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Portland

Interstate Avenue

Yellow Line

The Portland Yellow Line opened in 2003 on Interstate Avenue north of downtown. Interstate Avenue, which has significantly less right-of-way than University Avenue was transformed from a 4 lane highway to 2 lanes with LRT service, on-street parking, and bike lanes.  Bus service was eliminated.  The new street configuration reduced traffic on Interstate Avenue by about a fourth to a third. Important design elements to note are on-street parking at stations, bike lanes, boulevards, limited access stations, narrow parking lanes, and painted (instead of structured) traffic medians which would allow for a easier conversion to 2 lanes in each direction if later deemed necessary.

Click here for an annotated tour of the Portland Line

Click here to walk along the Portland line in three seperate views

Strategies

1) On-street parking perserved throughout the corridor

2) One-lane of traffic creates space for bike lane and other amenities

3) Painted medians save money and allow for future flexibility

4) Bump-outs, instead of elongagted landscaped medians in advance of turn lanes saves on-street parking

Station Cross Section Drawing

Typical Stretch Cross Section Drawing