> The project was later suspended by TriMet amid conflict with UMTA, who wanted the former to develop a financing plan before it released funding for preliminary engineering work.<ref>{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title=Goldschmidt appoints two to Tri-Met's board |date=September 26, 1987 |newspaper=The Oregonian |page=B2 |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=EANX-NB&docref=image%2Fv2%3A11A73E5827618330%40EANX-NB-13298BCA5087A09C%402447065-1328D7C4559523CD%4018-1328D7C4559523CD%40 |access-date=April 8, 2022 |url-access=registration |via=NewsBank |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220544/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DEANX-NB%26docref%3Dimage/v2%253A11A73E5827618330%2540EANX-NB-13298BCA5087A09C%25402447065-1328D7C4559523CD%254018-1328D7C4559523CD%2540 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Tri-Met heats up"/> By the time planning resumed in January 1988,<ref name="max-blue-line-westside-factsheet-2012">{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/pdfs/history/railfactsheet-westside.pdf |title=Westside MAX: Blue Line Extension Fact Sheet |publisher=TriMet |date=August 2012 |access-date=July 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610172633/http://trimet.org/pdfs/history/railfactsheet-westside.pdf |archive-date=June 10, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> significant changes in the Westside Corridor, including the conversion of {{convert|3,000|acre|ha|0}} of vacant [[Washington County, Oregon|Washington County]] land into [[mixed-use development|mixed-use]] urban areas, required a re-evaluation that was completed in May 1991.<ref name="hillsboro-ext-seis"/>{{rp|2–2}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Ostergren |first=Jack |title=Light-rail panel surveys options for westside corridor |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 22, 1988 |page=C4 }}</ref>

As planning continued on the route between Portland and 185th Avenue, alternative routes through Beaverton included alignments along the [[U.S. Route 26 in Oregon|Sunset Highway]] (U.S. 26), the BN right-of-way, and the [[Tualatin Valley Highway]] (TV Highway). A consultant recommended the BN alternative to TriMet in December 1988,<ref name="consultant-picks">{{cite news |last=Federman |first=Stan |title= Consultant picks route for light rail |work=The Oregonian |date=December 15, 1988 |page=A1  }}</ref> and the agency's board ultimately selected that recommendation.<ref name="route OK'd">{{cite news |last=Manzano |first=Phil |title= Westside light rail route OK'd |work=The Oregonian |date=February 23, 1989 |page=C2}}</ref><ref name="8 years">{{cite news |last=Bodine |first=Harry |title= Timetable puts westside light-rail service 8 years away |work=The Oregonian |edition=West Metro |date=September 22, 1989 |page=D2}}</ref> The [[Willow Creek/Southwest 185th Avenue Transit Center|terminus station]] would have been along the BN right-of-way near 185th Avenue and Baseline Road.<ref name="approves extension"/><ref name="oreg-1993aug8-groundbreaking"/> Meanwhile, the Portland City Council formed an advisory committee to determine whether the route through downtown should extend west from 11th Avenue on Southwest Morrison and Yamhill streets or run through the Portland Transit Mall on 5th and 6th avenues.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Panel eyes downtown link with westside light-rail line |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 21, 1989 |page=B2}}</ref> The locally preferred alternative ultimately adopted a continuation of MAX along Morrison and Yamhill streets.<ref name="westside-feis">{{cite report |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WNc3AQAAMAAJ |pages=2–5, 2–9 |title=Westside Corridor Project, Multnomah/Washington Counties (Portland): Final Environmental Impact Statement |publisher=Urban Mass Transportation Administration |date=August 1991 |access-date=March 22, 2020 |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220543/https://books.google.com/books?id=WNc3AQAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The efforts of Huffman and others regarding the proposed Hillsboro extension led to a supplemental study in April 1993, which evaluated options to extend the westside light rail project, among other mode alternatives,<ref name="hillsboro-ext-seis"/>{{rp|2–4}} to the [[Hillsboro Airport/Fairgrounds station|Westside Commons]] or downtown Hillsboro.<ref name="hillsboro-ext-seis"/>{{rp|S–14}}<ref name="approves extension">{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title= Tri-Met approves rail line extension |work=The Oregonian |date=July 29, 1993 |page=F4}}</ref> Alternative routes up to downtown Hillsboro included the abandoned BN segment from 185th Avenue to 10th Avenue, Baseline and [[Cornell Road|Cornell]] roads, and TV Highway.<ref name="hillsboro-ext-seis"/>{{rp|2–4}} In July of that year, TriMet approved an extension of the initial {{convert|11.5|mi|km|0|adj=on}} light rail line, {{convert|6.2|mi|km|0}} farther west to downtown Hillsboro using the abandoned BN route.<ref name="creation and benefits">{{cite web |url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/creation-and-benefits-positive-public-relations |title=Creation and Benefits of Positive Public Relations |publisher=Federal Transit Administration |date=February 5, 1996 |access-date=May 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506103550/https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-and-guidance/creation-and-benefits-positive-public-relations |archive-date=May 6, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="LRA-1994">{{cite periodical |last=Sebree |first=Mac |author-link=Mac Sebree |year= 1994 |title=Portland's Westside Tunnel: An LRT Breakthrough |magazine=North American Light Rail Annual and User's Guide for 1994 |pages=10–14 |location=Pasadena, CA |publisher=[[Pentrex]] |issn=0160-6913 }}</ref>{{efn|name=rounding}} This brought the project's new total distance to {{convert|17.7|mi|km}} (some sources say 17.5&nbsp;km).<ref name="TRB-E3145"/>{{efn|name=rounding}}  At the time, the line was scheduled to open as far as 185th Avenue in September 1997,<ref name="oreg-1993aug13">{{cite news |last=Bella |first=Rick |title=Westside light-rail work begins |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=August 13, 1993 |page=C1}}</ref><ref name="oreg-1993aug8-groundbreaking"/>{{rp|R2}} and downtown Hillsboro by the end of 1998.<ref name="approves extension"/>

===Funding and construction===
[[File:MAX Tunnel Entrance.jpg|thumb|right|alt= Photograph of a railway tunnel |East portal of the Robertson Tunnel in Portland's Goose Hollow neighborhood]]

Funding for the westside extension proved difficult to obtain under the [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Reagan Administration]], which sought to reduce federal expenditures by delaying existing light rail projects and declining to approve future planning.{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=69}} As members of their respective [[appropriations bill (United States)|appropriations committees]], U.S. Senator [[Mark Hatfield]] and U.S. Representative [[Les AuCoin]] secured preliminary engineering and environmental review grants in 1989 by withholding funds from the head of UMTA's office.{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=69–70}}<ref name=Swisherfatten>{{cite news |title=Oregon gets its pork, but Washington fattens up |first=Larry |last=Swisher |work=[[The Register-Guard]] |location=[[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]] |date=December 12, 1989 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=920VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=reEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2158%2C3390173 |access-date=October 8, 2009 |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220543/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=920VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=reEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2158%2C3390173 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1990, Congress adopted legislation requiring the federal government to cover a 75&nbsp;percent share of transit projects approved within the fiscal year.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mayer |first=James |title=Ballot Measure 1 holds key to light-rail plan |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=May 9, 1990 |page=B4}}</ref> Voters subsequently rejected a measure to permit the use of local vehicle registration fees for public transit, which would have covered Oregon's 25&nbsp;percent share, defeating it 52&nbsp;percent to 48&nbsp;percent.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mayer |first=James |title=Westside light-rail backers reel after vote |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=May 18, 1990 |page=D5}}</ref> With a year-end deadline approaching the 25&nbsp;percent local-share stipulation, TriMet introduced a  $125&nbsp;million local bond measure in July 1990.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mayer |first=James |title=Tri-Met directors decide to seek light-rail bonds |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=July 26, 1990 |page=A1}}</ref> Portland area voters overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure, which earned 74&nbsp;percent average approval the following November. This marked the region's first successful vote approving public transportation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mayer |first=James |title=Light-rail bond approved, but Tri-Met worries not over |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 8, 1990 |page=C4}}</ref>{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=70}} The Federal Transit Administration (the new name for UMTA) completed the funding package in 1991, granting $515&nbsp;million to build the line up to 185th Avenue.<ref name="oreg-1993aug13"/> It provided another $75&nbsp;million in 1994 following the approval of the Hillsboro extension, which covered one-third of the segment's $224&nbsp;million additional cost.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Light-rail extension wins Clinton's support |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 8, 1994 |page=B8}}</ref>{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=70}}

Construction of the Westside MAX began in August 1993 with the excavation of the {{convert|21|ft|m|adj=mid|-diameter}} [[Robertson Tunnel]].<ref name="max-blue-line-westside-factsheet-2016"/><ref name="oreg-1993aug8-groundbreaking">{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Groundbreaking ceremonies set to launch project |newspaper=The Sunday Oregonian |date=August 8, 1993 |at="Westside Light Rail: Making Tracks" (special section), p. R1–R2}}</ref> Several alternative alignments through the [[Tualatin Mountains|West Hills]] were studied, including an all-surface option along the Sunset Highway, an option with a half-mile-long (0.8{{nbsp}}km) "short tunnel", and an option with a {{convert|3|mi|km|adj=on}} "long tunnel".<ref name="Oreg-1989jul27">{{cite news |last=Kirchmeier |first=Mark |title=Tri-Met picks Goose Hollow for MAX route |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 27, 1989 |page=E4}}</ref><ref name="Oreg-1990jan25">{{cite news |last=Mayer |first=James |title=Revised westside light-rail options run to $496 million |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 25, 1990 |page=C3}}</ref> TriMet chose the "long tunnel" in April 1991.<ref name="Board picks tunnel">{{cite news |last=Mayer|first=James |title=Board picks light-rail tunnel |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=April 13, 1991 |page=1}}</ref> Frontier-Traylor, the project's general contractor,<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->American Concrete Institute |title=Design & Construction |magazine=Concrete International |volume=21 |publisher=The Institute |date=1999 |access-date=August 15, 2018 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cr3wAAAAIAAJ&pg=77 |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220543/https://books.google.com/books?id=cr3wAAAAIAAJ&pg=77 |url-status=live }}</ref> used conventional [[drilling and blasting]] techniques to dig through the west end. On the east segment, a {{convert|278|ft|m|0|adj=on}} [[tunnel boring machine]] was used to drill for two miles.<ref name="max-blue-line-eastside-factsheet-2016"/>{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=74}} Highly fragmented rock initially made machine excavation difficult, delaying the project for nine months.{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=74}} The $166.9&nbsp;million tunnel was completed in 1997.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Tri-Met's light-rail tunnel costs continue to rise |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=August 29, 1996 |page=B4}}</ref><ref name="end">{{cite news |last1=Oliver |first1=Gordon |last2=Hamilton |first2=Don |title=Go west young MAX |work=The Oregonian |date=September 9, 1998 |page=C1}}</ref> It houses the {{convert|260|ft|m|adj=mid|-deep}} [[Washington Park station (TriMet)|Washington Park station]], currently the system's only underground station and the deepest transit station in North America.<ref>{{cite news |last=Altstadt |first=Roberta |title=UPDATE: TriMet to replace elevators at the deepest transit station in North America |publisher=TriMet |date=August 2, 2019 |url=http://news.trimet.org/2019/08/trimet-to-replace-elevators-at-the-deepest-transit-station-in-north-america/ |access-date=August 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806230516/http://news.trimet.org/2019/08/trimet-to-replace-elevators-at-the-deepest-transit-station-in-north-america/ |archive-date=August 6, 2019}}</ref>

Work along [[Oregon Route 217|Oregon Highway 217]] started in March 1994.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Blasting the tunnels |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 30, 1994 |page=D1}}</ref> Initially planned to run alongside freight trains through Beaverton and Hillsboro, the alignment was replaced with light rail following TriMet's acquisition of the BN right-of-way in June.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |date=June 23, 1994 |title=Railroad deal provides Tri-Met with westside light-rail route |page=D4 |work=The Oregonian}}</ref> The {{convert|600|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} horseshoe tunnel below Sunset Highway was completed in July 1995 and all highway work ceased in December.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mahar |first=Ted |title=On the right track |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 9, 1995 |page=C2}}</ref> Track work commenced west of 185th Avenue around the time the [[Elmonica/Southwest 170th Avenue station|Elmonica Yard]] opened in January 1996. It was built to accommodate some of the 39 [[Siemens Transportation Systems|Siemens]] cars TriMet procured.<ref>{{cite news |last=Colby |first=Richard N. |title=Work is under way in Hillsboro preparing the way for light rail |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 11, 1996 |page=C2}}</ref><ref name="milestone1996">{{cite news |last=Colby |first=Richard N. |title=Light-rail milestone: The $16{{nbsp}}million Westside MAX maintenance building in Elmonica is dedicated by Tri-Met|work=The Oregonian |date=January 22, 1996 |edition=West Metro|page=B2}}</ref> The model [[Siemens SD660|SD660]] low-floor cars, jointly developed by TriMet and Siemens,<ref name="type-6-order">{{cite news |last=Corselli |first=Andrew |title=Siemens Receives Two LRV Orders |journal=Railway Age |date=July 29, 2019 |url=https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/light-rail/siemens-receives-two-lrv-orders/ |access-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729184455/https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/light-rail/siemens-receives-two-lrv-orders/ |archive-date=July 29, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> became notable as the first [[low-floor tram|low-floor]] light rail vehicles in North America.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Tri-Met prepares to purchase 37 low-floor light-rail cars |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=April 15, 1993 |page=D4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Westside light-rail costs increase |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=July 1, 1993 |page=C5}}</ref> The final [[rail spike]] was driven on Hillsboro's [[Main Street Bridge (Hillsboro, Oregon)|Main Street Bridge]] in October 1997.<ref name="end"/> System testing took place in June 1998.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Don |title=Tri-Met gets ready, set for Westside MAX start-up: Every week until Sept. 12 will see drills and tests to be sure the system is in good order after 5 years, $1 billion of work |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=June 25, 1998 |page=1}}</ref>

===Opening===
[[File:MAX Type 4 cars crossing 185th.JPG|thumb|right|A two-car train crossing 185th Avenue and entering Hillsboro|alt=A light-rail train at an at grade crossing]]

Owing to delays caused by tunneling work, the line's planned September 1997 opening up to 185th Avenue was postponed by one year.<ref name="holdup">{{cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Don |title=Tri-Met experiencing a holdup in the hills |work=The Oregonian |date=August 25, 1995 |page=B2|quote=The agency [Tri-Met] says digging the tunnel for westside light rail will cause a year's delay in completing the entire project.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Westside rail finally looks like a reality |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 6, 1997 |page=B2}}</ref> On August 31, 1997, the Westside MAX opened its first section, a two-station extension west to the [[Providence Park station|Civic Stadium]] and [[Kings Hill/Southwest Salmon Street station|Kings Hill/SW Salmon Street]],<ref name="New MAX cars">{{cite news |last=O'Keefe |first=Mark |title=New MAX cars smooth the way for wheelchairs |work=The Oregonian |date=September 1, 1997 |page=B12}}</ref> in conjunction with the entry into service of the first low-floor cars.{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=76}} Grand opening celebrations for the entire $963.5{{nbsp}}million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|963500000|1998}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars) line took place on September 12, 1998.<ref name="end"/> Ceremonies were held at various stations and speeches were delivered by local and national dignitaries, including [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Al Gore]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.trimet.org:80/calendargo.htm |title=Celebrating the Grand Opening of Tri-Met's Westside MAX Light Rail! |publisher=TriMet |date=September 11, 1998 |access-date=August 14, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991118035405/http://www.trimet.org/calendargo.htm |archive-date=November 18, 1999 }}</ref> Twelve TriMet bus routes, which had operated between the west side and downtown Portland, were reduced to five, replaced by light rail.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Don |title=Bus changes aim to sell commuters on using rail |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 9, 1998 |page=C5}}</ref> The line immediately drew strong ridership, exceeding projections for 2005 less than two years after it opened.<ref name="Ridership">{{cite news |last=Stewart |first=Bill |title=Westside MAX celebrates two years on track: The light-rail line surpasses expectations, averaging more riders daily than were projected for 2005 |work=The Oregonian |date=September 13, 2000 |page=C3}}</ref>  In September 2000, TriMet adopted a [[color code|color coding]] scheme to differentiate its trains operating between Hillsboro and Gresham from those that were going to serve the [[MAX Red Line|Airport MAX]] extension, assigning the colors blue and red, respectively.<ref name="taut-dec2000">{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Systems News [regular news section] |magazine=[[Tramways & Urban Transit]] |publisher=[[Ian Allan Publishing]] |date=December 2000 |page=471 |location=UK |issn=1460-8324 |quote=With the light rail system due to expand to two services in September 2001, and three in 2004 (with all three using the same routing and stops in the city centre), Tri-Met has decided to assign route colours as follows ...}}</ref>{{sfn|Selinger|2019|page=83}} The line-identification system was implemented shortly before the Red Line's opening on September 10, 2001.<ref>{{cite news |last=Briggs |first=Kara |title=Airport MAX light-rail service in sight |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=August 29, 2001 |page=C2}}</ref>

===Proposed extension to Forest Grove===

In February 2006, local government officials proposed an extension of the Westside MAX from its Hatfield Government Center terminus to Forest Grove. City leaders approached a former TriMet engineer to conduct a feasibility study and develop a plan to get the project included in Metro's Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation list of priority projects.<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Jill |title=Expert hired to draw up light-rail plan options |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 23, 2006 |page=4}}</ref> The six-month study, completed in October, estimated a cost of about $200&nbsp;million to build the segment. The study identified a best route option using existing tracks between Southwest Adams Avenue in Hillsboro and Douglas Street in Forest Grove. The tracks, which were formerly owned by OE, are currently state-owned with operating rights assigned to the [[Portland and Western Railroad]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Jill |title=The early line on light rail |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 2, 2006 |page=14}}</ref> Metro proposes a high-capacity transit extension to Forest Grove as part of its 2018 Regional Transportation Plan for 2040 but does not specify the type of high-capacity transit, which could either be a bus or a rail option.<ref>{{cite report |title=Public Review Draft, 2018 Regional Transportation Plan, Chapter 6: Regional Programs and Projects to Achieve Our Vision |url=https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2018/06/29/RTP_Ch6_Investment_Prioritiespublicreview.pdf |pages=15, 19 |date=June 29, 2018 |publisher=Metro |access-date=April 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423163603/https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2018/06/29/RTP_Ch6_Investment_Prioritiespublicreview.pdf |archive-date=April 23, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Route==
[[File:Hollywood Exit (Banfield West).jpg|thumb|right|A section of the light rail tracks next to the Banfield Freeway|alt=Photograph of a section of rail tracks next to a freeway exit ramp with busy a six-lane freeway to the left]]
[[File:Sunset Highway in Portland with MAX train adjacent (2015).jpg|thumb|right|A MAX train next to the Sunset Highway, east of Sunset Transit Center|alt=Photograph of a train running next to a busy freeway on the right]]

The Blue Line operates along the Eastside and Westside MAX segments, which combined total {{convert|32.6|mi|km|1}}<ref name="TRB-E3145"/><ref name="LRTNews2008Apr">{{cite journal |title=Portland LRT: The Beat Goes On |url=http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/lrtnews/LRTv20n1.pdf |journal=LRT News |publisher=[[Transportation Research Board]] |date=April 2008 |volume=20 |issue=1 |issn=0162-8429 |page=4 |access-date=2019-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312070223/http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/lrtnews/LRTv20n1.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-12 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|name=rounding}} to {{convert|32.7|mi|km|1}}.<ref name="TAUT-1998Nov">{{cite news|last=Morgan|first=Steve|title=US Vice-President Gore launches Portland's new Westside route|date=November 1998|magazine=[[Tramways & Urban Transit]]|location=UK|publisher=[[Ian Allan Publishing]]|issn=1460-8324}}</ref><ref name="janes2007">{{cite book |editor-last=Webb |editor-first=Mary |title=Jane's Urban Transport Systems 2007–2008 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Jane's Information Group]] |location=Coulsdon, Surrey, UK |isbn=978-0-7106-2816-9 |page=460 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oo5UAAAAMAAJ&q=%2252.6+km%22 |access-date=May 6, 2019 |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220544/https://books.google.com/books?id=oo5UAAAAMAAJ&dq=Portland+%22Blue+Line%22+%22light+rail%22++%2252.6+km%22&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%2252.6+km%22 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{efn|name=rounding}} Its western terminus is {{stn|Hatfield Government Center}} in Hillsboro, on the corner of West Main Street and Southwest Adams Avenue.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=9848 |title=Stop ID 9848 – Hatfield Government Center MAX Station, Southbound |publisher=TriMet |access-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210193251/https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=9848 |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> From there, the line heads east along the median of Southeast Washington Street and continues east on a former BN—former OE—right-of-way between Southeast 10th Avenue and Northwest 185th Avenue,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=9843 |title=Stop ID 9843 – Tuality Hospital/SE 8th Ave MAX Station, Eastbound |publisher=TriMet |access-date=February 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210193347/https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=9843 |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name="approves extension"/> traveling mostly at-grade except at [[Grade separation|grade-separated]] crossings—notably, the Main Street Bridge and [[Cornelius Pass Road]]—until it reaches [[Beaverton Transit Center]].<ref name="OE Westside"/>{{rp|11}} It then turns north, running adjacent to Oregon Highway 217 to [[Sunset Transit Center]]. From there it continues eastwards along the north side of the Sunset Highway before entering the Robertson Tunnel for Washington Park station.<ref name="max-blue-line-eastside-factsheet-2016"/> After leaving the tunnel, the line passes below the [[Vista Bridge]] and enters downtown Portland, continuing along Southwest Jefferson Street before turning north onto the median of Southwest 18th Avenue.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=10118 |title=Stop ID 10118 – Goose Hollow/SW Jefferson St MAX Station, Eastbound |publisher=TriMet |access-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210193425/https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=10118 |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>

Near [[Providence Park]], the tracks diverge eastbound onto Southwest Yamhill Street and westbound onto Southwest Morrison Street,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=9758 |title=Stop ID 9758 – Providence Park MAX Station, Eastbound |publisher=TriMet |access-date=February 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210193500/https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=9758 |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> crossing the [[Portland Transit Mall]] near the [[Pioneer Courthouse]] and [[Pioneer Courthouse Square]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=8334 |title=Stop ID 8334 – Pioneer Square South MAX Station, Eastbound |publisher=TriMet |access-date=February 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210193850/https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=8334 |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> The tracks reconnect on Southwest 1st Avenue and head north, traversing the [[Willamette River]] via the Steel Bridge into the [[Rose Quarter]]. The line runs along Holladay Street in the Rose Quarter and the [[Lloyd District, Portland, Oregon|Lloyd District]], passing the [[Moda Center]] and the Oregon Convention Center.<ref name="City Center Transit Mall map">{{cite map |url=https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/citycenter.pdf |title=Portland City Center and Transit Mall map |publisher=TriMet |access-date=July 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210193921/https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/citycenter.pdf |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> It enters its grade-separated segment along the north bank of the Banfield Freeway at [[Sullivan's Gulch, Portland, Oregon|Sullivan's Gulch]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=8343 |title=Stop ID 8343 – Lloyd Center/NE 11th Ave MAX Station, Eastbound |publisher=TriMet |access-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210193956/https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=8343 |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> The line then travels over the Interstate 84 and [[Interstate 205 (Oregon–Washington)|Interstate 205]] interchange towards [[Gateway/Northeast 99th Avenue Transit Center]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=8347 |title=Stop ID 8347 – Gateway/NE 99th Ave TC MAX Station, Southbound |publisher=TriMet |access-date=September 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210194030/https://trimet.org/ride/stop.html?stop_id=8347 |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> From Gateway Transit Center, tracks head south along the east side of I-205. A [[Single-track railway|single-track]] junction south of Gateway Transit Center marks the start of the Airport MAX segment while a [[double junction]] south of Southeast Glisan Street splits into the I-205 MAX. The Blue Line turns east and enters the median of East Burnside Street at East 97th Avenue.<ref name="Trimet map">{{cite map |url=https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/trimetsystem.pdf |title=TriMet System map |publisher=TriMet |access-date=July 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210194105/https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/trimetsystem.pdf |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> At Ruby Junction/East 197th Avenue station, the line leaves the street and heads southeastwards until it reaches Cleveland Avenue station, its last stop, near the corner of Northeast Cleveland Avenue and Northeast 8th Street in Gresham.<ref name="Trimet map"/>

The Blue Line shares much of its alignment with the Red Line. Between 2001 and 2003, they used the same tracks from the [[Library/Southwest 9th Avenue and Galleria/Southwest 10th Avenue stations#11th Avenue loop tracks|11th Avenue loop tracks]] in downtown Portland to Gateway Transit Center, where Red Line trains diverge towards [[Portland International Airport station|Portland International Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://i2.wp.com/www.transitmap.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/tumblr_ndva2tj8Oi1r54c4oo1_1280.jpg |title=MAX Light Rail System |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2001 |publisher=TriMet |via=Transit Maps |access-date=September 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523163112/https://i2.wp.com/www.transitmap.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/tumblr_ndva2tj8Oi1r54c4oo1_1280.jpg |archive-date=May 23, 2019}}</ref> Since 2024, they have shared the same route between Hillsboro Airport/Fairgrounds station and Gateway Transit Center.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Luisa |title=TriMet's MAX Red Line from PDX airport to Hillsboro officially opens |url=https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/trimet-max-red-line-extension-pdx-hillsboro/283-2e35985c-a21b-405f-9198-8068178cc446 |access-date=August 28, 2024 |work=[[KGW]] |publisher=[[Tegna Inc.]] |date=August 28, 2024}}</ref> The [[MAX Green Line|Green Line]] joined a part of this shared alignment in 2009, entering from the Portland Transit Mall just west of the Steel Bridge, diverging at Gateway Transit Center, and continuing south towards [[Clackamas Town Center Transit Center|Clackamas]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Pantell |first=Susan |title=Portland: New Green Line Light Rail Extension Opens |publisher=Light Rail Now |date=December 2009 |url=http://www.lightrailnow.org/news/n_por_2009-12a.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809090746/http://www.lightrailnow.org/news/n_por_2009-12a.htm |archive-date=August 9, 2018 |access-date=September 1, 2018}}</ref>

{{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=900|frame-height=420|frame-lat=45.516|frame-long=-122.71|zoom=11|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/MAX Light Rail/Blue Line}}|text=A geographic map of the MAX Blue Line (in red) relative to the rest of the network (in black) with icons marking the line's termini. The official system schematic can be viewed on the [https://trimet.org/maps/img/railsystem.png TriMet website].}}

===Stations===
{{Further|topic=the stations, including TriMet bus connections|List of MAX Light Rail stations}}
[[File:Hatfield Government Center Station in Hillsboro, Oregon (55249008).jpg|thumb|right|Hatfield Government Center station, the Blue Line's western terminus|alt=Photograph of a train station with two trains at its platforms with a road to the right]]
[[File:Two trains at Cleveland Avenue station, February 2018.JPG|thumb|right|Cleveland Avenue station, the Blue Line's eastern terminus|alt=Photograph of a train station with a platform running down the middle and a train on either side]]

The Blue Line serves 48 stations. The 27 stations built as part of the inaugural line between Gresham and downtown Portland opened on September 5, 1986.<ref name="Conceptual Design"/>{{rp|37}} The Mall stations on Southwest 4th and 5th avenues were added in conjunction with the opening of Pioneer Place in March 1990,<ref>{{cite book |last=Schneider |first=Joachim |title=Public Private Partnership for Urban Rail Transit: Forms, regulatory conditions, participants |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |date=2012 |isbn=978-3322817082 |page=343 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uV_2BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA343 |access-date=August 22, 2018 |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220544/https://books.google.com/books?id=uV_2BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA343 |url-status=live }}</ref> followed by the Convention Center station and the Oregon Convention Center in September.<ref name="oregonian-dedication">{{cite news |last=Mayer |first=James |title=Dedication kicks off Convention Center fete |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 20, 1990 |page=A1}}</ref> The Westside MAX opened in two stages due to delays in construction.<ref name="holdup"/> The first two stations, Civic Stadium—now {{stn|Providence Park}}—and Kings Hill/Southwest Salmon Street, opened on August 31, 1997.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Oliver |first1=Gordon |last2=Hamilton |first2=Don |title=MAX moves west new rail stations will go on-line |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=August 29, 1997 |page=A1}}</ref> The remaining 18 stations opened during the segment's inauguration on September 12, 1998.<ref name="end"/> The newest station is Civic Drive, which was opened on December 1, 2010.<ref name="civic-drive-opens"/><ref>{{cite web |publisher=TriMet |title=Eastside Revitalization Report |url=http://trimet.org/pdfs/projects/eastside_revitalization_report.pdf |date=April 2010 |access-date=August 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210194315/http://trimet.org/pdfs/projects/eastside_revitalization_report.pdf |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>

On July 24, 2019, TriMet announced the permanent closure of the Mall stations, as well as a one-year pilot closure of Kings Hill/Southwest Salmon Street station, in an effort to speed up travel times. The closures took effect on March 1, 2020.<ref name="station-closures-2020"/><ref name="2-stations-close"/>

Transfers to the [[MAX Yellow Line (TriMet)|Yellow Line]] are available at the [[Pioneer Square stations (TriMet)|Pioneer Square]] and Mall stations and Rose Quarter Transit Center, while transfers to the Green Line (beyond the shared Eastside MAX alignment) and the [[MAX Orange Line (TriMet)|Orange Line]] can be made at the Pioneer Square and Mall stations.<ref name="MAX system map"/> Additionally, the Blue Line provides connections to local and [[intercity bus service]]s at various stops across the line, the [[Portland Streetcar]] at four stops in and near downtown Portland,<ref name="portland-streetcar">{{cite web |url=https://portlandstreetcar.org/schedules |title=Maps + Schedules - Portland Streetcar |publisher=Portland Streetcar |access-date=October 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210194359/https://portlandstreetcar.org/schedules |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref> and a transfer to [[WES Commuter Rail]], which runs from Beaverton to [[Wilsonville, Oregon|Wilsonville]] during the morning and evening commutes on weekdays, at Beaverton Transit Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/wes/index.htm |title=WES Commuter Rail |publisher=TriMet |access-date=September 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210194435/https://trimet.org/wes/index.htm |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Key
|-
! scope="col" | Icon
! scope="col" | Purpose
|-
| scope="row" style="background-color:#ddffdd" | {{dagger|alt=current terminus}}
| [[Train station#Terminus|Terminus]]
|-
| scope="row" style="background-color:#FFE6BD" | {{right-arrow|alt=Eastbound only}}
| Eastbound travel only
|-
| scope="row" style="background-color:#D0E7FF" | ←
| Westbound travel only
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ List of MAX Blue Line stations
|-
! scope="col" | Station
! scope="col" | Location
! scope="col" data-sort-type="usLongDate" | Began service
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Line transfers<ref name="MAX system map">{{cite map |url=https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/railsystem.pdf |title=Rail System Map with transfers |publisher=TriMet |access-date=July 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210194620/https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/railsystem.pdf |archive-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes<ref name="MAX system map"/><ref name="Transit Mall map">{{cite map |url=https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/citycenter.pdf |title=Portland City Center and Transit Mall |publisher=TriMet |access-date=July 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328191254/https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/citycenter.pdf |archive-date=March 28, 2020}}</ref>{{efn|name=connections|This list of service connections excludes TriMet bus connections. For a complete list that includes all transfers, see: [[List of MAX Light Rail stations]].}}
|-
| style="background-color:#ddffdd" | {{stn|Hatfield Government Center}}†
| rowspan=9 align=center | [[Hillsboro, Oregon|Hillsboro]]
| rowspan=18 align=center | {{dts|1998|09|12}}
| —
| —
|-
| [[Hillsboro Transit Center|Hillsboro Central/SE 3rd Ave Transit Center]]
| —
| Connects to [[Yamhill County Transit Area|YCTA]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yctransitarea.org/pdf/north.pdf |title=McMinnville – Hillsboro, Route 33 |publisher=Yamhill County Transit Area |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020040002/http://www.yctransitarea.org/pdf/north.pdf |archive-date=October 20, 2016 |access-date=March 27, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| {{stn|Hillsboro Health District}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|Washington/SE 12th Ave}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|Hillsboro Airport/Fairgrounds}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| {{stn|Hawthorn Farm}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| [[Orenco station (TriMet)|Orenco]]
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Connects to [[North Hillsboro Link]]
|-
| {{stn|Quatama}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| [[Willow Creek Transit Center|Willow Creek/SW 185th Ave Transit Center]]
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Connects to [[Columbia County Rider|CC Rider]], [[North Hillsboro Link]]
|-
| {{stn|Elmonica/SW 170th Ave}}
| rowspan=7 align=center | [[Beaverton, Oregon|Beaverton]]
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Near Elmonica maintenance facility
|-
| {{stn|Merlo Rd/SW 158th Ave}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| {{stn|Beaverton Creek}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| {{stn|Millikan Way}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| {{stn|Beaverton Central}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| [[Beaverton Transit Center]]
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Connects to [[WES Commuter Rail]]
|-
| [[Sunset Transit Center]]
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Connects to [[Oregon POINT|POINT]], [[Tillamook County Transportation District|TCTD]]
|-
| [[Washington Park station (TriMet)|Washington Park]]
| rowspan=26 align=center | [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]]
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Connects to Washington Park Free Shuttle
|-
| {{stn|Goose Hollow/SW Jefferson St}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| style="background-color:#CCCCCC" | {{stn|Kings Hill/SW Salmon St}}
| rowspan=2 align=center | {{dts|1997|08|31}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| style="background-color:#CCCCCC" | Closed on {{dts|2020|03|01}}<ref name="station-closures-2020"/>
|-
| {{stn|Providence Park}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| style="background-color:#FFE6BD" | [[Library/SW 9th Ave and Galleria/SW 10th Ave stations|Library/SW 9th Ave]]→
| rowspan=4 align=center | {{dts|1986|09|05}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| rowspan=2 | Connects to [[Portland Streetcar]]
|-
| style="background-color:#D0E7FF" | [[Library/SW 9th Ave and Galleria/SW 10th Ave stations|Galleria/SW 10th Ave]]←
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
|-
| style="background-color:#FFE6BD" | [[Pioneer Square stations (TriMet)|Pioneer Square South]]→
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Orange}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Yellow}}
| rowspan=2 | Connects to [[Portland Transit Mall]]
|-
| style="background-color:#D0E7FF" | [[Pioneer Square stations (TriMet)|Pioneer Square North]]←
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Orange}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Yellow}}
|-
| style="background-color:#CCCCCC" | [[Mall/Southwest 4th Avenue and Mall/Southwest 5th Avenue stations|Mall/SW 4th Ave]]→
| rowspan=2 align=center | {{dts|1990|03|26}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Orange}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Yellow}}
| style="background-color:#CCCCCC"; rowspan=2 | Closed on {{dts|2020|03|01}}<ref name="station-closures-2020"/>
|-
| style="background-color:#CCCCCC" | [[Mall/Southwest 4th Avenue and Mall/Southwest 5th Avenue stations|Mall/SW 5th Ave]]←
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Orange}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Yellow}}
|-
| style="background-color:#FFE6BD" | [[Yamhill District and Morrison/SW 3rd Ave stations|Yamhill District]]→
| rowspan=6 align=center | {{dts|1986|09|05}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| rowspan=2 | —
|-
| style="background-color:#D0E7FF" | [[Yamhill District and Morrison/SW 3rd Ave stations|Morrison/SW 3rd Ave]]←
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
|-
| {{stn|Oak St/SW 1st Ave}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| {{stn|Skidmore Fountain}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Closing {{dts|2025|08}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Speeding Up MAX Through Downtown: Skidmore Fountain MAX Station closing August 2025|url=https://trimet.org/maxdowntown/ |publisher=TriMet |date=May 2024 |accessdate=August 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240826130255/https://trimet.org/maxdowntown/ |archive-date=August 26, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| {{stn|Old Town/Chinatown}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| [[Rose Quarter Transit Center]]
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Yellow}}
| Connects to [[C-Tran (Washington)|C-Tran]]
|-
| [[Convention Center station (TriMet)|Convention Center]]
| align=center | {{dts|1990|09|20}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Connects to [[Portland Streetcar]]{{br}}
|-
| {{stn|NE 7th Ave}}
| rowspan=14 align=center | {{dts|1986|09|05}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Connects to [[Portland Streetcar]]
|-
| {{stn|Lloyd Center/NE 11th Ave}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| {{stn|Hollywood/NE 42nd Ave}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| {{stn|NE 60th Ave}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| {{stn|NE 82nd Ave}}
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| —
|-
| [[Gateway Transit Center (TriMet)|Gateway/NE 99th Ave Transit Center]]
| {{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Green}}&nbsp;{{ric|size=18px|TriMet|Red}}
| Connects to [[Columbia Area Transit]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://catransit.org/service-routes/cascade-locks-portland/ |title=Cascade Locks & Portland – CAT |publisher=[[Columbia Area Transit]] |access-date=February 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180916201950/http://catransit.org/service-routes/cascade-locks-portland/ |archive-date=September 16, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| {{stn|E 102nd Ave}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|E 122nd Ave}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|E 148th Ave}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|E 162nd Ave}}
| rowspan=9 align=center | [[Gresham, Oregon|Gresham]]
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|E 172nd Ave}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|E 181st Ave}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|Rockwood/E 188th Ave}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|Ruby Junction/E 197th Ave}}
| —
| Near Ruby Junction maintenance facility
|-
| {{stn|Civic Drive}}
| align=center | {{dts|2010|12|01}}
| —
| —
|-
| {{stn|Gresham City Hall}}
| rowspan=3 align=center | {{dts|1986|09|05}}
| —
| —
|-
| [[Gresham Central Transit Center]]
| —
| Connects to [[Sandy Area Metro]]
|-
| style="background-color:#ddffdd" | {{stn|Cleveland Ave}}†
| —
| —
|}

===Transit-oriented development===

In an [[Institute for Transportation and Development Policy]] study conducted in September 2013, the Blue Line was credited with generating $6.6&nbsp;billion in [[transit-oriented development]] investment.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rose |first=Joseph |title=Study: Blue Line is a big moneymaker |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 25, 2013 |page=7}}</ref>

==Service==

From Monday to Thursday, the Blue Line runs for 22{{frac|1|2}} hours per day. The first train goes westbound from Elmonica/Southwest 170th Avenue station at 3:31&nbsp;am and the last trip goes eastbound from Rose Quarter Transit Center to Ruby Junction/East 197th Avenue station at 1:29&nbsp;am the following day. Additional late-night trips are provided on Fridays, with the last trip going eastbound from Hatfield Government Center station to Elmonica/Southwest 170th Avenue station at 2:01&nbsp;am. Except for additional late-night trips on Saturdays, weekend service runs on a slightly reduced schedule. The first trains run westbound from Ruby Junction/East 197th Avenue station at 3:35&nbsp;am and the last trains run eastbound from Hatfield Government Center station at 1:51&nbsp;am and Rose Quarter Transit Center at 1:33&nbsp;am, respectively. Select early morning trains operate as [[Through train|through service]]s of the Red Line and the Yellow Line. End-to-end travel time is approximately 105 minutes.<ref name="blue-line-schedules">MAX Blue Line schedules:
*For weekday, westbound to Portland City Center and Hillsboro: {{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/schedules/w/t1100_1.pdf |title=MAX Blue Line, Weekday Westbound to Portland City Center and Hillsboro |publisher=TriMet |access-date=May 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524223635/https://trimet.org/schedules/w/t1100_1.pdf |archive-date=May 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}
*For weekday, eastbound to Portland City Center and Gresham: {{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/schedules/w/t1100_0.pdf |title=MAX Blue Line, Weekday Eastbound to Portland City Center and Gresham |publisher=TriMet |access-date=May 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524223635/https://trimet.org/schedules/w/t1100_0.pdf |archive-date=May 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}
*For Saturday, westbound to Portland City Center and Hillsboro: {{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/schedules/s/t1100_1.pdf |title=MAX Blue Line, Saturday Westbound to Portland City Center and Hillsboro |publisher=TriMet |access-date=May 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524223634/https://trimet.org/schedules/s/t1100_1.pdf |archive-date=May 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}
*For Saturday, eastbound to Portland City Center and Gresham: {{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/schedules/s/t1100_0.pdf |title=MAX Blue Line, Saturday Eastbound to Portland City Center and Gresham |publisher=TriMet |access-date=May 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524223634/https://trimet.org/schedules/s/t1100_0.pdf |archive-date=May 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}
*For Sunday, westbound to Portland City Center and Hillsboro: {{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/schedules/h/t1100_1.pdf |title=MAX Blue Line, Sunday Westbound to Portland City Center and Hillsboro |publisher=TriMet |access-date=May 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524223636/https://trimet.org/schedules/h/t1100_1.pdf |archive-date=May 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}
*For Sunday, eastbound to Portland City Center and Gresham: {{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/schedules/h/t1100_0.pdf |title=MAX Blue Line, Sunday Eastbound to Portland City Center and Gresham |publisher=TriMet |access-date=May 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524223634/https://trimet.org/schedules/h/t1100_0.pdf |archive-date=May 24, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> TriMet designates the Blue Line as a "Frequent Service" route along with the rest of the light rail system, ensuring service runs on a 15-minute headway for most of each day.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/maps/pdf/frequentservice.pdf |title=Frequent Service |publisher=TriMet |access-date=August 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509013853/http://trimet.org/maps/pdf/frequentservice.pdf |archive-date=May 9, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Blue Line trains run most frequently during weekday [[rush hour]]s, operating on headways as short as five minutes. During the early mornings and late evenings, headways increase to 30 minutes.<ref name="blue-line-schedules"/>

===Ridership===

During the Eastside MAX's construction, the line was projected to carry 12,000 riders per day. It averaged around 22,000 during its first four days of regular operation and had leveled at 18,000 by December 1986.<ref name="national-notebook"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Hayakawa |first=Alan |title=MAX training fast; ridership proves it |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 18, 1986 |page=1}}</ref> In June 1987, TriMet's general manager, James Cowen, claimed MAX ridership had grown to a point where it was "a peak all day" with a [[farebox recovery ratio]] of 50&nbsp;percent.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hill |first=Jim |title=TriMet's manager predicts westside light rail |date=June 10, 1987 |newspaper=The Oregonian |page=B7 |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=EANX-NB&docref=image%2Fv2%3A11A73E5827618330%40EANX-NB-132A940130F7CA1D%402446957-1328D7C713A458EA%4037-1328D7C713A458EA%40 |access-date=April 9, 2022 |url-access=registration |via=NewsBank |archive-date=July 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220731220641/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DEANX-NB%26docref%3Dimage/v2%253A11A73E5827618330%2540EANX-NB-132A940130F7CA1D%25402446957-1328D7C713A458EA%254037-1328D7C713A458EA%2540 |url-status=live }}</ref> Two years after the opening of the Westside MAX, the system had been recording over 71,000 daily riders, a figure that was not anticipated until 2005.<ref>{{cite news |last=Stewart |first=Bill |title=Westside MAX celebrates two years on track |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=September 13, 2000 |page=C3}}</ref> To relieve overcrowding, TriMet extended the Red Line further west to Beaverton Transit Center on August 31, 2003.<ref>{{cite news |last=Leeson |first=Fred |date=August 27, 2003 |title=MAX fares increase, direct service from Beaverton to PDX starts |newspaper=The Oregonian |page=D2}}</ref> From 2004 to 2007, TriMet recorded 18&nbsp;percent and 27&nbsp;percent increases in utilization between Hatfield Government Center station and Beaverton Transit Center during morning and evening rush hours, respectively, prompting the agency to add three Red Line trains running up to Hatfield Government Center on March 2, 2008.<ref>{{cite news |title=TriMet extends rush-hour MAX trains between Hillsboro, PDX |newspaper=[[Beaverton Valley Times]] |date=March 3, 2008 |url=http://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=120457811698504200 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511082439/http://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=120457811698504200 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 11, 2008 |access-date=November 1, 2015}}</ref> In the first three months of 2017, the Blue Line recorded an average 55,233 rides per weekday, a drop of 2.9&nbsp;percent from the same period in 2016.<ref name="Safe">{{cite news |last=Keizur |first=Christopher |title=Safe travels? |work=[[Portland Tribune]] |url=https://portlandtribune.com/go/42-news/362854-242841-safe-travels |date=June 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804050017/https://portlandtribune.com/go/42-news/362854-242841-safe-travels |archive-date=August 4, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018}}</ref> TriMet attributes the drop to lower-income riders being forced out of the inner city by rising housing prices.<ref>{{cite web |last=Zielinski |first=Alex |title=You Know Portland's Transportation Woes Have Reached a Breaking Point When... |work=[[Portland Mercury]] |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/05/18/19925551/you-know-portlands-transportation-woes-have-reached-a-breaking-point-when |date=May 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804045911/https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/05/18/19925551/you-know-portlands-transportation-woes-have-reached-a-breaking-point-when |archive-date=August 4, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018}}</ref> The Blue Line is currently the busiest line in the MAX system, carrying 18.9&nbsp;million passengers in 2015.<ref name="max-blue-line-eastside-factsheet-2016"/> It averaged 55,370 riders on weekdays in September 2018,<ref name="September 2018 ridership" /> up from 55,330 for the same month in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trimet.org/about/pdf/2017/2017-09.pdf |title=September 2017 Monthly Performance Report |publisher=TriMet |date=October 18, 2017 |access-date=March 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302151649/https://trimet.org/about/pdf/2017/2017-09.pdf |archive-date=March 2, 2019}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Sources===

* {{cite thesis |last=Fackler |first=Eliot Henry |date=June 2009 |title=Protesting Portland's Freeways: Highway Engineering and Citizen Activism in the Interstate Era |publisher=[[University of Oregon]] |degree=Master of Arts |url=https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/9842/Fackler_Eliot_Henry_ma2009sp.pdf |access-date=July 10, 2022}}
* {{cite report |last=Kramer |first=George |title=The Interstate Highway System in Oregon, A Historic Overview |publisher=[[Oregon Department of Transportation]] |date=May 2004 |oclc=57183445 |url=https://digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl%3A10930/datastream/OBJ/view |access-date=August 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831141223/https://digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl%3A10930/datastream/OBJ/view |archive-date=August 31, 2018 |url-status=live }}
* {{cite web |title=Making History: 50 Years of TriMet and Transit in the Portland Region |last=Selinger |first=Philip |year=2019 |publisher=TriMet |url=https://trimet.org/history/pdf/making-history.pdf |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225160919/https://trimet.org/history/pdf/making-history.pdf |archive-date=February 25, 2020 |url-status=live}}
* {{cite conference |last=Thompson |first=Gregory L. |title=How Portland's Power Brokers Accommodated the Anti-Highway Movement of the Early 1970s: The Decision to Build Light Rail |conference=Business and Economic History On-Line |year=2005 |publisher=[[Business History Conference]] |volume=3 |url=https://thebhc.org/sites/default/files/thompson.pdf |access-date=January 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220112181904/https://thebhc.org/sites/default/files/thompson.pdf |archive-date=January 12, 2022}}
* {{cite report |author1=Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon |author2=[[Portland State University]] |author3=United States. [[Urban Mass Transportation Administration]] |title=Urban Decision Making for Transportation Investments: Portland's Light Rail Transit System |date=March 1, 1985 |publisher=United States. [[Federal Transit Administration]] |url=https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/690 |access-date=August 24, 2022 |via=[[National Transportation Library|Repository & Open Science Access Portal]]}}
* {{cite report |author1=[[U.S. Department of Transportation]], [[Federal Highway Administration]] |author2=U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration |author3=Oregon. State Highway Division |title=Banfield Transitway Project: Light Rail Transit Line and Banfield Freeway Improvements, Final Environmental Impact Statement |date=August 1980 |work=TriMet Collection |url=https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=oscdl_trimet |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105083336/https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=oscdl_trimet |url-status=live |via=[[Portland State University Library]]}}
* {{cite report |author1=U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration |author2=Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon |title=Westside Corridor Project, Final Environmental Impact ]tatement |date=August 1991 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Westside_Corridor_Project_Multnomah_Wash/WNc3AQAAMAAJ |access-date=May 17, 2025 |via=[[Google Books]]}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|MAX Blue Line}}
*{{Cite web |url=https://trimet.org/schedules/maxblueline.htm |title=MAX Blue Line |publisher=[[TriMet]]}}
*[[Historic American Engineering Record]] (HAER) documentation, filed under Beaverton, Washington County, OR:
**{{HAER |survey=OR-59 |id=or0330 |title=Oregon Electric Railway Westside Corridor |photos=20 |data=10 |cap=1 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=OR-59-A |id=or0357 |title=Oregon Electric Railway Westside Corridor, Hillsboro Extension |photos=14 |data=10 |cap=2 |link=no}}

{{Portland Transit}}
{{Portal bar|Oregon|Trains}}

[[Category:MAX Blue Line| ]]
[[Category:1986 establishments in Oregon]]
[[Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Oregon]]
[[Category:MAX Light Rail|Blue Line]]
[[Category:Rail lines in Oregon]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1986]]