Portland, Oregon, Transit Mall Will Degrade Downtown

TriMet is adding light rail and auto traffic to the existing bus mall, but business vitality and pedestrian safety is a serious concern with the new design. Buses and trains will pick up passengers along the same curbside, weaving in and out along the way. During the two-year construction period, 3rd and 4th Avenues will have to accommodate transit mall traffic, resulting in the removal of 150 on-street parking spaces. This will have a severe impact on downtown businesses. A recent vote by the Portland Downtown Neighborhood Association rejected the design.