TriMet’s Division Transit Project, currently about 70 percent complete, will introduce a new type of high-capacity bus service unique to TriMet and the region.
FX™—or Frequent Express—will be a higher tier of bus service. Longer, green buses and other improvements will make riding transit a great option to travel through the corridor between Downtown Portland, Southeast Portland, East Portland and Gresham.
FX™—frequent, efficient and convenient
FX™ will be most noticeable by the green, 60-foot articulated buses, with a few stripes of blue, that can carry more people. Riders will board at a new type of bus station at many stops, marked with blue and green bus poles.
Other features of the service include:
- Dedicated transit signal priority and bus lanes at key locations will keep buses moving around congestion rather than being stuck in it.
- Bus stations located where rider demand is greatest will minimize travel times while providing important transit connections.
- Platforms with higher curbs so less kneeling for buses, all-door boarding and space for bikes on board will reduce stop times, especially where buses stop in the traffic lane.
- Longer, articulated buses with room for 60 percent more riders on board running every 12 minutes, and more often during peak hours, will be a more convenient option to move people more efficiently.
FX™ will mean quicker, more efficient trips—cutting travel times up to 20 percent between Downtown Portland and Gresham. FX™ will bring new investments to East Portland.
“We’re excited for the day that FX™ will speed up transit service and provide` better access to jobs, education, community services and all of the possibilities that come with fast, efficient public transit,” said TriMet General Manager Sam Desue, Jr. “FX™ also reflects new investments for East Portland, with more frequent transit service and stations with shelters, digital displays and other amenities to enhance the experience for our riders.”
Bringing better transit and increased safety
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded TriMet $87.4 million in federal funding for the Division Transit Project, with local funding making up the rest of the $175 million price tag. The money isn’t just laying the foundation for better bus service, it is increasing safety across all modes of travel along Division Street, which is a high-crash corridor.
“The city of Portland heard from the community that people wanted this to be more than just a transit project,” said Portland Transportation Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. “They wanted better bus service, but also safety, housing and jobs. The Division Transit Project will make our streets safer for everyone traveling in East Portland. I’m thrilled that TriMet has set a record for minority contracting with this project, and I look forward to more TriMet and PBOT projects generating living wage jobs that are so needed in our community.”
The Division Transit Project is adding:
- Nearly 81,000-square feet of new sidewalks along the corridor (59,000-square feet in Portland and 22,000-square feet in Gresham).
- Some 4.5 miles of protected bike lanes, with physical separation when possible.
- Twenty new marked crosswalks with stoplights, median islands or flashing lights.
- Upgrades and lighting improvements to existing pedestrian crossing signals.
- Storm water treatments.
The Division Transit Project, along with coordinated infrastructure improvements planned by the cities of Portland and Gresham, including the city of Portland’s Outer Division Safety Project, will make Division Street safer, whether traveling by bus, car, foot and bike.
Putting people and the regional economy to work
The Division Transit Project is creating jobs and will get people to jobs once FX™ is up and running.
“We are excited to see this significant investment coming to Gresham,” said Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall. “The Division Transit Project will connect our community to educational and work opportunities throughout the region. This rapid, reliable bus service will also improve the region’s link to our vibrant downtown. Furthermore, the use of Raimore Construction, a minority firm, to build the infrastructure for this line continues TriMet’s work towards economic equity.”
TriMet awarded the project’s general contractor contract to Raimore Construction, a certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), with a 20-year work history with the agency. The contract is the largest DBE contract in Oregon history.
The project is expected to create more than 1,400 jobs, including 650 construction jobs, and more than 780 indirect and induced jobs. To date, 57 local firms have worked on the project, with women and people of color owning 34 of them. It is also estimated to create more than $137.7 million in added economic value.
Helping the environment
FX™ service aims to be efficient and convenient, making it a more attractive option than driving alone, which will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Adding to that, TriMet will run the FX™ buses—as well as all buses and LIFT paratransit vehicles—on R99 or renewable diesel.
Switching to R99 in the weeks ahead, combined with the move to all renewable electricity this month, TriMet will cut its overall carbon dioxide emissions in half. That will mean avoiding more than 120 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions a year. That’s like taking nearly 12,000 cars off the street.
A Division of possibilities
Division Street offers a diverse mix of shops, restaurants and other retail possibilities. The Division Transit Project team has worked closely with partners and the community to minimize impacts as much as possible to businesses and residents both during construction and after the transit line opens.
