The bus serving 82nd Avenue – TriMet’s line 72 – has the highest ridership of any bus line in greater Portland. Though it carries more people than the Yellow or Orange MAX lines, it shares the road with commuters, freight and local deliveries – and is often stuck in traffic. One in four buses is late.
Community connections
Bus service along 82nd Avenue connects workers, students and other travelers to other key transit service, the larger transit network and key destinations.
- Line 72 continues east on Lombard to Swan Island.
- The stop at Halsey/Interstate 84 connects to the Blue, Red and Green MAX lines.
- The stop at Division Street connects to the new FX-2, with its new articulated frequent express buses connecting downtown Portland and downtown Gresham – and to the Portland Community College Southeast campus.
- The Clackamas Town Center Transit Center connects to the MAX Green line and 12 other bus lines.
Other key destinations on or near 82nd Avenue include:
- Portland Community College, McDaniel High School, Clackamas Middle College and Clackamas Community College Harmony campus
- Montavilla Community Center, Montavilla Park, Harrison Park, and multiple health centers and social services
- Clackamas Town Center, Eastport Plaza, Fubonn, Hung Phat Food Center, Shun Fat Supermarket, Fred Meyer and many restaurants and small businesses.
Leveraging past work and public investments
The analysis is moving quickly as it builds on years of planning and outreach. It is building off the work of 2020 transportation funding measure analysis and engagement, the Enhanced Transit Concept from the 2018 Regional Transportation Plan, and multiple safety studies.
The transit investment is also being timed to take advantage of the opportunity to make substantial improvements in tandem with the City of Portland’s efforts in 7 miles of the corridor. The partners seek to leverage investments of $185 million dollars from the City of Portland and the State of Oregon related to the jurisdictional transfer of 7 miles of 82nd Avenue.
The transfer from ODOT – from Northeast Lombard Street to Southeast Clatsop Street – allows for local maintenance of and improvements for the roadway. This road was originally conceived as a state thoroughfare connecting smaller towns and farms to markets but has grown into its own hub of business and neighborhood activity – as well as an important option for commuters and the movement of goods and services.
Visit the City of Portland's Building a Better 82nd website
Partners
Metro and TriMet are lead partners for the transit alternatives analysis, working with the City of Portland, Oregon Department of Transportation, Multnomah County, Clackamas County and Port of Portland. This coordination helps leverage planning efforts related to improving the transit service and coordinate investments from local, regional, state and federal sources to get the most from multiple funding opportunities.
In addition, representatives from four community based organizations are serving on the 82nd Avenue Transit Steering Committee, which will select the locally preferred alternative for the bus project: Oregon Walks, Clackamas Resource Center, Unite Oregon and the 82nd Avenue Business Alliance.