Why is transit priority needed on the Line 14?
Approximately 6,030 people rode the Line 14 daily in fall 2019.
During the most congested times, each rider’s one-way trip on the Line 14 could take up to 15 minutes longer than normal.
Combined, Line 14 buses are delayed for 41 hours each day due to traffic.* If you add that up for all Line 14 riders, that’s 2,779 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 14
Combined, the completed, funded and proposed Rose Lane projects along the Line 14 could lead to faster trips and help people reach more places:
A faster trip
The projects identified along the Line 14 to date could save riders between 1 and 2.5 minutes if they traveled from end to end during the PM peak. If you ride the Line 14 round trip, five days a week, you could get up to 8 hours of your time back each year!
What could this look like for someone who works in downtown at SW Broadway and SW Main and commutes home to SE Hawthorne at SE 50th at 5 p.m.? This person could save around 2 minutes just from the Rose Lane improvements along that portion of the Line 14 route:
Travel time today: 29 minutes
With Rose Lanes: 27 minutes (5% faster)
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 14. 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 14 improvements | +150 | +40 | +110 | +140 |
Rose Lane projects along the Line 14
Completed projects
Project name: SW Madison Bus and Bike Lane Project
Project location SW Madison Street between SW 5th and SW 1st avenues
Project type: Bus-and-bike lane eastbound
Transit lines benefitting: 2, 6, 10, 14 and 30
Learn more about this project 🡢
Funded and in-progress projects
Project name: Hawthorne and Madison Multimodal Improvement Project
Project location: SE Hawthorne Boulevard from SE Grand to SE 12th avenues
Project type: Bus and bike lane improvements, pedestrian crossing improvements
Transit lines benefitting: 2, 10 and 14
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 name: Hawthorne and Madison Multimodal Improvement Project
Project location: SE Madison Street from SE Grand to SE 12th avenues
Project type: Bus and bike lane improvements, pedestrian crossing improvements
Transit lines benefitting: 2, 10 and 14
Learn more about this project 🡢
Proposed projects
Project location: SE Hawthorne Blvd approaching Cesar Chavez
Project type: Right turn except bus lanes in both directions
Transit lines benefitting: 14
This project is being evaluated through the Hawthorne Pave and Paint project. More information on the alternatives being considered in this area is available in the Hawthorne Pave and Paint alternatives report. Final recommendation expected by early 2021.
Potential impacts and considerations for other modes
There are potential trade-offs to consider when implementing transit priority improvements. SE Hawthorne Boulevard serves many multi-modal functions. Portland’s Transportation System Plan classifies SE Hawthorne Boulevard as a Civic Main Street, a Major Transit Priority Street, a Major City Walkway, and a District Collector for traffic. West of SE 12th Avenue, SE Hawthorne is classified as a Major City Bikeway, and east of 12th Avenue, it is classified as a City Bikeway. Therefore, according to policy, west of SE 12th Avenue, the street should put a high emphasis on pedestrian, bicycle, and transit mobility, and a medium emphasis on automobile traffic mobility. East of 12th Avenue, the street should put a high emphasis on pedestrian and transit mobility and a medium emphasis on bicycle and automobile traffic mobility. 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.
Pedestrian infrastructure and safety – High visibility crosswalks at signalized intersections between SE Grand and 12th avenues will make street crossings safer for pedestrians.
The proposed project at Cesar Chavez would happen in conjunction with other elements of the Hawthorne Pave and Paint, including substantial improvements to pedestrian crossings along the Hawthorne corridor in this vicinity.
Bike facilities – Protected bike lanes will be added to SE Hawthorne Boulevard between SE Grand and SE 12th avenues as part of the funded and in progress project in that location. The Hawthorne Pave and Paint process is evaluating various opportunities to improve access for bicyclists between SE 12th and SE 50th avenues. Bus-bicycle user safety on other 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 – Automobile traffic impacts for SE Hawthorne and SE Madison have been evaluated as part of the project from SE Grand to 12th avenues and are within acceptable limits. Project elements include restricting turns at some intersections to prevent cut-through traffic on adjacent streets.
The different alternatives within the Hawthorne Pave and Paint project have differing impacts on travel time and diversion. Implementation of this project would mean cars cannot use the outer lane for through movement. The specific impacts of this on travel time and diversion are still under evaluation.
Parking removal – Some parking and loading zones are impacted by these projects. Both projects will remove parking adjacent to intersections and driveways to improve sightlines and safety. In addition, on SE Hawthorne and Madison between SE Grand and SE 12th avenues, parking will be removed to accommodate bus and bike lane improvements.
PBOT will continue to evaluate and monitor for these impacts before and after the project is installed.
Next steps
The Central City in Motion project team is currently reviewing draft plans for the funded and in progress projects on SE Hawthorne and SE Madison between Grand and 12th. Construction is expected in 2021.
The Hawthorne Pave and Paint team expects to make a recommendation on the final alternative in late 2020 or early 2021. Paving is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2021.