C‑TRAN details Vine bus rapid transit on Highway 99, cites phased construction and 2027 opening

C‑TRAN presented plans for the Vine on Highway 99 to Flight Community residents, saying the project will build roughly 10 miles of bus rapid transit from WSU Vancouver to the Vancouver waterfront and include 32 new stations. "The project will include 32 new stations," said Eric Florip, a C‑TRAN representative, who described consistent station amenities (shelters, lighting, real‑time displays and security cameras) and larger vehicles designed for faster boarding and travel times.

Florip said planning began with public outreach in 2022, the locally preferred alternative was adopted in 2023, and construction began toward the end of 2025; he said C‑TRAN expects the corridor to open in fall 2027. Construction is being phased north to south to limit disruptions; active work during the briefing stretched from about 139th Street south toward 63rd, with crews opening each location before moving to the next.

The agency highlighted station design and rider amenities. Off‑board fare vending and a HOP Fastpass payment system are planned to speed boarding; Florip said Vine buses typically dwell 10–15 seconds at stations versus 30–60 seconds for standard service. Adult local fares will match existing rates ($1.50; seniors $0.75; youth 18 and under ride free), and payment options will include the Hop card, mobile wallets and cash at station kiosks.

Florip described a special on‑campus configuration at Washington State University Vancouver that includes a campus bus lane and a new traffic signal at 29th Avenue to improve pedestrian safety; that stop will use crimson station trim to match campus design rather than the corridor purple. He also showed completed station examples from the Mill Plain Vine and explained a bike bypass that routes cyclists behind platforms to avoid conflicts with boarding buses.

On operations and access, Florip said service hours will be similar to other Vine corridors (about 4:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.) with most daytime service every 15 minutes. Salmon Creek Park & Ride will be rebuilt as Salmon Creek Transit Center with roughly 300–350 parking spaces and modified bays for larger vehicles, though that facility remains under construction and will not be fully available when the system opens.

Florip emphasized community outreach during construction: C‑TRAN staff have done door‑to‑door outreach to roughly 350 businesses on the corridor and maintain a project hotline and email for construction questions. He said C‑TRAN can adjust traffic control setups when businesses report access problems. "We have the ability to do that and work with our contractor to make adjustments where we can to keep access open and keep things moving as smoothly as possible," he said.

The presentation closed with audience questions about bicycle accommodations during construction, parking, airport connections and payment device failures; Florip said drivers have discretion to board riders when kiosks are down and that C‑TRAN monitors cameras and station equipment throughout the project. The agency will continue outreach as work progresses and expects additional construction activity to shift south into Vancouver later this year and into 2027.

C‑TRAN materials, the project hotline and an email address were available on fact sheets at the meeting; residents were encouraged to use those channels for specific construction concerns.