We all know this hasn't been a normal spring and summer in Clark County. Many community events were postponed or canceled. Health guidelines changed the way we lived and interacted. But C-TRAN has operated through it all, maintaining an essential service to keep Clark County moving every day. From the C-TRAN Instagram feed, check out a few sights from a most unusual season:
You’ve probably heard by now that the northbound span of the Interstate Bridge will close for more than a week this September during a needed repair project. The trunnion replacement project will close the span for nine days, September 12-20 19-27, and traffic impacts are expected to be severe. Think miles-long backups and up to 20 hours of congestion per day.
In other words, it could be ugly.
Regional partners including C-TRAN have been preparing for the closure for more than a year. Traffic impacts are inevitable, but we’ll be doing our part to make sure the project – and cross-river travel – go as smoothly as possible during the closure. Here’s how C-TRAN will help keep the region moving:
Bus on Shoulder: By late summer, C-TRAN buses will be authorized to use the shoulder of southbound Interstate 5 to bypass traffic in Clark County. The bus-only shoulder lane will extend about five miles from 99th Street down to the Interstate Bridge, using the inside (left) shoulder lane. The I-5 Bus on Shoulder lane will remain permanent even after the bridge project is complete. C-TRAN buses will also be authorized to use shoulder lanes on I-205 over the Glenn Jackson Bridge for approximately one year as a separate pilot project.
Extra service: C-TRAN will be putting additional buses on Express routes during the project to maintain schedules and make sure commuters have access to transit.
Free parking: If you’re taking transit during the closure, C-TRAN already offers several places where you can park for free and catch a bus to Portland. Multiple Express routes serve 99th Street Transit Center, Fisher’s Landing Transit Center and the Salmon Creek Park and Ride.
Partnerships: C-TRAN has been working with other agencies around the region to make sure this is a coordinated effort on a project that will affect thousands of travelers. That includes the Oregon Department of Transportation, which is the lead agency on the project, plus the Washington State Department of Transportation, the City of Vancouver and others. Better communication among these agencies means we’re better prepared before the project starts.
Regional leaders are asking commuters to do their part, too. Find an alternative to driving across the bridge if you can. Work from home if that’s an option. Carpool or Vanpool with others. Be patient. (And be nice.)
Got questions? Find more information about the Interstate Bridge closure at www.interstatebridge.org. You can also follow C-TRAN on Twitter and Facebook for the latest info leading up to and during the project.
Vancouver, WA: Two new Bus on Shoulder corridors will soon give transit riders a faster commute on Interstate 5 and Interstate 205.
The change will allow C-TRAN buses to use the freeway shoulder to bypass traffic during times of heavy congestion. Buses will be authorized to use the shoulder of southbound I-5 between 99th Street and the Interstate Bridge in Vancouver, and on both directions of I-205 on the Glenn Jackson Bridge between State Route 14 in Vancouver and Airport Way in Portland.
Buses may only use the shoulder under certain conditions. The overall speed of traffic must be less than 35 mph. Transit vehicles are only allowed to go up to 15 mph faster than other traffic, to a maximum speed of 35 mph. And priority for shoulder use is always given to emergency vehicles, stalls or breakdowns.
Both the I-5 and I-205 Bus on Shoulder corridors will be implemented in September, before a nine-day I-5 closure planned as part of the Interstate Bridge Trunnion Replacement Project. The trunnion project will close the entire northbound span of the Interstate Bridge from September 12-20, and is expected to cause widespread traffic backups on Vancouver and Portland-area freeways and side streets.
Among the C-TRAN routes that will benefit from the new bus-only shoulder lanes are Routes 60, 65, 67, 105, 134, 157, 164, 190 and 199. Crews with the Washington State Department of Transportation and Oregon Department of Transportation have updated striping and signage in recent weeks along the designated Bus on Shoulder corridors. C-TRAN driver training is underway. Each corridor will function a little differently: Buses on I-5 will use the inside (left) shoulder, southbound only, while buses on I-205 will use the outside (right) shoulder in both directions.
The I-5 Bus on Shoulder lane will remain permanent after the completion of the trunnion project. The I-205 corridor will stay as a one-year pilot. Both were the result of continued partnerships among C-TRAN, WSDOT and ODOT in the region.
C-TRAN has used Bus on Shoulder lanes since they were first implemented in Clark County on a segment of SR 14 in 2017. The concept is commonly used elsewhere to create faster transit travel times and increased reliability. C-TRAN commuters have enjoyed similar benefits on SR 14.
C-TRAN is the regional public transportation provider for portions of Clark County. It offers Local bus service within its Clark County service area, Regional bus service to the nearest MAX light rail station, and Express commuter service to downtown Portland. It also provides Connector service within the city limits of Camas, La Center, and Ridgefield. For more information on C-TRAN please visit C-TRAN’s website at www.c-tran.com, or call Passenger Service at (360) 695-0123.
Contact:
Christine Selk, Communication and Public Affairs Manager/PIO
(360) 906-7314 Office
(503) 860-0508 Cell
Vancouver, WA: Mass Transit Magazine has named Eric Florip, C-TRAN's Public Affairs Coordinator, to its annual list of 40 professionals under age 40 who have made significant contributions to the public transit industry.
Florip joined C-TRAN in 2015 and made an immediate impact on its external communications, particularly social media and video production. Florip, who manages the agency's social media accounts, has live-tweeted C-TRAN Board of Directors meetings since 2016, promoting transparency and giving stakeholders a new avenue to follow and interact with the agency. In 2019, his video storytelling work won a first-place AdWheel Award from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Florip also was selected as one of three national marketing professionals to present on Video/Animation/Editing at APTA's 2020 Marketing & Communications Workshop.
In 2017, in an effort to promote sustainability throughout the agency, Florip launched C-TRAN's Green Team. He also led C-TRAN's bid to become a certified "Green Business" in Clark County, which the agency was awarded in November 2019.
"Eric is an example of how critical it is to communicate and engage with our customers and stakeholders to ensure that essential information is distributed through our extensive transit network," said C-TRAN CEO Shawn M. Donaghy. "This responsibility is equally as vital as the service we manage on the street every day—and our agency is the beneficiary of Eric's dedication and selfless hard work.
"Through social media, training and educational videos, and building our brand to what it is today, Eric's work can be seen across our organization and our community. It is quite an accomplishment to be recognized nationally among this group, as it represents outstanding leadership from all levels of public transit as well as future leaders."
Before joining C-TRAN, Florip worked as a reporter at The Columbian newspaper. A native of the Pacific Northwest, he is a graduate of the University of Oregon.
40 Under 40 honorees were nominated by their peers and judged on criteria that included job commitment, industry involvement and contribution, achievement in his or her position and innovation in his or her field.
C-TRAN is the regional public transportation provider for portions of Clark County. It offers Local bus service within its Clark County service area, Regional bus service to the nearest MAX light rail station, and Express commuter service to downtown Portland. It also provides Connector service within the city limits of Camas, La Center, and Ridgefield. For more information on C-TRAN please visit C-TRAN’s website at www.c-tran.com, or call Passenger Service at (360) 695-0123.
Contact:
Christine Selk, Communication and Public Affairs Manager/PIO
(360) 906-7314 Office
(503) 860-0508 Cell
- June 24 Update
Face coverings required effective Friday, June 26
Effective Friday, June 26, a statewide order requires all Washington residents to wear a face covering in any public indoor space. This includes public transportation. As such, all C-TRAN passengers must wear a face covering while riding the bus.
The statewide order also applies to outdoor spaces where people are unable to remain six feet apart. This may include bus stops and transit centers where passengers are waiting in line.
For more information on Washington’s current health guidelines and requirements, visit www.coronavirus.wa.gov.
The safety and health of our passengers and employees remains C-TRAN’s top priority. Learn more about the steps we’re taking and how you can help at the stay safe, stay healthy page.
How Buses Are Cleaned
C-TRAN’s vehicle service workers are the team that works behind the scenes to clean our entire fleet of buses every night. We’ve also recently put additional workers out on transit center platforms during the day to clean and disinfect buses in between trips while they're in service.
Take a look behind the scenes: