Why is transit priority needed on the Line 12?
Approximately 7,910 people rode the Line 12 daily in fall 2019.
During the most congested times, each rider’s one-way trip on the Line 12 could take up to 30 minutes longer than normal.
Combined, Line 12 buses are delayed for 78 hours each day due to traffic.* If you add that up for all Line 12 riders, that’s 5,138 hours of people’s time lost!
This delay wastes people’s time, costs our system money and keeps TriMet from being able to run more buses in this corridor.
*Based on 2018 observed run time data
What the Rose Lane Project will do for riders of the Line 12
Combined, the completed, funded and proposed Rose Lane projects along the Line 12 could lead to faster trips and help people reach more places:
A faster trip
The projects identified along the Line 12 to date could save riders between 4 and 7.5 minutes if they traveled from end to end during the PM peak. If you ride the Line 12 round trip, five days a week, you could get up to 34 hours of your time back each year!
Ability to reach more places
Faster trips mean you can reach more places within a reasonable transit ride. The map below shows the change in number of jobs and places people can access due the Rose Lane projects identified to date along the Line 12. The darker the shading, the more jobs and destinations you can now reach from that starting place in 45 minutes by transit.
| Demographic group | All Residents | Black Residents | People of Color | Households in Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average estimated change in jobs/places reachable in 45 minutes by transit due to Line 12 improvements | +820 | +460 | +620 | +730 |
Rose Lane projects along the Line 12
Completed/Built
Project location: Burnside Bridge (W 2nd to E MLK)
Project type: Bus-only lane eastbound
Transit lines benefitting: 12, 19, 20
Learn more about this project 🡢
Project location: NE Sandy Blvd at Prescott St
Project type: Right turn except bus eastbound
Transit lines benefitting: 12
Project location: NE Sandy Blvd at 57th/Alameda
Project type: Reduce complexity of intersection and signal cycle length by changing traffic circulation
Transit lines benefitting: 12
Project location: NE Couch St (12th - Grand)
Project type: Bus-and-bike-and-turn lane* westbound
Transit lines benefitting: 20, 12, 19
Project location: E Burnside St (MLK - 12th)
Project type: Bus-and-turn lane*
Transit lines benefitting: 20, 12, 19
This project will be analyzed before and after construction to evaluate user safety, especially with respect to conflicts between turning vehicles, buses, and bicyclists at signalized intersections.
Learn more about this project 🡢
Design & Construction/Funded and in progress
Project location: SW 4th Avenue between SW Grant and SW Mill
Project type: Bus-and-turn lane* northbound
Transit lines benefitting: 9, 12, 17, 43, 44
This project will be analyzed before and after construction to evaluate user safety, especially with respect to conflicts between turning vehicles, buses, and bicyclists at signalized intersections.
Learn more about this project 🡢
Project location: W Burnside St (Broadway - W 2nd)
Project type: Bus-and-turn lane* eastbound
Transit lines benefitting: 12, 19, 20
Exploratory & planning/Proposed projects
These proposed project are not currently active. They are not funded. There is no timeline for further planning, project development or public engagement at this time. It remains in the “Exploratory & planning” phase.
Project location: NE Sandy Blvd at Broadway and 37th
Project type: Convert outer lanes to bus-and-turn lanes*
Transit lines benefitting: 12
Project location: NE Sandy Blvd at Irving and Glisan
Project type: Convert outer lane to right turn except bus approaching intersection, both directions
Transit lines benefitting: 12
Project location: NE Sandy Blvd at Prescott and Fremont
Project type: Convert outer lane to right turn except bus approaching intersection. Westbound only approaching Prescott. Eastbound only approaching Fremont.
Transit lines benefitting: 12
*Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes, also called bus/transit-and-turn lanes, are primarily for transit use. Only transit may continue through the intersection every block. Other drivers can enter the lane mid-block to access a business driveway, on-street parking or to turn right at the next intersection.
Potential impacts and considerations for other modes
There are potential trade-offs to consider when implementing transit priority improvements. The impact of Rose Lane improvements on other modes will be considered along with the potential transit benefit of each improvement.
Emergency vehicles – – Emergency response vehicles can use transit priority lanes to bypass motor vehicle congestion.
Bike facilities – The proposed projects along the Line 12 will not impact any existing bike facilities. The 57th/Alameda project will improve the neighborhood greenway. NE Couch St currently provides a separated bicycle facility from 6th to the west, but 7th Ave will soon become a major bikeway with the upcoming opening of the Earl Blumenauer Bridge across Sullivan’s Gulch. The proposed project would create a shared bus/bike lane, improving connections to these facilities. Bus-bicycle user safety on projects along this line will be evaluated through a partnership between PBOT and the Kiewit Center for Infrastructure and Transportation Research at Oregon State University. Findings from this study will inform future intersection designs.
Traffic travel time and diversion – The proposed improvements along this corridor will likely cause some additional delay for drivers at peak times. These impacts are not expected to cause operational or safety impacts in the corridor.
Parking removal – Some of the proposed projects along the Line 12 may require parking space to be repurposed or restricted to certain hours. More information will be shared in future outreach as designs are refined.
Next steps
These proposed project are not currently active. They are not funded. There is no timeline for further planning, project development or public engagement at this time. It remains in the “Exploratory & planning” phase.
We expect to consult the community when we continue refining the design of these proposed projects as funding becomes available.