Why is transit priority needed on the Line 15?
Approximately 8,340 people rode the Line 15 daily in fall 2019
During the most congested times, each rider’s one-way trip on the Line 15 could take up to 29 minutes longer than normal
Combined, Line 15 buses are delayed for 77 hours each day due to traffic.* If you add that up for all Line 15 riders, that’s 4,719 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 15
Combined, the funded and proposed Rose Lane projects along the Line 15 could lead to faster trips and help people reach more places:
A faster trip
The projects identified along the Line 15 to date could save riders between 2.5 and 4.5 minutes if they traveled from end to end during the PM peak. If you ride the Line 15 round trip, five days a week, you could get up to 19 hours of your time back each year!
Ability to reach more places
Faster trips means 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 15. 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 15 improvements | +330 | +80 | +210 | +210 |
Rose Lane projects along the Line 15
Funded and in progress
Project location: NW Vaughn St (24th - 23rd)
Project type: Extend right turn pocket
Transit lines benefitting: 15, 77
Project location: W Burnside & 23rd Ave
Project type: Signal upgrades
Transit lines benefitting: 15, 20
Project location: SE Belmont St (MLK – SE 12th)
Project type: Bikes behind bus stop with modular transit platforms
Transit lines benefitting: 15
Project location: SE Morrison St (12th – SE Grand)
Project type: Full-time bus-and-turn lane and modular transit platforms
Transit lines benefitting: 15
The funded and in progress projects on SE Belmont and SE Morrison are being developed through Central City in Motion.
Proposed projects
Project location: SW Alder St (18th - 2nd)
Project type: Re-route lines 15 and 51 eastbound to Alder; bus-and-bike lane from 4th Ave to 2nd Ave
Transit lines benefitting: 15, 51
Learn more about the proposed route changes to the Line 15 as part of TriMet's Vision 2021 Transit Service Improvements
Project location: W Burnside St (23rd - 15th)
Project type: Bus-and-turn lane* eastbound
Transit lines benefitting: 15, 20
Project location: SE Morrison St (14th-12th)
Project type: Transit priority and bike improvement
Transit lines benefitting: 15
Project location: SE Morrison St at 20th
Project type: Create right turn except bus lane, possible stop relocation
Transit lines benefitting: 15
Project location: SE Belmont St at 30th
Project type: Add left turn pockets eastbound and westbound
Transit lines benefitting: 15
Project location: SE Washington St at 82nd
Project type: Extend eastbound left turn pocket to 81st to improve efficiency of existing BAT* lane
Transit lines benefitting: 15
Project location: SE Stark St at 82nd
Project type: Expand hours of pro-time bus-and-turn lane
Transit lines benefitting: 15
*Business Access and Transit (BAT) lanes, also called bus-and-turn lanes or transit/right-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 – Proposed projects along the Line 15 seek to resolve conflicts for bikes that exist today and improve bike access where possible (e.g. on SW Alder between SW 4th and 2nd Ave).
Pedestrian facilities – The SW Alder re-route proposal may include bus stop curb extensions.
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. As we evaluate the performance of the Rose Lane pilots, we may make needed refinements in the future.
Parking removal – Some of the proposed projects along the Line 15 would require parking space to be repurposed or restricted during certain hours. More information will be shared in future outreach as designs are refined.
Next steps
We expect to consult the community as we continue refining the design of these proposed projects as funding is available. We will also continue to partner with TriMet on outreach related to the proposed service re-route on SW Alder. Learn more about the proposed route changes to the Line 15.