First part-time shoulder lane in Vancouver/Portland metro area now open to SR 14 travelers

VANCOUVER - Travelers along State Route 14 now have another option that's the first of its kind in the Vancouver-Portland metro area: a part-time shoulder lane that can be used during peak congestion.

With more people using SR 14 than ever before, the Washington State Department of Transportation project improves safety and reduces congestion for travelers. It is now available for use during heavy traffic and when signs indicate it is open.

A ceremony was held Thursday, Oct. 24, to celebrate the completion of this work, which began in the fall of 2022. The button-pushing ceremony included WSDOT Region Administrator Carley Francis, state elected officials, and partners from C-TRAN and the city of Vancouver. Officials turned on the overhead signs indicating that the new part-time shoulder lane was ready for travelers.

In addition to improving westbound traffic flow with a new ramp meter and part-time shoulder lane, this project widened the highway. Both directions of SR 14 now have three open lanes of travel. The new shoulder lane allows travelers heading to northbound Interstate 205 to use the outside shoulder during peak traffic times, effectively providing an extra lane of travel, for four total. The ramp meter at the on-ramp from Southeast 164th Avenue also adjusts the rate of vehicles entering SR 14 based on current roadway conditions to maximize traffic flow on the highway.

"Using innovative traffic management tools that dynamically adjust to traffic levels, this completed SR 14 project removes chokepoints, increases traffic flow and shortens commute times along this heavily traveled roadway," said Francis. "We addressed the most critical need for more capacity and created a corridor that will meets current and future traffic demands."

The new part-time shoulder lane

Sometimes a shoulder isn't just a shoulder, it's also a travel lane.

This new westbound SR 14 part-time shoulder lane extends for a mile and a half from the SE 164th Avenue on-ramp directly onto northbound I-205. It is the first part-time shoulder lane in the Portland-Vancouver area.

This lane will open or close according to the level of traffic:

• When traffic is heavy, and the lane is open, westbound SR 14 will expand from three to four lanes of travel.
• New electronic displays will indicate when the shoulder lane is open or closed for travel.
• When the lane is open, a green arrow and "OPEN" and "EXIT ONLY" (to northbound I-205) messages are displayed.
• When the lane is closed, a red "X" and "CLOSED" are displayed.
• When the lane is closing due to debris, an emergency or a vehicle blocking the lane, a yellow arrow along with "CAUTION" or "CLOSED AHEAD" messages will be displayed, and drivers will need to use caution to exit the shoulder lane.
• The part-time shoulder also includes several pull outs for disabled vehicles.

Transit benefits

Between 2017 and 2022, the first bus-on-shoulder program in the area was tested along this stretch of SR 14 and improved the reliability of C-TRAN's express and regional buses. With the addition of the part-time shoulder lane, the bus-on-shoulder program becomes permanent. Authorized transit can use the shoulder at any time to access both northbound and southbound I-205. Transit can enter the part-time shoulder lane directly from the dedicated westbound bus lane from Southeast 164th Avenue.

Other improvements

Additional improvements include storm water facilities, a noise wall, electronic message signs, traffic cameras, guardrail, high friction surface treatment on the Southeast 164th Avenue on-ramp and landscaping. This $28 million project was part of the state's Connecting Washington transportation funding package.