About
On November 1, 2021, ODOT and SMART launched a Bus on Shoulder Pilot on
I-5 between Tualatin and Wilsonville.
The pilot allows SMART buses to bypass congestion and operate on a
portion of I-5 between the I-205 interchange and Elligsen Road. The pilot is evaluated for Safety, impacts to
infrastructure, and transit reliability.
Buses can use the shoulder only when traffic is moving slower than 35
miles per hour. While using the
shoulder, buses can travel up to 15 mph faster than traffic, with a maximum
speed of 35 mph.
Location
I-5
|
I-5 corridor between the I-205 interchange and Elligsen Road in Wilsonville.
Cost and Funding
Approximately $62,000 for striping, pavement legends, fabrication and installation of signs and sign structures were completed as part of a maintenance project.
Benefits
The I-5 corridor between the I-205 interchange and Elligsen Road in
Wilsonville is a major congestion bottleneck.
ODOT is collaborating with SMART to support more reliable travel by
using the highway shoulder for transit vehicles if and when traffic slows below
35 mph. Infrastructure improvements
required to create this Bus on Shoulder corridor were installed in conjunction
with other construction work in Summer 2021 to ensure efficient use of
resources.
Allowing buses to use freeway shoulders to bypass traffic is a
relatively simple tool that maximizes the efficiency of existing transportation
infrastructure. Bus riders will
experience faster travel times and more reliable service, making public
transportation more attractive to new riders.
This concept has been used throughout the nation for over 30 years and
is a tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from private vehicles.
Additional Information
For Bus RidersRiders can take SMART Route 2X from SMART transit center in Wilsonville and from Tualatin transit center. For more information about bus service, visit SMART’s website.
For Motorists
Priority for shoulder use will always be given to emergency vehicles, incident management (e.g,. fender benders or breakdowns) and maintenance activities. If another vehicle is in the shoulder because of an emergency, buses are required to merge back into the regular travel lanes. Motorists shall obey all traffic laws and regulations. Signs and pavement markings are placed along the corridor noting that shoulder use is for authorized transit vehicles only. Signs also warn motorists when buses will be merging back into traffic at the end of the Bus on Shoulder corridor.