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Lake Oswego to Portland transit project

Planning and conservation  ›  Transportation  ›  Lake Oswego to Portland transit

Learn about efforts to develop a transit project that meets future travel demand between Lake Oswego and Portland, supports local and regional land use plans, and garners public acceptance and community support.

Project status

With discussion continuing about ways to improve transit service between Lake Oswego and Portland, Metro is taking steps to advance to the next stage of study, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, a federally-required detailed analysis of the benefits and impacts to the community and natural environments.

The project includes three alternatives:

• A no build is a federally-required alternative that serves as a basis of comparison between the transit options and the option of not making a major transit investment in the corridor.
• Enhanced bus was identified for further study in the alternatives analysis process. The enhanced bus alternative would include frequent bus service along Highway 43 with fewer stops with more amenities than standard bus routes.
• Streetcar was identified for further study in the alternatives analysis process. The streetcar alternative would connect Portland and Lake Oswego with a regional streetcar, extending from Bancroft Street in the South Waterfront district to downtown Lake Oswego. There are several design options in Johns Landing that will be carried forward for further analysis in the DEIS.

At the same time, steps will be identified to advance a trail in the corridor. Download the map of alternatives to be considered in the DEIS and information on the trail refinement below...Go

Refinement phase

In preparation for beginning the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, terminus options in Lake Oswego and design options in Johns Landing were considered by the project steering committee with input from the community. The project team is awaiting final approval of these design options from the Federal Transit Administration.

In Johns Landing, the project team expects to study three streetcar design options:

• Mixed traffic on Macadam Avenue – Streetcar would operate in mixed traffic on Macadam Avenue from approximately Carolina Street to Boundary Street.
• New northbound lane on Macadam Avenue – From approximately Carolina Street to Boundary Street, streetcar would operate in mixed traffic on southbound Macadam Avenue and would operate in a new lane on northbound Macadam Avenue. The new northbound lane would be reserved for streetcar and traffic turning right at public streets or into driveways.
• Willamette Shore Line –Streetcar would operate on the Willamette Shore Line right of way.

Project partners expect to publish the DEIS in spring 2010. The technical work for the DEIS addresses several topics:

• Land use and planning
• Economic activity
• Community Impacts
• Visual quality and aesthetics
• Historic, archeological and cultural resources
• Parklands, recreation areas, wildlife and waterfowl refuge
• Geology, soils and earthquake
• Ecosystems
• Hydrology and water quality
• Noise and vibration
• Air quality
• Energy
• Hazardous materials
• Transportation and traffic
• Public safety and security
• Utilities
• Finance
• Capital costs
• Operating and maintenance costs
• Travel forecasting

A 45-day public comment period will follow the publication of the DEIS and will include public events and a public hearing before determination of the Locally Preferred Alternative for the project.

Environmental analysis

The environmental analysis, or DEIS, is a joint effort by Metro, TriMet, the cities of Lake Oswego and Portland, Clackamas and Multnomah counties, Portland Streetcar Inc. and the Oregon Department of Transportation. Work will begin in the summer of 2009 and conclude in 2010 with the selection of a single Locally Preferred Alternative to be advanced into preliminary engineering and a Final Environmental Impact Statement.

Public participation and decision-making process

The Metro Council decision of Dec. 13, 2007 follows the definition and screening of a broad range of options. Along the way, there were numerous opportunities for public participation: a community design workshop, small group meetings, project citizen advisory committee meetings, open houses, public hearings, a formal public comment period and presentations to neighborhood and community groups... More

NEED ASSISTANCE?

Metro transportation planning
503-797-1756
trans@oregonmetro.gov

Files and related materials

Files that are downloadable from this page

• Map of alternatives to be considered in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, updated September 2009 351K Adobe Acrobat PDF
• Information on the trail refinement 1.1M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published May 29, 2008