TriMet/Metro Southwest Corridor Planning (Portland to Bridgeport Village)

[maccoinnich]

The Southwest Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement is out. Per my comments on bikeportland, I'm not impressed.

The SW Corridor project DEIS is out: Here’s what the bikeways look like



The SW Corridor Project has reached a major milestone with the release this week of its Draft Environmental Impact Statement — a required step for the estimated $2.8 billion, 12-mile TriMet MAX light rail project to receive federal funding.

The plan has been seven years in the making and once complete (possibly around 2027), the new line would go from downtown Portland’s transit mall to Tualatin via Tigard. As proposed, the route would go along Barbur Boulevard until the Barbur Transit Center (at SW Capitol Highway) and then cross over I-5 on a new bridge that would run southwest along the freeway to Tigard before crossing Highway 217 and heading south to Bridgeport.

When the Portland region has built previous light rail lines, new bike lanes followed. The Yellow Line up Interstate got us new (albeit crappy and narrow) bike lanes, and the Orange Line came with an unprecedented investment in bikeways. Throughout planning for the SW Corridor, active transportation advocates have watched closely and sat on advisory committees to make sure the project would result in not just a new high-capacity transit line; but high-capacity bikeways as well.

...continues at BikePortland.

[Derek]

Yay only 9 years away!

[maccoinnich]

By the time the project opens this thread is likely to be 20 years old.

[urbanlife]

Originally Posted by maccoinnich

By the time the project opens this thread is likely to be 20 years old.

So in 2028, we can buy this thread a beer and some weed!!!

[pylon]

Southwest Corridor MAX route recommended
from https://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/403502-300641-southwest-corridor-max-route-recommended

from the article...

The Southwest Corridor Community Advisory Committee unanimously recommended a route that includes:

• Leaving Portland on Southwest Barbur Boulevard instead of Southwest Naito Parkway.

• Running the trains through the middle of Barbur Boulevard instead of alongside Interstate 5. This decision would not reduce the number of lanes on the road.

• Building continuous bike lanes and sidewalks on Barbur, until 60th Avenue, even in the Barbur Woods area.

• Having the Portland Bureau of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Transportation would replace the Newberry and Vermont viaducts, which are not up to current street codes.

• In Tigard, running the proposed train on 70th Avenue until Elmhurst Street, crossing over Highway 217 and running east of Hall Boulevard, then travelling next to the existing train tracks until it splits off to Bridgeport Village.

[hat]

At the extreme North end of the alignment, the decision to bypass Marquam hill may have been a bit short-sighted. On the other hand, it may be a shot in the arm for Lair Hill which has been isolated by I-5 and Barbur for a century.

Here is a more detailed map from Metro. I am happy to see the alignment follows Barbur rather than I-5. I wonder if it would make sense to push the Tigard WES stop 100 yards SE closer to the MAX stop.

Now we need a decent subway downtown to make this system actually work.

[MarkDaMan]

https://www.oregonlive.com/expo/news/err...box_default_#incart_target2box_targeted_

Portland's next light rail line will run down middle of Barbur Boulevard
By Andrew Theen | The Oregonian/OregonLive | Posted August 15, 2018 at 01:12 PM | Updated August 15, 2018 at 04:27 PM

The Portland area's next light rail line will run largely down the center of Southwest Barbur Boulevard on a meandering 12-mile route between downtown and Bridgeport Village in Tigard.

A steering committee comprising metro area elected officials and transportation leaders voted Monday on the official route for the proposed transit line. Project leaders had also considered a route along Interstate 5.

The decision came after the Metro regional government released its preferred route in June for the project, estimated to cost $2.6 billion to $2.9 billion. Metro this week said it received more than 1,000 comments on its draft Environmental Impact Statement since June.

Planners said the project will not result in fewer travel lanes on Barbur.

The so-called Southwest Corridor Plan is about more than just light-rail transit, though planners estimate the new TriMet line would draw up to 43,000 passengers a day. The project would create miles of continuous bike lanes and sidewalks on Barbur stretching until Southwest 60th Avenue.

The project is far from approved, but Monday’s vote marks a significant step. Metro’s council will vote to adopt the plan this fall.

...(continues)

[trail_blazers_7]

Originally Posted by hat

At the extreme North end of the alignment, the decision to bypass Marquam hill may have been a bit short-sighted. On the other hand, it may be a shot in the arm for Lair Hill which has been isolated by I-5 and Barbur for a century.

Here is a more detailed map from Metro. I am happy to see the alignment follows Barbur rather than I-5. I wonder if it would make sense to push the Tigard WES stop 100 yards SE closer to the MAX stop.

Now we need a decent subway downtown to make this system actually work.

Lair Hill is an interesting little area. It’s certainly quite isolated from the rest of the city despite its proximity to downtown and the S Waterfront. The geography of the area doesn’t allow for too many alternative corridors to get into downtown from SW.
I think beyond cost the decision to bypass Marquam Hill was at least in part due to the problems that construction could potentially cause to the hospital. Boring beneath sensitive equipment may not be the greatest idea. I’m genuinely curious how well some of the proposals to serve the hospital from the new line will actually pan out. It’s a pretty crummy location for the city’s largest employer to be located, but it is what it is!

[green_man]

As someone who both lives and works in the vicinity of the corridor, I've been following this with keen interest. Some thoughts on the recommended route:

* I'm a little surprised the Tigard TC stop is on the east side of Hall, but it does avoid the issue of having to cross Hall twice. This option seems to impact fewer residences but more industrial properties, with what is apparently a complete relocation of the TC.

* Finally, Barbur will be getting continuous sidewalks. It's amazing how in SW even some major thoroughfares lack pedestrian facilities.

* Running down the middle of Barbur will make the line more user-friendly, and I'm glad it's not losing lanes (not really surprised as the ROW is generally wider than Interstate/Yellow Line), seeing as how it's one of the few relief valves for I-5 in SW.

* Using Barbur instead of Naito on the northernmost segment is a more sensible choice overall as it shaves a bit off travel time and more directly serves Marquam Hill, but I hope Lair Hill still gets some love and the Ross Island bridgehead mess is untangled as part of the project.

[tworivers]

I decided to stick this here since this Trimet project seems emblematic of our issues as a city. So depressing I don't really have words. What the hell has happened to Portland's political culture? Why are we stuck where we are?

10 ways Seattle has blown past Portland in transportation moxie

By Andrew Theen | The Oregonian/OregonLive | Posted August 27, 2018

[RED_PDXer]

Originally Posted by tworivers

I decided to stick this here since this Trimet project seems emblematic of our issues as a city. So depressing I don't really have words. What the hell has happened to Portland's political culture? Why are we stuck where we are?

10 ways Seattle has blown past Portland in transportation moxie

By Andrew Theen | The Oregonian/OregonLive | Posted August 27, 2018

Two words. "Sales tax". That's how most of these transit initiatives are funded elsewhere. Here, funds are cobbled together with precarious partnerships and horse trading, such as the issue of which agency will own and maintain 99W through Portland.

[trail_blazers_7]

Originally Posted by tworivers

I decided to stick this here since this Trimet project seems emblematic of our issues as a city. So depressing I don't really have words. What the hell has happened to Portland's political culture? Why are we stuck where we are?

10 ways Seattle has blown past Portland in transportation moxie

By Andrew Theen | The Oregonian/OregonLive | Posted August 27, 2018

Not to minimize the lack of political will or vision, but the article ignores the fact that the MAX predated Link by 17 years, 23 if you don’t count the short and isolated ‘Tacoma Link’. MAX ridership is also 50% higher. Seattle and Portland are apples and oranges as well. Seattle is denser and wealthier, that means more tax revenue and more efficient transit. Tolls and tunnels are already in the cards as well. Water transit would be interesting to see on the Willamette and Columbia. Oregon City all the way to Troutdale could be served. Boats would need to sit low enough to prevent a ton of bridge lifts all day, however.

[mhays]

Seattle's 20.8% commute share among in-city residents also shows the importance of a good bus system, by far the dominant part of transit up here.

[MarkDaMan]

https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/index.ssf/2018/09/trimet_board_backs_proposed_li.html

TriMet board backs proposed light rail route to Bridgeport Village
Updated 3:33 PM; Posted 3:26 PM
By Andrew Theen [email protected]
The Oregonian/OregonLive

TriMet's board threw its support Wednesday behind the proposed 12-mile light-rail route from downtown Portland to Bridgeport Village.

The board unanimously approved a nonbinding resolution in what amounts to a symbolic act, but it's another indication of the growing momentum behind the region's latest proposed transit project.

The meandering route, estimated to cost $2.6 billion to $2.9 billion, is expected to be included in a regionwide 2020 transportation bond.


Metro Councilor Bob Stacey told the board the project has the "enthusiastic support" of the region. Stacey said light rail carries thousands of commuters on Interstate 84 and U.S. 26, where trains run adjacent to the rush hour traffic, who would otherwise be in traffic. "Imagine what I-5 south could look like with MAX serving that corridor," Stacey said.

The plan calls for 13 stations and seven park and rides along the way.

...(continues)

[urbanlife]

That is a good step forward with this project.

[MarkDaMan]

Excess land from MAX construction could become affordable housing
Updated 6:25 PM; Posted 6:25 PM
By Elliot Njus [email protected]
The Oregonian/OregonLive

Leftover land from the construction of TriMet's next light rail line could become a land bank for affordable housing.

The transit agency usually has extra land left over when it opens a new line, either from buying larger-than-needed parcels for tracks and stations or for construction staging.

In the past, it's sold that land to the highest bidder, with a big chunk of the proceeds going to the federal government to pay back its contribution to the project. In the coming project, TriMet will give the Portland Housing Bureau the first shot at the property and sell it for a discount — just enough to pay back the feds.

It's an effort to head off what happened after the MAX Yellow Line opened in 2005 . The rail project was designed to serve some of Portland's poorest neighborhoods, but those neighborhoods gentrified rapidly in the following years.

...(continues)

[MarkDaMan]

https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/index.ssf/2018/11/portland_unanimously_backs_2_b.html

$2 billion Barbur MAX line plan gets unanimous Portland council OK
Updated 6:35 PM; Posted 5:16 PM
By Andrew Theen [email protected]
The Oregonian/OregonLive

Portland's elected leaders unanimously threw their support Thursday behind a proposed 12-mile light-rail extension from downtown to Bridgeport Village.

The estimated $2.6 billion to $2.9 billion project would give passengers a 30-minute ride between downtown and the suburban shopping center by 2027.

Portland leaders haven't figured out how much money the city is willing to chip in for the long-awaited project, which is expected to be the centerpiece of a 2020 regional transportation bond. But the City Council's support for the preferred rail route is the latest indication the so-called Southwest Corridor plan is one step closer to reality.

"We have an opportunity to deliver high-capacity transit service and safety improvements to one of the most congested parts of our region," said Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, who oversees the Transportation Bureau. She and other leaders called the project "transformative."

Planners said the project goes far beyond bringing 13 transit stations and seven park and rides to Barbur Boulevard and the shopping district in the Tigard and Tualatin area. Designs include miles of sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, bike lanes and a dramatic overhaul for how motorists get to and from the Ross Island Bridge. It will also include better connection between Barbur and Oregon Health & Science University and the medical campus on Marquam Hill.

Two aging bridges - the Vermont and Newbury Street Viaducts - will be replaced to give more space to walkers and cyclists.

...(continues)

[MarkDaMan]

https://www.oregonlive.com/roadreport/20...dgeport-village-gets-metro-approval.html

Light-rail project through SW Portland to Bridgeport Village gets Metro approval
Updated 7:05 PM; Posted 7:04 PM
By Andrew Theen | The Oregonian/OregonLive [email protected]
The Oregonian/OregonLive

long-discussed plan to bring more transit service to Southwest Portland and job centers in Tigard and Bridgeport Village moved another step closer to reality Thursday.

The Metro council unanimously approved the preferred route for an estimated $2.6 billion to $2.9 billion light-rail line project, which would extend the transit service 12 miles through an underserved and growing part of the Portland region.

The council’s vote comes on the heels of similar approvals from Portland, Tigard, Tualatin and Washington County elected officials in recent weeks, and it marks the final approval needed from a local government before planners can begin refining the design and conduct a final environmental impact statement.

A final environmental impact statement is expected in late 2019, and Metro will likely include the light-rail expansion on a planned 2020 transportation bond package. The project is contingent not only on local funding, but also on an eventual 50 percent funding share from the federal government. If everything goes according to plan, the project could be under consideration for federal funds in 2023, and the first trains could roll in 2027.

...(continues)

[MarkDaMan]

https://www.wweek.com/news/2019/04/18/po...a-funicular-up-the-side-of-marquam-hill/

Portland Agencies Might Build a Funicular Up the Side of Marquam Hill
It would take passengers on a scenic glide up a wooded hill to Terwilliger Boulevard, with a view of Southwest Portland’s skyline below.
By Elise Herron | Published April 18 at 4:48 PM Updated April 18 at 5:01 PM

Portland has plenty of boutique public transit options: This is a town where you can take a streetcar to the aerial tram. But one thing we don't have? A funicular.

That could soon change.

TriMet is considering plans to build a funicular—that's an inclined elevator—as a way to connect the proposed Southwest Corridor MAX line with Oregon Health and Sciences University. The funicular would run from Southwest Barbur Boulevard up the side of Marquam Hill.

The Portland Tribune first reported on the proposed connection—one of three options, along with an elevator and bridge, or an elevator and elevator and a pedestrian tunnel.

None of the three options has been selected yet, but drawings of what the funicular could look like were presented to the public at a TriMet steering committee meeting on April 10.

As the Tribune reports, some nearby residents opposed a funicular, on the grounds that it would cut away vegetation near Terwilliger Parkway.

The projected cost for the sleek, sloped elevators is between $35 million and $45 million, and would likely include a user fee to pay for attendants. The funicular would cost slightly less than that of an elevator and pedestrian tunnel, but more than the price of an elevator and bridge.


OHSU funicular drawing. (TriMet)

...(continues)

[dubu]

that doesnt look that steep, why not a rope that pulls your bike up while you are on it then you just ride down the hill?