TriMet and the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) have been working together to implement inexpensive improvements to lanes and intersections to help reduce bus delays and traffic congestion, proving that lane size matters.
Last fall, PBOT made a small striping adjustment to the eastbound lanes of SE Division Street at SE 60th Avenue. By expanding the through-lane by 12 inches, buses gained enough room to pass safely through the intersection any time they have a green light. Before the lane was widened, buses would get stuck behind autos turning left from Division. The re-striping project helped reduce delays on Line 2-Division by 23 percent during the evening commute and 10 percent all day. It also benefited autos, giving them more room to move around those turning too.
About Line 2-Division
Line 2 is TriMet’s third busiest bus line, with riders hopping on more than 9,300 times each day. The line stretches 14 miles between Pioneer Courthouse Square and Gresham Transit Center. Line 2 is one of TriMet’s 20 Frequent Service bus and MAX lines, with vehicles departing every 15 minutes or less most of the day, every day. It follows much of the same route that will be served by the Division Transit Project, which will improve speed and reliability through the corridor even more. Construction is set to begin later this year.
Working together to make transit better
Through a strategic partnership and commitment to make transit better, TriMet and PBOT are working together to speed up buses and keep them on time. Since September 2017, PBOT has completed 12 small, inexpensive improvements to lanes and intersections that have reduced bus delays caused by traffic congestion. Combined, they improved reliability and performance on 12 bus lines, cutting traffic-related delays by as much as 58 percent.
Working with TriMet and Metro, PBOT has also launched Central City in Motion, a $30 million plan to improve transportation in downtown Portland, benefiting communities across the metro area. The first Central City in Motion project on SW Madison helped speed up five TriMet bus lines that serve riders from North Portland to Gresham and Estacada. The project grew out of the Enhanced Transit Corridors concept. The comprehensive plan is designed to make transit faster and more reliable to help address the region’s growth and traffic congestion.
