« Free Trade in Bikes? | Main | Flexcar Getting Stiffed? »
May 10, 2006
Updated bus relocation plan unveiled
TriMet today unveiled an updated plan to relocate buses off the Portland Mall during construction of the Portland Mall Light Rail project. The project is part of the 8.3-mile I-205/Portland Mall Light Rail extension set to begin construction in mid-January 2007.
After receiving hundreds of public comments and completing additional traffic analysis, TriMet updated its Option 1 proposal. Riders wanted service to closely mirror existing Mall operations, keeping buses close together to ensure convenient transfer between lines.
Updated Plan
- 19 bus lines will run on 3rd and 4th avenues
- 8 bus lines will run on Columbia and Jefferson streets
- Line 14-Hawthorne will run on SW 2nd Ave and cross the Morrison Bridge before returning to its regular route on SE Hawthorne.
- Other routing or scheduling changes will affect lines 1, 16, 41, 55, 63, 68 and 95.
The plan will keep traffic on these streets moving, provide access to parking garages and accommodate buses during construction. Buses will be relocated between mid-January 2007 until spring 2009. For full plan details visit trimet.org.
Comment period
TriMet is accepting public comment on the updated bus relocation plan through May 31, 2006:
Email: busplan@trimet.org
Call 503-238-RIDE weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Fax: 503-962-2481
TTY: 503-238-5811
Posted by Mary Fetsch, TriMet at 12:15 PM
Comments
May 10, 2006 12:54 PM
Garlynn Says:
I can understand what Tri-Met's trying to do here...
...but looking at the map, it sure is going to be a bloody mess. People trying to catch the 14 to Hawthorne from downtown are going to need a LOT of help finding the route, since it won't be stopping on the same street as any of the other bus lines.
Say you're a tourist. You're in downtown. You want to go to this famed Hawthorne neighborhood to eat dinner and catch a flick at the Baghdad. How are you going to find your bus route?
May 10, 2006 12:58 PM
Bob R. Says:
It's going to come down to signage, signage, signage, and extra employees providing rider information on the street.
At yesterday's mall CAC meeting, one of the CAC members suggested opening a transit info office in a currently-unused city-owned space down there (I forget the exact location.)
But, the latest plan is definitely better than having some things on 10th/11th and some on 3rd/4th. Imagine having to tell your hypothetical tourist, standing on 3rd, that they need to go up to 11th to catch their bus. :-)
- Bob R.
May 10, 2006 1:07 PM
torridjoe Says:
It was a tough choice: crippling congestion, or mass confusion? As bad as it is, at least congestion is the devil everybody understands.
I sure would love to see the details of that traffic study. Anybody who travels 3rd or 4th between 5 and 530 knows it goes VERY slowly. Adding 90 buses to the mix? No, that won't add any congestion, I'm sure...
May 10, 2006 1:18 PM
Bob R. Says:
The quote given at the CAC meeting was that the additional congestion (I believe between Salmon and Stark) would increase average travel times at peak hour by around 30 seconds.
What should be of some help on the congestion issue is that a particular bus will stop every 4-5 blocks, rather than every 2 blocks as currently happens on the mall. This will reduce bus weaving, and will also get people used to the idea of the future bus spacing on the rebuilt mall.
- Bob R.
May 10, 2006 2:17 PM
Frank Dufay Says:
The last time the #14 was routed across the Morrison Bridge, it doubled my time to get to work from SE Hawthorne & 22nd. Part of the frustration was having buses stopped to get "caught up" with their schedules as soon as they hit downtown...despite being full of commuters anxious to get to their downtown destinations and off the bus!
May 10, 2006 2:22 PM
Jon Says:
TriMet also purchased new LRVs for the Green Line from Siemens, they are identical to the ones in Houston...
www.kgw.com
May 10, 2006 2:50 PM
Bob R. Says:
Jon -
FYI, I posted a lengthy comment about the new Siemens vehicles over in this thread:
http://portlandtransport.com/archives/2006/05/watching_it_unf_1.html#c3841
- Bob R.
May 10, 2006 4:01 PM
Jason McHuff Says:
Someone is right on top of things...
I agree that the map does look complex and makes it look like bus service is going to be spread out. As for the 14, for better or worse they deserve credit for the idea of putting it on 2nd. The thing that I still do not see addressed, and affects me personally, is Union Station service. It appears that the 35, 54, 56, etc are going to be turned at Burnside and only the 9 will go close to it. How about having some buses do a 4th-Hoyt-3rd loop?
BTW, and in case Mr. Dufay or anyone else is interested, the Hawthorne Bridge closue plan is in the Internet Archive. And in the KGW video, the SUV in the background appears to make a traffic violation...
