16.50.001 Purpose.
(Amended by Ordinance 182921, effective June 17, 2009.)
- This section describes how mass transit lanes, the Transit Mall and Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes are designated, the regulations that apply, and which vehicles may use them.
16.50.100 Designation of Transit Lanes.
(Amended by Ordinance 182921, effective June 17, 2009.)
- Designation of transit lanes, excluding the Transit Mall and Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes separately designated herein will be made by the City Traffic Engineer upon advice of the City Engineer and the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet). Designation will be shown by official signs or markings. Signs or markings will distinguish whether the transit lane may be used by:
- A. Bus only;
- B. Light rail vehicle only;
- C. Trolley or streetcar vehicle; or
- D. Carpool vehicle only; or some combination of the above.
16.50.110 Designation of the Transit Mall and Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes.
(Added by Ordinance 182921, effective June 17, 2009.)
- The Transit Mall is hereby designated to be that portion of 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue between NW Irving Street and SW Jackson Street including NW Irving Street between NW 5th Avenue and NW 6th Avenue, and SW Morrison and Yamhill Streets between SW 4th Avenue and SW Broadway specifically designated with official signs or marking for the use of transit vehicles. The automobile lanes on 5th Avenue, 6th Avenue, NW Irving Street, SW Morrison Street and SW Yamhill Street adjacent the Transit Mall are hereby designated as Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes for purposes of this Section.
16.50.200 Prohibited Use of Transit Lanes, Transit Mall and Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes.
(Amended by Ordinance 182921, effective June 17, 2009.)
- A. Except as otherwise provided for in this Section, no vehicle may enter upon, park on, or use an officially designated transit lane, or the Transit Mall.
- B. Restrictions on transit lane use will vary depending on whether the lane is designated for light rail, motor bus, trolley, or carpool use.
- C. Except as otherwise provided for in this Section, no vehicle may stop or park on Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes except vehicles acting in compliance with law, or at the direction of a police officer or a control device or Multnomah County prisoner transfer vehicles actively transferring people.
- D. Except vehicles may cross the Transit mall to ingress or egress the following driveways provided that the vehicles shall obey all applicable traffic control devices:
- 1. The driveway located on the west side of SW 5th Avenue immediately south of SW Jefferson Street.
- 2. The first two driveways located on the west side of SW 5th Avenue immediately north of SW College Street.
- 3. The driveway located on the west side of SW 5th Avenue immediately south of SW Harrison Street.
16.50.300 Vehicles Allowed In Transit Lanes, Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes and on the Transit Mall.
(Amended by Ordinances 182921 and 183979, effective August 13, 2010.)
- The following vehicles may enter upon, stop or park in a transit lane or the Transit Mall:
- A. A vehicle owned or operated by the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon.
- B. A vehicle so allowed by the terms of a maintenance contract with the City of Portland or TriMet or City Transportation maintenance crews engaged in maintenance.
- C. A police, fire, ambulance, or outpatient vehicle, if performing emergency services.
- D. A vehicle and equipment engaged in emergency response:
- 1. Towing;
- 2. Snow removal; or
- 3. Street, sewer, utility, bus or fire alarm repair.
- E. Street Car.
16.50.400 Vehicles Allowed in Non Transit Mall Transit Lanes During Certain Hours.
(Amended by Ordinances 173627, 182389 and 182921, effective June 17, 2009.)
- A. A vehicle may enter upon and park in a transit lane if the lane is closed by a street closure permit from the City Engineer per Title 17 and if the vehicle is specifically authorized to do so by the street closure permit.
- B. A vehicle with a travel lane parking permit (16.20.550) or an angle loading permit (16.20.540) may park in a transit lane if authorized to do so by the permit.
- C. A public utility or construction vehicle engaged in work on or adjacent to a transit lane may enter upon, park, and use transit lanes designated for bus-only use except during the following hours: 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, after giving notification as required by regulations governing the Special Traffic Control District (17.23.050).
- D. A public utility or construction vehicle engaged in work on or adjacent to a transit lane may enter upon, park, and use transit lanes designated for bus-only use between the hours of 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and/or 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, when specifically allowed during this time by a permit from the City Traffic Engineer. The City Traffic Engineer will notify Tri-Met and the City Engineer before issuing such a permit.
- E. A vehicle requiring direct access to properties facing a transit lane for ingress/egress or special loading may enter upon and use (but not park in) the transit lane(s) between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. A permit from the City Traffic Engineer is required for this access between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
- F. A taxicab, for hire vehicle, delivery vehicle, maintenance vehicle, or garbage truck may enter certain transit lanes during times established by the Bureau of Transportation’s Administrative Rules.
16.50.410 Vehicles Allowed on the Transit Mall and Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes by Permit.
- A. A public utility or construction vehicle engaged on or adjacent to the Transit Mall may enter upon, park and use the Transit Mall and/or the Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes if the Transit Mall and/or Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes are closed by permit from the City Engineer per Title17, or TriMet access permit, and the vehicle is specifically authorized to do so by the permit.
- B. Except in the case of emergency and as otherwise provided for herein, the City Engineer shall not issue permits for the use of Auxiliary Vehicular Lanes between the hours of 6:00 AM and 7:00 PM Monday through Friday. The City Engineer may issue permits for Saturday and/or Sunday, but permits shall be short term closures as required for operational safety of the service provider and shall not interrupt TriMet service. The Director of Transportation may approve a short term (3 days or less) permit, during otherwise restricted times, with agreement from Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet). The Director shall establish rules and procedures for this type of closure.
- 1. “Emergency” shall mean any unscheduled repair of existing facilities which must be accomplished immediately to protect the life, health and well being of the public, or to protect public or private property. Under this definition, “emergency” work shall encompass only immediately required repairs and shall not include extensive replacement or upgrading of the facility.
- C. The City Engineer may issue permits for the use of Auxiliary Vehicular Lane on SW 6th Avenue between SW Taylor and SW Morrison Streets to accommodate events permitted and authorized by Pioneer Courthouse Square, Inc. as may be deemed appropriate in the judgment of the City Engineer.
- D. All permits shall include a traffic control plan approved by the City Engineer and Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet).
16.50.500 Regulation and Permit Procedure.
- A. The Traffic Engineer must notify the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon of any rule, regulation or permit proposed to be issued under this chapter. The rule, regulation or permit will become effective on a date agreed upon by both parties. In the event of disagreement between Tri-Met and the Traffic Engineer, the City Council will determine whether the rule be adopted or the permit issued based upon the amount of interference to mass transit operations.
- B. No limitation or prohibition of use herein applies to vehicles on a street intersecting or crossing a transit lane unless it is specifically designated as a transit lane.