TriMet installs vegetated trackway at future light-rail station

Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
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The Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project is taking sustainable transit further with a pilot installation of eco-track on SW Lincoln Street downtown.

 

This vegetated trackway will provide a colorful carpet of low-growing plants along 200 feet of light-rail line, on either side of the Lincoln St/SW 3rd Ave. MAX Station platforms.

TriMet says although “green” or “grass” trackways exist in Europe, it’s a rare application in the United States. The eco-track provides a vegetated trackway area pervious to stormwater, thus reducing runoff. The eco-track is comprised of one-in. thick mats with various sedum species. Installation was done by Stacy and Witbeck, Inc.

Sedums are a hardy, low-maintenance vegetation and commonly used on eco-roofs. The sedum planting will be irrigated with a drip watering system for establishment then irrigated on an as-needed basis.

In addition to the eco-track installation, the light-rail project has replaced removed trees and is incorporating sidewalk stormwater planters on SW Lincoln Street.

The 7.3-mile project is the region’s sixth MAX construction project to be built and extends from the terminus of the MAX Green and Yellow lines at Portland State University in Downtown Portland to South Waterfront, SE Portland, Milwaukie and North Clackamas County. The line is scheduled to open September 12, 2015.

 

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