The Rose Lane Project, which began as a grassroots movement in 2017 advocating for bus-only lanes, has seen little progress since its formal adoption by the City of Portland in 2020.
Although the initiative aimed to establish a network of dedicated bus and bike lanes throughout the city, only about half of the 70 planned projects have been completed in the past seven years.
In recent years, the project has faced numerous setbacks due to factors such as the decline in bus ridership during the Covid pandemic, shifts in political leadership, and constrained budgetary circumstances.
Only four significant segments of the Rose Lane initiative—SW Alder, NE Couch, SW Capitol Hwy, and E Burnside—have been implemented in the last three years.
This stagnation has led to frustrations among transit advocates who were hopeful for the original vision of the project.
However, at the recent City Council meeting focused on Vision Zero, Councilor Candace Avalos expressed a renewed commitment to the Rose Lane Project.
She remarked, “I just wanted to flag for my colleagues that my office is looking into proposing a resolution on affirming our commitment to the Rose Lanes,” highlighting the role these lanes could play in achieving the city’s safety objectives.
Avalos indicated that her office is in the early stages of drafting this legislation and will present it to a future committee.
This move seems promising to those interested in improving transit in Portland, especially as it aligns with Avalos’ active support for public transportation.
To gather more insights into the project’s status, I reached out to Jamey Evenstar, Avalos’ Chief of Staff.
Evenstar, who previously served as the chief of staff for former PBOT Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, played a significant role during the Rose Lane’s inception.
When the project first launched, it aimed to make public transit “fast, frequent, and full,” catering specifically to communities that have been historically marginalized by Portland’s car-centric transport policies.
The initiative was designed in part to alleviate commute times for people of color, who often face disproportionate challenges due to inadequate transit options.
In her response to my inquiry regarding Avalos’ comments, Evenstar expressed concerns about the deprioritization of the Rose Lane Project in recent years.
“The Rose Lane Project was a big deal before Covid hit, and we are deeply concerned that it has been deprioritized and changed over the last 5 years,” Evenstar stated.
She further explained that they are looking to assess the current status of the original plans and engage with community partners to determine the necessary steps moving forward.
This could potentially involve a resolution aimed at recommitting to the original vision of the project or possibly updating it to reflect current community needs.
As Avalos’ office continues to flesh out their plans, it appears there may be substantial support in the City Council for enhancing bus services in Portland.
Transit advocates are encouraged to prepare for a new wave of organizing as discussions around the Rose Lane Project gain momentum once again.
image source from：bikeportland
