THIS RELEASE WAS POSTED IN SUMMER, 2015
FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON SHUTTLE SERVICE IN WASHINGTON PARK, PLEASE VISIT WWW.EXPLOREWASHINGTONPARK.ORG
(Portland, OR) –
Free park-wide shuttle and customer service staff help visitors explore Washington Park
Portland’s amazing Washington Park has a new, FREE park-wide shuttle starting operation 7-days-a-week on Memorial Day weekend. The shuttle reduces car trips to and around the park by allowing visitors to park once - or to take TriMet/MAX - and then explore the entire park by hopping on and off at any of the nine stops.
The Washington Park Free Shuttle started running on weekends during the first week in May, 2015 and welcomed more than 2,600 riders over just three weekends. The free service now expands from weekends only to everyday summer service on Saturday, May 23.
The shuttle consists of 2015 model-year buses, each with capacity for 24 passengers. Each bus is ADA-accessible and runs continuous loops inside the park. The free shuttle has nine designated stops (see attachment) and runs every day, seven days a week, from 9am to 6pm. The free Washington Park shuttle arrives approximately every 15 minutes.
“The daily free shuttle is an amazing addition to the park, and allows visitors to explore this beautiful place without having to worry about driving or re-parking to get from one venue to another,” says Ruth Shelly, Executive Director of Portland Children's Museum and Chair of the Washington Park Transportation Management Association (TMA) Board of Directors. “This service fulfills a promise we made to the public to provide a free park-wide shuttle and is a huge step in improving public access to the park, reducing congestion, and lessening environmental impact.”
explorewashingtonpark.org/sites/default/files/EWP_Map_Annual2018_Map.pdf
More than three million people visit Washington Park each year. The free park shuttle will help guests access all the park’s magnificent attractions while reducing the amount of time they spend moving or riding in a car.
The free shuttle stops at nine sites, including world-renowned park attractions such as the International Rose Test Garden, Portland Japanese Garden, Hoyt Arboretum Visitors Center, and the Washington Park MAX station where guest can access the Portland Children’s Museum, Oregon Zoo, and World Forestry Center. Other stops include the Vietnam and Holocaust memorials, the huge children’s playground, and the archery range.
It takes about 15 minutes on the shuttle to get from one end of the park to the other and about 30 minutes to ride the entire loop. Park visitors can look for the “Free Washington Park Shuttle signs” located at the park’s major attractions.
In addition to the seven-day-a-week free shuttle within Washington Park, the TMA operates a free shuttle to and from the park’s overflow parking lots. On the most popular summer days, even these overflow parking lots can fill quickly and park guests are encouraged to take public transit.
The TMA also provides Washington Park Customer Service Staff at information kiosks located at the Washington Park MAX station and the Rose Garden plaza. Staff will be in the park daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m. starting June 3 and will provide information on park attractions and how to use the Washington Park shuttle. TMA Customer Service staff had over 17,000 conversations during the 2014 season and provided over 10,000 Washington Park maps.
The Washington Park free shuttle and the customer service staff are all a part of the TMA’s efforts to improve access to, and within, Portland’s most visited park. These efforts are paid for entirely from Washington Park parking revenue, 100% of which is used for transportation and parking-related projects in and around Washington Park.
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