February 28, 2006

Open house features Portland Mall Project and bus relocation options

In March, TriMet will host a series of open houses to review future service plans and projects, including the I-205/Portland Mall Light Rail project and the Washington County Commuter Rail project.

Open house:

Date: Wednesday, March 15
Times: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-7 p.m.
Place: Portland Building, 2nd Floor, Room C
1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland, OR
Plan a trip to the meeting

The I-205/Portland Mall Light Rail project will help revitalize the Portland Mall, bring MAX light rail service through the heart of downtown and add capacity for the growing MAX system.

This project will add light rail to 5th and 6th avenues between Union Station and Portland State University, and between Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center. The 8.3-mile extension is set to begin construction in mid-January 2007.

The open house will also focus on TriMet's Transit Investment Plan (TIP), a rolling five-year plan, which lays out strategies to meet the region's transportation and livability goals.

The TIP is updated and revised annually, providing a framework for TriMet in partnership with local jurisdictions to leverage investment to improve the region's total transit system. Those plans include adding more Frequent Service bus lines, expanding high capacity transit and local service, and improving amenities, information, reliability, comfort and security.

Bus relocation options

Light rail construction on the Portland Mall requires all buses to be moved off 5th and 6th avenues. Currently, 29 bus lines provide service along the Portland Mall, but no pair of streets in downtown Portland can handle all of the buses from the Mall. TriMet has developed two options for relocating service between mid-January 2007 until Spring 2009:

Option 1

Moving 21 bus lines to 3rd and 4th avenues would most closely mirror current downtown bus service on the Mall. Additionally, eight lines would move to SW Columbia and Jefferson streets and provide improved east-west connections. Six bus lines that cross the Mall would remain unchanged.

Option 2

This option is the same as Option 1, except only 15 bus lines would move to 3rd and 4th avenues and six bus lines would move to 10th and 11th avenues. Service on 10th and 11th would use Portland Streetcar shelters and stops, and increase the need for transfers.

Comment period

To see detailed information on the options, or to receive updates by email, visit us online at trimet.org. TriMet is soliciting public comment on these options through March 2006. The relocation plan will be finalized by June 1, 2006.