TriMet logs ridership growth on Orange Line light-rail route

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) on Tuesday announced that ridership on the MAX Orange Line light-rail route grew to 3,484,200 trips during its second year of operation.

The figure represents a 6.1 percent increase compared with ridership during the Orange Line's first year of operation, when 3,285,400 trips were taken on the line. The route opened in September 2015.

Orange Line ridership averages nearly 67,000 trips each week and continues to rise, TriMet officials said in a press release.

The 7.3-mile line runs from Portland State University to southeast Portland, Milwaukie and north Clackamas County, Oregon. The $1.49 billion Orange Line was completed on time and under budget, agency officials said.