What's happening now?
Monitoring and mitigation update 10/12/2023
In May 2023, PBOT completed signal equipment upgrades along SW Capitol Hwy to better coordinate traffic signal timing and support traffic flow. This includes:
- Installed wireless communications and radar detection along SW Capitol Hwy at Terwilliger, Sunset, Hillsdale Center, and Bertha traffic signals.
- Coordinated traffic signals by synching their clocks to help platoon vehicles.
In late spring 2023, PBOT conducted a second round of motor vehicle traffic conditions monitoring. Data was collected after the signal upgrade mitigation work and prior to the end of the school year in June 2023. This is supplemented with periodic field observations.
PBOT is preparing a second monitoring report with a summary of findings. Completion is anticipated in fall 2023. It will be posted on this website and shared with the project email list. Sign up for project updates below.
Monitoring and mitigation update 4/4/2023
We are pleased to share the Initial Traffic Monitoring Data Report for the project. The report documents three-month post-construction traffic monitoring data for the project, along with key takeaways from the monitoring data. Another round of follow-up data collection will occur in late Spring 2023, after planned signal modifications to address traffic queueing are completed.
Read the Initial Traffic Data Monitoring Report here.
Community feedback is an integral part of our monitoring and mitigation approach. We welcome your input on our approach, our reporting and interpretation of the monitoring data, and any potential mitigation responses we may identify. We also welcome your thoughts on what should be included in the next traffic monitoring data report. If you'd like to leave a comment, please email us at RoseLaneProject@portlandoregon.gov.
Key Takeaways from Initial Post-Project Traffic Monitoring:
- There have been no significant changes in speeding, when comparing 85th percentile speeds on arterial streets or local streets.
- We have observed longer traffic queues, particularly during the PM Peak Hour westbound on SW Capitol Highway from SW Barbur to SW Sunset. We are advancing signal modifications to help mitigate this queuing, which are expected to be completed Spring 2023.
- While daily vehicle volumes on arterials were lower, all decreases are within expected seasonal fluctuations in daily volumes. Daily traffic volumes decreased on all monitored major streets, with total daily volumes decreasing between 2 percent and 12 percent. Lower traffic volumes on major streets are typical during winter months, and all observed decreases are below or within expected seasonal adjustment factors ranging from 10 percent to 15 percent.
- We have not observed changes to vehicle volumes or other patterns on arterials that trigger mitigation, but we will continue to monitor, collect data, and gather feedback from community stakeholders.
- All local streets remain well below our preferred threshold of 1,000 vehicles per day, including streets that are not designated Neighborhood Greenways.
- Changes to daily vehicle volumes on local service streets were minor, with at most an additional 31 vehicles per day. Daily traffic volumes decreased on all monitored local streets except three, and those increases ranged between 25 and 31 additional vehicles per day. While these changes are within expected standard fluctuations in daily volumes, we understand that people living on these streets may notice and feel a difference.
- Changes to Peak Hour vehicle volumes on local service streets were minor, with at most an additional 14 vehicles during Peak Hours. For local streets with increases of Peak Hour vehicle volumes, increases ranged between 3 and 14 additional vehicles during Peak Hours.
Construction update 1/3/2023
We will be upgrading traffic signals in the project area in coming months. New Wavetronix detection equipment and wireless communications will allow us to better coordinate traffic signal timing to support traffic flow. These enhancements are slated for SW Capitol Hwy at Terwilliger Blvd., Sunset Blvd., Hillsdale Center (crossing), and Bertha Ct. These upgrades are estimated to be completed at the end of April 2023.
Construction update 9/27/2022
Major construction is substantially complete. The project team will begin post-project monitoring as described in the Draft Monitoring and Mitigation Memo. We will share monitoring results with the community on this project website and though our project mailing list (sign up below). Please send any comments and questions to the Rose Lane Project RoseLaneProject@portlandoregon.gov email address.
Construction update 9/22/2022
Construction is progressing and ahead of schedule. Long lines have been installed and the contractor will begin applying red paint Thursday evening.
Nightwork is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 22 through Saturday, Sept. 24 from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
People riding transit should visit trimet.org/#alerts/ for the latest service impacts.
Construction update 9/13/2022
Construction begins Monday, Sept. 19 on the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) SW Capitol Highway Rose Lane Project.
Construction will take place weekday evenings from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and is expected to last for two weeks.
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Project overview
This project implemented Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes on SW Capitol Highway from Barbur Boulevard to Bertha Court in both the east and west directions. The BAT lanes were installed in place of the two outside general purpose travel lanes.
Using these lanes:
- Buses can continue straight through intersections in BAT lanes.
- People driving may still use BAT lanes to access business driveways and to turn right at intersections.
PBOT is taking an incremental pilot approach to this project. The pilot approach is an opportunity to deploy change quickly with low-cost treatments, monitor real-world impacts, and respond with design modifications and mitigation as needed.
Project benefits
This project is intended to benefit bus riders who ride TriMet bus lines 39, 44, 45, 54, 55, 56, 61 and 64 to and through Hillsdale Town Center. Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes improve transit reliability and speed, helping bus riders during congested times.
During the evening commute peak, this project is expected to save between one and two minutes per bus trip.
Learn more about project benefits here.
Impact monitoring and mitigation
In the SW Capitol Highway Rose Lane Project area, PBOT is monitoring traffic operations on major streets, at key intersections, and on local streets to understand overall traffic patterns, flag early signs of unwanted behavior, observe any major changes or operational issues, and identify and implement mitigation responses as needed. Through traffic counts, field observations, and video, we are gathering data on speed, turning movement, volume, queueing at intersections, driveway activity, and other observed user behavior.
In Summer 2022, PBOT published a Monitoring and Mitigation Memo outlining our approach to tracking and responding to potential project impacts. In Spring 2022, we visited community groups to gather feedback on where we should focus our monitoring resources. We are committed to completing our monitoring approach as outlined in that memo.
PBOT is collecting a large amount of traffic data for the SW Capitol Highway Rose Lane Project pilot. In response to community concerns about traffic operations along SW Capitol Highway and traffic routing onto local neighborhood streets, we selected more locations for traffic monitoring than is typical for a project of this scale. We are intentionally dedicating resources toward robust monitoring for this project, and we are committed to effective mitigation as needed.
In April 2023, PBOT published the Initial Traffic Data Monitoring Report for the project. PBOT will conduct another round of post-construction traffic monitoring in late Spring with reporting in Summer 2023, after planned signal modifications are completed.
Adjusting to the pandemic and building a just recovery
Covid-19 has had a profound impact on the way we get around, including Portland’s transit system. It has also amplified racial inequities. Our pandemic response must prioritize racial justice and investments that serve communities most affected by this public health crisis.
The Rose Lane Project is still a priority for PBOT. Transit remains one of the most efficient, sustainable and equitable ways to move people around our growing city. The Rose Lane Project will give buses and streetcars a leg up, helping today’s transit riders enjoy a better journey and encouraging more to get on board when it is safe to do so. The improvements we plan to roll out this year will have an immediate impact on Portlanders who must keep riding transit during the pandemic, including frontline workers. It is also a down payment on the future we want, helping our most important transit lines to keep running smoothly as traffic returns and demand grows.
The Rose Lane Project can help us achieve a just recovery. The project timeline is subject to change as we assess and respond to changing conditions.
Project timeline
Construction September 2022
Project funding
$200,000 from Rose Lanes
Public involvement
Upcoming public involvement opportunities
Contact the project team at roselaneproject@portlandoregon.gov to schedule a time with your organization or group.
Past public involvement
- 2022
- March 15 - Southwest Community Services, Office of Community & Civic Life
- March 21 - Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc. Transportation Committee (SWNI TC)
- April 6 - Hillsdale Neighborhood Association
- April 20 - Hillsdale Business and Professional Association
- 2020-2021 – Rose Lane Open House
- 2020 - Council adoption of Portland’s Rose Lane Project
- 2019-2020 – Rose Lane Project open house, online community survey and presentations to community groups
Planning documents
(Note: The following documents have maps and information that may not work with a screen reader. While we work toward providing that level of accessibility, please contact PBOT Project Manager Briana Orr at briana.orr@portlandoregon.gov for assistance with providing access to the information in the documents. You can also contact PBOT’s ADA Coordinator at Lisa.Strader@portlandoregon.gov or at 503-823-5703. Thank you for your patience and understanding.)
- Download the SW Capitol Highway project info sheet (1.19 Mb)
- View the draft design concept online
- Materials from past winter 2020/21 online open house
- Previous versions of the proposed project were featured in the Enhanced Transit Corridors Plan and in the Southwest in Motion Plan. These Council-adopted plans support continued analysis and exploration of the project concepts.