advertisement

---

Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) recently obtained a $37 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration for its Interstate MAX light-rail line, which opened for service in May.

The 5.8-mile light-rail line is spurring new development in the area; about 50 new businesses have opened along the line and more are planned. For example, the Fred Meyer store is investing $20 million to renovate its existing property to accommodate growing customer traffic. A new grocery store also is being built along the line, as well as a 36,000-square-foot transit-oriented village at North Interstate and Killingsworth Street that will include apartments, condominiums, townhomes and street-level retail.

TriMet plans to use the grant to purchase new signs, train control signals and equipment for the 10-station line, which runs from central Portland north along the Interstate 5 corridor.