PDX Officials Shake Up How Travelers Get To and From the Airport

Portland International Airport will move pickups for taxis, Ubers and Lyft into its parking garage, a move that it says will clear 1 million vehicles off its main road.

The airport on Tuesday debuted a new “transportation plaza,” moving pick-up areas for ride-share vehicles and taxis off the main roadway and into the first floor of the short-term garage.

New signs will lead arriving passengers to the designated pick-up areas for Uber, Lyft, taxis and other commercial vehicles. Meanwhile, departing travelers will continue to use the same drop-off area on the main level.

Port of Portland spokesperson Allison Ferré said airport officials hope rerouting the million vehicles-for-hire that pick up passengers each year will make pickups faster and safer for all travelers, in part by reducing congestion on the main roadway in front of the terminal.

TriMet over the weekend also reopened its MAX Red Line, which runs between the Gateway Transit Center and the airport.

The light rail line had been under construction for the past four months, and passengers were shuttled between the two stops via bus, which added about 30 minutes to the journey. The construction project added a second train track to the line. TriMet is continuing to extend the line and plans to have direct service to Hillsboro, without a transfer, by 2024.

The changes are the latest in a series of construction upgrades to the airport. Renovations to the main terminal are scheduled to wrap up in May 2024. Its centerpiece will be a dramatic nine-acre wooden rooftop.

Crews are also preparing the rest of the airport for new shops and restaurants, and building new heating and security systems.

The renovation of the airport is expected to cost about $2.15 billion.