Portland Transit Mall
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The Portland Transit Mall is a set of public transportation corridors through the center of Downtown Portland, Oregon, United States.
First opening in 1977,[1] the Portland Transit Mall is a central destination for all buses which travel downtown: north on 6th and south on 5th between West Burnside Street and Southwest Madison Street. It was later expanded northward through Chinatown to Union Station/Greyhound in 1994.[2] It has been temporarily reorganized since January 14, 2007 for reconstruction, including the addition of a light rail line. Completion is anticipated summer of 2009.[3]
This built on TriMet's adoption of Fareless Square in 1975 to push the city towards becoming one of the nation's most successful and studied public transportation systems.[4]
As TriMet added light rail traveling east-west on Southwest Yamhill and Morrison (respectively) in 1986, the Portland Transit Mall became an even more central part of Portland's strategy to promote public transportation.[5]
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[edit] History
Established in 1977, the Portland Transit Mall has continued to consolidate and serve the area surrounding Downtown. It has evolved from a bus transit mall to a comprehensive public transportation hub in the City Center.
[edit] East Side MAX
Added in 1986, the MAX Blue Line gave downtown a way to travel from the far east side of metropolitan area to the city center. Traveling all the way from southwest 10th Avenue to Cleveland Avenue in Gresham, the original Blue line was approximately 15 miles long.
[edit] West Side MAX
In 1998, TriMet extended access to the Portland Transit Mall with the West Side MAX addition to the Blue Line, giving public transportation to the growing communities of Beaverton and Hillsboro.
[edit] Red & Yellow Lines
In 2001 and 2004 TriMet added the MAX Red Line and MAX Yellow Line. Every addition is connected to the City Center and the Transit Mall, enabling travelers from all over the city to transfer at a central location.
[edit] Current Expansion Project
The current expansion of the Portland Transit Mall will add the first westside north-south MAX line on the MAX Green Line. The Green Line will run between Portland State University and Clackamas Town Center; its downtown segment will run along 5th and 6th Avenues sharing space with buses. Due to the construction, transit service has been moved to 3rd and 4th Avenues respectively.
The new line is expected to be completed summer of 2009.
[edit] Fareless Square
- See also: Fareless Square
Fareless Square has been since its inception a key part of TriMet's strategy of public transportation. By allowing free travel within the city's center, TriMet hoped to promote constructive economic and culture growth in the City Center which would help the city as a whole grow healthily.
