TriMet provides bus, light rail and commuter rail transit services in the Portland, Oregon, metro area. We connect people with their community, while easing traffic congestion and reducing air pollution—making the Portland area a better place to live. More
Service Enhancement Plans
Despite the current recession, the Portland metro region is growing. The region’s population is expected to gain up to 1 million new residents in the next 20 years, bringing with them new housing and job growth as well as new demands on our transportation systems. TriMet must grow with the region, and despite current economic and budget challenges, now is the time to plan for new services.
Introducing TriMet’s Service Enhancement Plans
Our Service Enhancement Plans are a multi-year effort to plan for new and improved service in the region. The process will look at growth and engage local communities to determine where new service should be located and how to improve existing services for future growth.
In 2012, the service enhancement process was focused on the Westside. In 2013, we will focus on East Portland and cities of East Multnomah County, and Southwest Portland and cities of Washington County. Then, in 2014, we will turn our attention south to the cities of Clackamas County, followed by Central and North Portland in 2015.
Enhancement Plans will help guide and outline priorities for where to make future transit investments and identify for jurisdictions where pedestrian and bicycle improvements will best support access to transit.
Planning for the future
The Service Enhancement Plans will take account of current plans and programs, look at new data including the most recent Census, review plans for residential and commercial growth, consider infrastructure improvements, understand demographic changes and equity considerations, and hold a series of conversations with jurisdictions, employers, institutions, and neighborhood and community groups. Additional opportunities to provide input will occur at outreach meetings and via online channels.
These initiatives will result in a new long-term service plan that will inform our Transit Investment Priorities (TIP) program, identifying areas for future service and opportunities to partner with jurisdictions and the private sector for access to transit improvements. The process will identify:
- near-term bus service improvements that can be made with limited or no additional cost
- longer-term improvements with expanded service in all areas of our region
- immediate and future partnership opportunities with the private sector and with ODOT, cities and counties to improve access to transit (including walking and biking to bus stops and MAX stations)
This effort is part of our goal to develop new and better service for the region, with implementation occurring once the economy rebounds and Frequent Service and MAX service return to pre-recession levels.
Westside Service Enhancements
Since January 2012, we have been taking a new look at how transit service and access to transit can be improved to better serve the changing face of the Westside. The Westside Service Enhancement Plan focuses on Beaverton, Hillsboro, Cornelius, Forest Grove and Washington County, including Aloha/Reedville, Bethany, Rock Creek, Cedar Hills and Cedar Mill.
Over the past 15 years, TriMet improved service on the Westside. In 1998, we redesigned service to integrate with the newly-opened Westside MAX. Since then, MAX Red Line service was extended to Beaverton, Line 57 was upgraded to Frequent Service, WES began operations, and the PCC Willow Creek campus opened.
Expanding employment in the Cornell/Evergreen corridor, expansion of PCC, increased housing in Bethany and planned developments in South Hillsboro, North Bethany, and AmberGlen-Tanasbourne mean that transit services must evolve to keep pace with new development on the Westside. Though many service adjustments and improvements have been made, this is the first effort to take a comprehensive look at service since 1997—just before the opening of Westside MAX.