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The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has granted approval to the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) to enter the final design phase for the 7.3-mile Portland-Milwaukie light-rail project.
 
Following final design, which is projected to take one year to complete, TriMet expects to sign a Full Funding Grant Agreement with the FTA that would commit the federal government to funding 50 percent of the project. Construction would begin after the agreement is signed, which is expected to occur by mid-2012. 

The $1.49 billion project will be TriMet's sixth MAX line. The line will extend from the terminus of the MAX Green and Yellow lines at Portland State University to South Waterfront, SE Portland, Milwaukie and Park Avenue in Clackamas County. The project includes a light-rail bridge over the Willamette River.

Because migrating fish limit the timeframe for construction around the river, the FTA approved the start of early construction work on the bridge in July.