I-205 Transitway
Encyclopedia
The I-205 Transitway was a partially built busway
along the wide right-of-way of the Interstate 205
freeway in Portland, Oregon
. Although it never opened as a busway, its right-of-way is now in use by light rail
lines.
The transitway, which was physically separate from the parallel freeway lanes, was planned in the mid- and late-1970s as part of the final segment of I-205. Only a graded route with several entrance ramps and two underpass tunnels under I-205 were built. No bridges or overpasses were built until later adaptation for use by MAX Light Rail trains.
The transitway's right-of-way started in the median of I-205 near Portland International Airport
and ran south to the junction of I-205 & I-84, where it continued through an underpass under the northbound lanes of I-205. From here it followed the freeway's east embankment to just south of Market Street, where it once again entered a tunnel taking it under the freeway. This tunnel took the right-of-way underneath all lanes (both directions) of I-205, surfacing west of the freeway's southbound lanes at a point just north of Division Street. From there, it continued south along the west side of I-205 to SE Foster Road, where it ended. The entire transitway has now been adapted for use by TriMet
light rail trains.
in order to win their support. Among them was the transitway, a bike path and reconfigured interchanges. The transitway was intended to connect at Gateway into the proposed Banfield Transitway, which originally was to have been a busway and would have run along I-84 to the Lloyd District
and Downtown.
By the late 1970s, light rail
became the selected transit mode in the Banfield corridor and opened in 1986 as Portland's first light rail line (now a portion of the Blue Line
). When light rail was selected over the busway option in the Banfield corridor, the fate of the proposed I-205 busway was sealed (as the busway made little sense without a downtown connection) although the corridor was, since the late 1970s, considered a potential future light rail line.
The Blue Line uses a short portion of the transitway between the Gateway station and Burnside Street opened in 1986. The portion of the route north from Gateway opened in September 2001 as the Red Line
. The portion south from Burnside (and beyond to the Clackamas Town Center
) opened in September 2009 as the Green Line
.
Busway
Busway may refer to several things:Transport technology* Bus rapid transit, bus systems including some elements of trams or metro systems* Guided busway, concrete tracks exclusively for modified busesTransport systems...
along the wide right-of-way of the Interstate 205
Interstate 205 (Oregon-Washington)
Interstate 205 is a loop route that serves the Portland—Vancouver metropolitan area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington. I-205 is officially named the War Veterans Memorial Freeway, and is also known as the East Portland Freeway...
freeway in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Although it never opened as a busway, its right-of-way is now in use by light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
lines.
The transitway, which was physically separate from the parallel freeway lanes, was planned in the mid- and late-1970s as part of the final segment of I-205. Only a graded route with several entrance ramps and two underpass tunnels under I-205 were built. No bridges or overpasses were built until later adaptation for use by MAX Light Rail trains.
The transitway's right-of-way started in the median of I-205 near Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah...
and ran south to the junction of I-205 & I-84, where it continued through an underpass under the northbound lanes of I-205. From here it followed the freeway's east embankment to just south of Market Street, where it once again entered a tunnel taking it under the freeway. This tunnel took the right-of-way underneath all lanes (both directions) of I-205, surfacing west of the freeway's southbound lanes at a point just north of Division Street. From there, it continued south along the west side of I-205 to SE Foster Road, where it ended. The entire transitway has now been adapted for use by TriMet
TriMet
TriMet, more formally known as the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon, is a public agency that operates mass transit in a region that spans most of the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon...
light rail trains.
History
In the mid-1970s, Multnomah County officials negotiated a number of improvements to the proposed I-205 freeway with the Oregon Department of TransportationOregon Department of Transportation
The Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...
in order to win their support. Among them was the transitway, a bike path and reconfigured interchanges. The transitway was intended to connect at Gateway into the proposed Banfield Transitway, which originally was to have been a busway and would have run along I-84 to the Lloyd District
Lloyd District, Portland, Oregon
The Lloyd District is a primarily commercial neighborhood in the North and Northeast sections of Portland, Oregon. It is named after Ralph Lloyd , a California rancher, oilman, and real estate developer who moved to and started the development of the area.The Lloyd District is bounded by the...
and Downtown.
By the late 1970s, light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
became the selected transit mode in the Banfield corridor and opened in 1986 as Portland's first light rail line (now a portion of the Blue Line
MAX Blue Line
The MAX Blue Line is a 33 mile light rail line in the MAX Light Rail system in the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Operated by TriMet, the line runs between Hillsboro and Gresham, via downtown Portland...
). When light rail was selected over the busway option in the Banfield corridor, the fate of the proposed I-205 busway was sealed (as the busway made little sense without a downtown connection) although the corridor was, since the late 1970s, considered a potential future light rail line.
The Blue Line uses a short portion of the transitway between the Gateway station and Burnside Street opened in 1986. The portion of the route north from Gateway opened in September 2001 as the Red Line
MAX Red Line
The MAX Red Line is a route in the Metropolitan Area Express light rail system in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. It is 25.5 miles long...
. The portion south from Burnside (and beyond to the Clackamas Town Center
Clackamas Town Center
Clackamas Town Center is a shopping mall in Clackamas, Oregon . It opened in 1981. It is managed and co-owned by General Growth Properties and is currently anchored by J.C. Penney, Macy's , Nordstrom, and Sears...
) opened in September 2009 as the Green Line
MAX Green Line
The MAX Green Line is a light rail route in the MAX Light Rail system in Portland, Oregon, United States, extending to Clackamas, Oregon. Construction began in early 2007, and the line opened on September 12, 2009. The average daily ridership in June 2010 was 19,500 increasing to 23,200 by April...
.
Stations
Names of possible stations, as originally proposed in the 1970s, with corresponding later developments:- Sandy-Columbia became the Parkrose/Sumner Transit Center station on the Red Line
- Gateway became the Gateway/Northeast 99th Avenue Transit Center station on the Blue, Green and Red lines
- Mall 205 became the Southeast Main StreetSoutheast Main StreetThe Southeast Main Street station is a light rail station on the MAX Green Line in Portland, Oregon. It is the first stop southbound on the I-205 MAX branch, following the Green Line's split from the Red and Blue lines at the Gateway Transit Center....
station on the Green Line - Division became Southeast Division StreetSoutheast Division StreetThe Southeast Division Street station is a light rail station on the MAX Green Line in Portland, Oregon. It us the 2nd stop southbound on the I-205 MAX branch....
station on the Green Line - Powell became Southeast Powell BoulevardSoutheast Powell BoulevardThe Southeast Powell Boulevard station is a light rail station on the MAX Green Line in Portland, Oregon. It is the 3rd stop southbound on the I-205 MAX branch....
station on the Green Line - Holgate became Southeast Holgate BoulevardSoutheast Holgate BoulevardSoutheast Holgate Boulevard station is a light rail station on the MAX Green Line in Portland, Oregon. It is the 4th stop southbound on the I-205 MAX branch. The station is at the intersection of Interstate 205 and Holgate Boulevard. This station has a center platform, and is surrounded by a...
station on the Green Line - Lents became Lents Town Center/Southeast Foster RoadLents Town Center/Southeast Foster RoadThe Lents Town Center/Southeast Foster Road station is a light rail station on the MAX Green Line in Portland, Oregon. It is the 5th stop southbound on the I-205 MAX branch. The station is at the intersection of Interstate 205 and Foster Road. It is located in the Lents neighborhood's town center...
station on the Green Line