New Details for Portland's Transit Plan as Voters Head to the Polls

"Less than two weeks before voters get final say on Metro’s transportation funding measure 26-218, TriMet has released a statement outlining the four major bus rapid transit projects it would fund," reports Jonathan Maus.

The four bus rapid transit projects targeted for the "Get Moving 2020" plan now include the corridors along 82nd Avenue, Tualatin Valley Highway, Burnside, and McLoughlin (99E). "The combined funding for bus rapid transit projects on those four corridors is $557.5 million," according to Maus. "When added to other projects in the measure the total bus-related investment swells to $712.7 million." That last figure reflects Maus's own calculations.

The transit funding measure would implement a 0.75 percent payroll tax on businesses with more than 25 employees, which has provoked opposition both from local businesses owners. Other opponents of the project have called out the plan for focusing much of its spending on road projects—instead of the transit and equity programs it touts.

The source article includes project-level detail for each of the four proposed bus rapid transit projects announced by TriMet in October 2020.