This corridor is home to some of the region’s most racially and ethnically diverse communities. Large populations of Latinx and Asian residents call this corner of greater Portland home. Incomes in this area vary, but they are generally lower than average for greater Portland and Washington County. Poverty rates are slightly higher, with areas such as west Hillsboro seeing poverty rates as high as 49%.
With the participation of the community along this corridor and organizations who represent them, the equitable development strategy seeks to increase meaningful involvement in transportation planning and identify ways to counteract the forces of gentrification that may accompany transportation investments.
Safety
There were 237 serious injuries and 39 fatalities on TV Highway between 2007 and 2018, an average of 18 serious injuries and 3 deaths per year. 72% of those fatalities were people either walking or bicycling. Approximately 29% of TV Highway lacks sidewalks, and approximately 32% of bike lanes are missing or substandard along the highway. Many of the Line 57 bus stops lack landing pads, lighting, shelters, and protected crossings. Between 2007 and 2018, 53% of all pedestrian serious injuries and fatalities on TV Highway occurred within 100 feet of a transit stop, which highlights the importance of access and safety improvements for pedestrians near transit stations.
Transit
Transit travel time on the Line 57 is nearly double that of auto travel time, which impacts existing transit riders, limits the attractiveness for new riders, and hinders access to important destinations. This transit delay is primarily caused by congestion and delay at intersections, and will only get worse as traffic continues to grow over time. Substandard bus stops also result in slower boarding procedures and longer dwell times, which account for approximately 13% of average runtimes on the Line 57, contributing to overall transit delay. Unreliability is also a top reason for riders to be dissatisfied with their Line 57 trips. Improving transit travel time and reliability within the corridor would provide an attractive alternative to driving, which could free up roadway capacity for other vehicles in the corridor, including commercial vehicles.
Communities
The TV Highway corridor has relatively high concentrations of people who rely on transit and therefore need safe, efficient, and reliable transit to access community resources, jobs, and educational opportunities. In comparison to both the region and Washington County, communities in the corridor have higher concentrations of low-income households, people of color, people with limited English language proficiency, and youth. The route has a relatively high share of riders who speak Spanish, identify as people of color, do not have a car available, and have a low household income.