PORTLAND, Ore. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE) — TriMet riders will begin using a few of the coming Division Transit Project bus stations on Saturday, Feb. 20.
The project is TriMet’s first bus rapid transit project intended to provide faster, higher capacity bus service. It is scheduled to open along Division Street between Portland and Gresham with longer articulated buses on Sept. 18, 2022.
In the meantime, three of the stations will open to conventional buses on Feb. 20. They are located on Division at Southeast 20th and 26th avenues.
The regional transit agency has dubbed the new service TriMet FX for Frequent Express. It is intended to reduce travel times up to 20%, with buses running every 12 minutes and more often during peak hours.
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When completed, TriMet said the 15-mile project will improve bus service in the transit corridor by providing:
• Longer buses with room for 60% more riders.
• Multiple-door boarding for briefer stops.
• Expanded bus stations with amenities such as weather protection.
• Stations located where rider demand is greatest — minimizing travel times while providing important transit connections.
• Transit signal priority — traffic signals prioritize bus travel, getting riders to their destinations faster.
Project costs are approximately $175 million, funded by state, regional, local and federal funding contributions.
Metro, the elected regional government, began planning for the project in 2014 by convening a project steering committee and holding a series of public open houses and meetings. The committee of key stakeholders and community members approved the project plan, formally known as the “Locally Preferred Alternative,” in November 2016.
It was unanimously approved by the cities of Gresham and Portland, the Multnomah County Commission and the TriMet Board of Directors. Metro transferred project leadership to TriMet on December 20, 2016.
More information on the project can be found here.