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A new Rockwood MAX station in Gresham will open at the beginning of service Friday, replacing a 25-year old station that was perceived as unsafe.

The new station, built by Skanska USA, was funded by a $3 million grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Connect Oregon II program, $2.15 million from the Gresham Redevelopment Commission and $160,000 from TriMet. The project is part of a Rockwood in Motion revitalization effort underway in Gresham.

鈥淭he city, as part of its overall vision for the area’s redevelopment, felt that having the stations adjacent to each other rather than split, and having the area more pedestrian-friendly, would help prompt redevelopment in the area,鈥� said TriMet spokeswoman Mary Fetsch. 鈥淚t’s a more open station with open sightlines. It’s really very attractive and it serves as the anchor for that area.鈥�

The new station, located at East 188^th Avenue, has closed-circuit security cameras, additional lighting and updated signal improvements. A large, colorful art piece called 鈥淩ockwood Sunrise鈥� by Seattle artist Dan Corson frames the station.

Demolition of the old eastbound platform and interim westbound platform will begin May 31.