Amid rapid growth and worsening congestion at Portland International Airport , engineering firm Bechtel submitted an unsolicited proposal in 1997 to design and build an airport light rail extension in exchange for development rights to an area of undeveloped property east of the airport called the Portland International Center , later renamed Cascade Station . A public – private partnership between the company , the Port of Portland , and local governments was subsequently negotiated and the Airport MAX project began construction in June 1999 . With no federal assistance requested and public right-of-way already secured , the four-station , extension , between Gateway Transit Center and Portland International Airport station , opened for Red Line service on September 10 , 2001 . Celebrations slated for that weekend were canceled in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks , which took place the following day . The Red Line originally ran between the airport and the Library and Galleria stations , turning around at the 11th Avenue loop tracks . On September 1 , 2003 , it was extended west to Beaverton Transit Center in an effort to relieve overcrowding on the Blue Line and to create a one-seat airport connection for the west side
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
MAX Light Rail