At Last: Bolt Bus Has Left the Park

Bolt Bus is Gone

We are happy to announce that Bolt Bus has moved its “Bus Depot” out of the North Park Blocks. Our historic park is no longer suffering from noise, congestion, diesel fumes, trash and frustrated drivers trying to navigate through the disruption. Bolt Bus / Greyhound had a terminal a few blocks away that we felt was a better location.

The North Park Blocks Conservancy would like to extend a big thank you to Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, her Chief of Staff – Marshall Runkel and the folks at PBOT who listened to our neighborhood concerns and worked with Bolt Bus to relocate their bus stop. Bolt Bus has announced a new location on the east side – 1060 NE 13th Avenue @ Lloyd Center.

PBOT: Suck it Up, Unhappy PDX Drivers Citywide

Bolt Bus reduces Everett to 1 lane during rush hour
Bolt Bus reduces NW Everett to one lane during rush hour

The folks who live and work around the North Park Blocks keep getting the cold shoulder from Portland’s Commissioner of Public Safety Steve Novick and his Bureau of Transportation.

For months we’ve documented how Bolt Bus turned a quiet historic park into a bus depot. We were startled when PBOT suggested we suck it up since drivers all over Portland are frustrated.

Cevero Gonzalez, constituent services coordinator for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, wrote us that “PBOT has not documented any increased safety impacts as a result of the Bolt Bus location,” … “Double parking and impatient motorists are problematic in all neighborhoods citywide.”

We invite Commissioner Novick and Mr Gonzalez to spend some time with us and watch the logjam and traffic violations created by Bolt Bus’ 40+ daily stops at NW Everett and Broadway.

Each Bolt Bus drops off up to 50 passengers (with baggage) who get picked up by double-parked drivers. Add to that another 50 passengers waiting on the sidewalk to board the next bus.  Without access to restrooms or cover from inclement weather they  seek shelter or a restroom by approaching businesses in the neighborhood.  Many huddle beneath overhangs in near-by buildings. At times more than 100 people (with baggage) block the sidewalk, making it nearly impossible for pedestrians to get through.

Simple solution – get Bolt Bus out of our historic park and let them use nearby Greyhound bus station (at NW 6th and Hoyt)

Read all about it in the Northwest Examiner.
Click headline below BoltBus Creates Logjam (August 2016)
2.5mb pdf

NW examiner Aug 2016