The new Portland Mall light rail MAX line is being built right outside my office, allowing me to experience the dirt and dust and minor earthquakes created by the implementation of Worldchanging ideas - in this case the reinsertion of electric rail in a major American metropolis.

The new light rail line will create an "X" downtown:

The future MAX Green Line (Clackamas Town Center-City Center) and existing MAX Yellow Line (Expo Center-City Center) will run north-south on new tracks being built on 5th and 6th avenues between Union Station and Portland State University.

The Red and Blue lines will remain in their current configuration, the Yellow line will run north on Interstate, and the new Green line will continue east and link downtown Portland with the I-205 corridor.

Workers are digging holes, laying tracks, and doing their best to save street trees. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2009 - to keep abreast of Portland Mall developments, visit Portlandmall.org.