Division Transit Project

TriMet bus 4–Division/Fessenden, the predecessor of 2–Division, seen in Portland in 2013

A proposal to develop "high-capacity transit" along the vicinity of Powell Boulevard in Southest Portland emerged with regional government Metro's adoption of a high-capacity transit system plan in 2009.[1] Four years later,[2]^:2 Metro and regional transit agency TriMet began studying alignment and mode alternatives along Powell Boulevard and several blocks further north along Division Street, with bus rapid transit, light rail, and streetcar among those under consideration.[3]^:1[4] At the time, Powell and Division were served by bus routes 9–Powell Blvd. and 4–Division/Fessenden, respectively, which together carried more than 17,000 riders between Portland and Gresham daily.[5]

In 2014, a project steering committee was formed,[2]^:2 which that September voted to abandon the further study of rail alternatives and to move forward with a bus-only option, citing faster construction speed and fewer property and roadway impacts.[6] The project began conceptual design work two months later.[2]^:2 The steering committee had wanted a route that would use Powell Boulevard on its westernmost section and then head north to Division Street somewhere between 52nd and 92nd avenues before continuing farther east to Gresham and potentially extending as far east as Mt. Hood Community College near Troutdale.[6][7] A study conducted by TriMet in March 2016 revealed that this preferred route would take approximately 11 minutes longer to travel than the existing bus service.[8] As a result, the planning committee dropped the Powell segment in favor of a Division Street-only alternative.[9]

TriMet awarded a contract to design the Division Transit Project to engineering firm WSP USA in July 2017. The firm designed the project's main elements such as stations, traffic signals, and civil infrastructure improvements.[10][11] In March 2019, TriMet issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement of 60-foot (18 m) articulated buses and received responses from BYD Auto, New Flyer, and Nova Bus.[12]^:2 During an initial evaluation process, TriMet's evaluation committee noted that the battery electric buses proposed by BYD and New Flyer did not meet the RFP's specifications and eliminated the bus type from further consideration. That August, TriMet selected Nova as the manufacturer.[12]^:3 The following month, the agency placed an initial order for 31 diesel buses with an option to purchase as many as 159 diesel and hybrid electric bus alternatives offered by Nova.[12]^:1[13]

The project is expected to cost $175 million.[14] In August 2018, the Portland City Council authorized $17.7 million to cover its share of the funding, sourced through developer fees.[15] The project received tentative Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approval for $87.4 million in funding in April 2019.[16] The FTA formally awarded this grant on January 23, 2020.[17]