PORTLAND, Ore. — If you live or commute along southeast Division Street, you've probably already noticed contractors hard at work.
The video here shows one of the first new bus platforms being poured along TriMet's Division Street Project. This one in particular is near the corner of SE 76th & Division.
When finished, TriMet says the project will enable faster, more frequent, and more reliable bus service between Gresham, East and Southeast Portland, and downtown.
And the new platforms will allow for much safer driver, cyclist, pedestrian interactions. Similar shared platforms have been used extensively throughout Europe -and TriMet tested a full-scale model in 2018 to get an intimate, first-hand experience with it. Here's a link to their study.
A new platform going in near SE 148th & Division will use this concept and look something like this when complete.
Meanwhile, the bus platform at SE 76th & Division is called a Pedestrian-Pass-Through and will look something like this when complete.
"The team designed four types of stations appropriate to their setting along Division Street," said TriMet's Roberta Altstadt. "Stations will be located where rider demand is greatest, to minimize travel times while providing important transit connections."
Here's a look at where some of the newly redesigned platforms are being installed:
Amidst the crushing economic weight of the corona virus pandemic, the $175M project is a blessing for the local economy. Raimore Construction is the lead contractor on the job and TriMet says, "This project reflects Oregon’s largest construction contract awarded to a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise.
$87.4-million of that funding was secured this past January:
"The Division Transit Project will create approximately 1,400 jobs over the life of the project. As history has shown, construction and transportation projects such as this one and others TriMet is working on generate economic activity, leverage federal funding and help regional recovery," said Altstadt.
Chris McGinness is a meteorologist and transportation reporter for KGW. Got a story idea or a great photo you want to share? Email him at cmcginness@kgw.com or reach out on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram