New bus-only signal saves time for TriMet riders in Portland

(APRIL 18, 2024) Making bus travel faster and easier is the goal of a new system in Portland. It's called transit signal priority (TSP). TSP helps buses move through intersections without getting stuck in traffic. 

A special bus-only signal is now in place at Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and 11th Avenue. It's part of a plan by TriMet and the Portland Bureau of Transportation to improve bus travel. This signal is just one of many changes happening on Southeast Hawthorne and Madison Street. It's making a big difference for four popular bus lines in the area.

This new system saves riders almost 30 seconds every time they take the bus in this area. How? With high-tech technology, buses spend less time waiting at red lights. This technology is powered by artificial intelligence. Traffic signals get an automated alert when a bus is approaching. This changes the timing of the light, giving the bus a green light to proceed. Seven signals along Hawthorne/Madison streets have now been improved with this technology.  In fact, one at Hawthorne and 11th can even allow buses to safely proceed after the light turns red for other vehicles, or give them the go-ahead before the light turns green for everyone else.