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Harper Paramchuk, who began riding TriMet around age 13, said public transit makes it easier to meet up with friends. “TriMet’s better with friends,” Paramchuk said. “It’s just super easy to go hang out with everyone, and it just makes life easier.” The growth is also rooted in community ownership, Stavenjord said. “The part that I love the most is that there are so many local residents that are starting businesses here,” she said. “When you walk into our store, it’s not just welcome to our store, it’s welcome to our community.” For people driving to the line, the Southeast Park Avenue Park & Ride is one stop away from downtown Milwaukie and offers free parking for TriMet riders.