The Vine on Mill Plain, C-TRAN’s second bus rapid transit line, opened in 2023

VANCOUVER — C-TRAN is moving forward with plans to add a new westbound Vine station at Mill Plain Boulevard and Chkalov Drive in Vancouver, improving access and safety at one of Clark County’s busiest intersections. Construction is expected to happen in 2027.

The Vine on Mill Plain, C-TRAN’s second bus rapid transit line, opened in 2023. Due to traffic, physical constraints and other factors, the project included only an eastbound station near the intersection of Mill Plain and Chkalov, but no westbound station at that location. Since that time, C-TRAN has received numerous requests to add a westbound station. In response to that demand, C-TRAN developed an updated concept for a westbound station at Chkalov Drive that maintains all existing movements for vehicle traffic in the surrounding intersection. The concept was developed in coordination with the nearby business community and the city of Vancouver.

“Mill Plain and Chkalov is an important location. Improving access at two major corridors in a busy commercial area will be good for the entire community,” said Randy Parker, C-TRAN’s Chief Capital Projects and Planning Officer. “With the help of our community partners, we believe we have found a solution that benefits all road users.”

The updated concept would add a westbound Vine station in the median of Mill Plain. The bus would use one of the left turn lanes that would double as a Business Access and Transit (BAT) lane, allowing the bus to continue westbound through the intersection after serving the station. The design maintains the same number of travel lanes in all directions that exist today.

Median station designs are relatively common in other bus rapid transit systems, but this would be the first used by C-TRAN. The design provides a protected “refuge” for pedestrians crossing Mill Plain. Having a Vine station in both directions also potentially reduces the number of pedestrian crossings overall.

In the coming months, C-TRAN will work through more detailed design of the westbound Chkalov station before moving to construction in 2027. Meanwhile, construction continues for The Vine on Highway 99, C-TRAN’s third bus rapid transit line, also scheduled to open in 2027. The first branch of The Vine launched in 2017, serving Vancouver’s Fourth Plain corridor.

C-TRAN is the regional public transportation provider for Clark County. It offers Local bus service within its Clark County service area, plus Regional and Express bus service to Portland. C-TRAN also provides on-demand service with The Current, operating in Battle Ground, Camas/Washougal, Ridgefield/La Center, WSU Vancouver/Salmon Creek, Rose Village, and the Port of Vancouver. For more information on C-TRAN, visit C-TRAN’s website at www.c-tran.com, or call Customer Service at 360-695-0123.