South Salem Transit Center

Cherriots is planning a ‍new transit center site to be a mobility hub in south Salem. This hub will enable smoother transfers and allow better service coverage in south Salem. 

Why a new transit center?

As the south Salem region continues to grow, so do the transportation needs of the people who live and work here. A new transit center will provide a mobility hub for improved transit service, transfer points, and other transportation options to connect to important destinations in south Salem.

Cherriots first saw the need for a transit center in south Salem over ten years ago. Since then, the District opened the Keizer Transit Center in 2013 and began searching for a site in south Salem.

This study took a fresh look at the need for and location of a new transit center. It folded in new ideas about the future of transportation and considered how to best connect riders not only to the bus, but also to options like ridesharing services, bicycle and scooter shares, carpooling, and vanpooling.

What did we study?

Cherriots conducted public surveys and technical analyses to understand transportation needs, then identified a shortlist of potential sites for the future South Salem Transit Center (SSTC).

The site evaluation considered location, prior use, size, transit operations needs, and other mobility hub characteristics of an ideal transit center site. Site size was based on the conceptual designs prepared in Fall 2021. The study also looked for vacant land or locations where there are willing sellers.

Using these criteria, Cherriots reduced the number of potential sites for consideration.

Importantly, the analyses were informed by the needs and priorities of community members in south Salem, including current residents, bus riders, local businesses, and community organizations.

The study ultimately landed on a shortlist of three potential site options for further evaluation. Conceptual site plans were prepared to confirm that these sites could meet the needs of the community. Cherriots will soon start the federal environmental review process and then coordinate directly with property owners to determine interest in selling their property. When Cherriots and a property owner agree on terms for the sale, the project will move through final design, permitting, and construction.