This is the project logo, which includes the town names of Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland, and the words bus rapid transit design.

Gorham-Westbrook-Portland Bus Rapid Transit Design

What is this project?

Greater Portland Metro is in the conceptual design stage of the future Gorham-Westbrook-Portland rapid-transit service, which will be the Greater Portland Region’s first rapid-bus project. ‘Conceptual design’ means designers are identifying where rapid-bus stations, bus lanes, and other infrastructure will be roughly located in Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland.

The project plans to connect Gorham to Westbrook via State Route 25 (also known as Main Street in Gorham, and Conant Street/William Clarke Drive in Westbrook), and Westbrook to Portland via Main Street, Brighton Avenue, Deering Avenue, Congress Street, and Franklin Street. The map below shows the planned alignment, which is currently being finalized.

A map showing a proposed rapid transit alignment between Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland. Major transfer points and destinations are included on the map. From west to east, this alignment connects USM Gorham, Gorham Village, downtown Westbrook, Rock Row, USM Portland, Maine Medical Center, downtown Portland, and the Eastern Waterfront

This rapid-transit line is planned to operate every 10 minutes on weekdays, carrying 4,600 average daily passenger trips, and serving 51,000 jobs and 47,000 residents. The service is planned to operate seven days a week, starting service as early as 5:00 a.m. and ending service as late as 11:30 p.m.

What is the project’s purpose and its goals?

The purpose of this project is to provide fast, reliable, and frequent transit service that connects Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland’s major transportation and activity centers. The project’s goals and objectives are below.

Focus on Practical and Implementable Solutions

Grow Transit Ridership

Support Sustainable Growth

Enhance Connectivity

Provide New Opportunities

Improve Mobility

Focus on Equity

What is bus rapid transit? 

Bus rapid transit is a form of public transportation with features that significantly improve the speed, reliability, and quality of service. The graphic below shows typical features of a rapid-transit system, including off-board fare collection, branded vehicles and stations, transit signal priority, and bus lanes.

This graphic shows the components of a bus rapid transit system. These are: Enhanced Fare Collection: Off-board fare collection using ticket vending machines, card readers, and other tools at stations allows passengers to board without waiting in line to pay their fares. Branding: Unique designs make rapid transit vehicles and stations more visible, raising awareness by distinguishing rapid transit from other transit services. Transit Signal Priority: Intersection improvements including transit signal priority (TSP) allow transit vehicles to bypass congestion. TSP does this by giving transit vehicles longer green lights. Enhanced Stations: Rapid transit stations include raised platforms, ticket vending machines, real-time arrival information, larger shelters, and other passenger amenities. Dedicated Running Ways: Transit-only right-of-way separates transit from traffic, and may be painted to increase visibility. High-Capacity Vehicles: Larger transit vehicles provide more capacity, more doors, and lower floors for easier boarding and alighting.

Where are we now?

This project is currently in the conceptual design phase. During this phase, Greater Portland Metro will:

Greater Portland Metro is working on this project with municipal staff from Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland, as well as planners from the Maine Department of Transportation, the Maine Turnpike Authority, and the Greater Portland Council of Governments. Metro will also conduct public outreach and dedicated stakeholder engagement to further inform the project’s design.

This phase of the Gorham-Westbrook-Portland Rapid Transit project is scheduled to run through June 2026, with future design phases to follow.

What is the project’s schedule?

This graphic shows the project schedule. The project is scheduled to run from Summer 2025 to Summer 2026. Interagency coordination will begin in mid-Fall 2025 and conclude at the end of the project. Public engagement will occur in the late fall and early winter of 2025 and in Spring of 2026. Data collection and analysis will span all of 2025 and into early 2026. Concept refinement will begin in Summer 2025 and continue through Summer 2026. Additional analysis, like the financial and economic analysis, environmental review, and implementation and funding strategies, will occur primarily in the Spring and Summer of 2026, though environmental review will also briefly occur in the Winter of 2025.

What is the project’s background?

This project originates in our region’s long-range transit plan, Transit Tomorrow, which calls for a rapid-transit network that meets our growing transportation needs without building major new roads or producing more traffic congestion.

After Transit Tomorrow, the Greater Portland Council of Governments, Greater Portland Metro, Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland collaborated on the Gorham-Westbrook-Portland Rapid Transit Study, which ultimately identified this project’s Locally Preferred Alternative. This Locally Preferred Alternative was approved by the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System’s Policy Board on January 25, 2024.

What public and stakeholder engagement has been conducted to date?

During the Gorham-Westbrook-Portland Rapid Transit Study, the planning team engaged over 2,000 people through public meetings, pop-up events, online surveys, and stakeholder interviews. Public support for the Locally Preferred Alternative was exceptionally high; in a survey of nearly 600 respondents, more than 85% of participants indicated support for the project. The LPA is also supported by the University of Southern Maine.

The Gorham-Westbrook-Portland rapid-transit line aligns with the goals of several other state, regional, and local plans, including: Maine Won’t Wait, Connect 2045, and Portland and South Portland’s One Climate Future.

How can I learn more about the project?

There are several ways you can provide feedback on this project outside of the public-comment periods.

Contact the project manager directly:

Mike Tremblay, P.E.
Director of Transit Development
E-mail: mtremblay@gpmetro.org
Phone: (207) 517-3023

Gorham-Westbrook-Portland BRT Design Feedback

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