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2035 Regional Transportation Plan update

Planning and conservation  ›  Transportation  ›  Regional Transportation Plan  ›  2035 RTP update

Learn about the region's plans for completing an integrated, multi-modal transportation system from now through 2035.

A transportation system for the 21st century

On Dec. 17, 2009, the Metro Council voted to accept the draft 2035 Regional Transportation Plan. The plan recommends how to invest more than $20 billion in anticipated federal, state and local transportation funding in the Portland metropolitan area during the next 25 years. Looking ahead to 2035, this RTP update has been shaped by anticipated 21st century needs and outcomes the region is trying to achieve:

• promote jobs and wealth creation
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• improve safety throughout the transportation system
• promote healthy, active living by making walking and bicycling safe and convenient
• make transportation accessible, affordable and reliable for freight movement, commuting and everyday life
• promote vibrant communities while preserving farm and forest land

Download a presentation on the new RTP

This RTP links transportation investments to our vision for a sustainable and prosperous region

The new RTP focuses on outcomes and achieving the region's 2040 Growth Concept – a publicly supported vision for directing growth toward centers, corridors and employment areas. The plan invests in the region's downtowns, main streets, employment areas and major travel corridors to help attract growth in these areas. The investments aim to fix safety problems; address growing congestion; reduce the region's carbon footprint; provide real options for walking, biking and riding transit; and make travel more affordable and reliable for everyone – including businesses and freight shippers. Proposed projects include new sidewalks, bicycle facilities and trails; technology to make travel safer and more efficient; new roads; expanded transit service and high-capacity transit connections; improved interchanges and more capacity on the region's highway system.

The plan will reduce per capita greenhouse gas emissions and per capita vehicle miles traveled, improve freight reliability and provide for record amounts of investment in bicycle, transit and pedestrian modes of transportation.

 Well-developed centers and corridors manage growth in a way that makes daily life more convenient for residents by minimizing the distances they must travel to work. They also create centers of activity that can be served by multiple transportation options. These compact communities also result in lower greenhouse gas emissions and lower costs for providing roads and utilities.

This RTP update is being completed in two steps

The first step produced an RTP that met federal timelines, fiscal requirements, and new requirements in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). That RTP was approved on Dec. 13, 2007, by the Metro Council and the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation and, with an approved air-quality analysis, by the U.S. Department of Transportation on Feb. 29, 2008.

Read the Federal RTP
Read an executive summary of the Federal RTP
Read the SAFETEA-LU

The second step, which is currently underway, will produce a final RTP that meets regional and state as well as federal planning requirements. The final RTP will include:

• the first high-capacity transit plan since the early 1980s, which outlines priorities for future investments in an expanded light-rail network, bus rapid transit and other high-capacity transit corridors
• a regional freight plan that looks at how freight can move more efficiently through the region's transportation system
• the first comprehensive plan for transportation systems management and operations to make the most of investments already made in the transportation network
• the first climate change action plan to address how an integrated set of transportation investments, land use policies and other strategies can most effectively reduce greenhouse gases
• performance measures to link transportation investments to reducing the region's carbon footprint, job creation, protecting the urban growth boundary and enhancing travel options for everyone

Timeline of milestones and decisions

Key actions that remain for the 2035 RTP update include completion of the air-quality conformity analysis in February, public review and comment on the air-quality conformity report and the final RTP in March and April, discussion and recommendations by Metro advisory committees May, and consideration of approval of a final RTP by the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation and the Metro Council on June 10, 2010.

More on milestones and decisions

Need assistance?

Metro regional transportation planning
503-797-1735
rtp@oregonmetro.gov

Files and related materials

Files that are downloadable from this page

• Goals for regional transportation system investments 59K Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Table of contents 32K Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Draft 2035 Regional Transportation Plan 27.3M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Resolution and ordinance narrative 328K Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Appendices 4.5M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Draft Transportation System Management and Operations Plan executive summary 2.2M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Draft Transportation System Management and Operations Plan 6.9M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Draft Regional Freight Plan 5.2M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: High Capacity Transit System Plan summary report 11.3M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Draft Regional Transportation Functional Plan 165K Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• RTP: Integrated mobility strategy 1.6M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published September 15, 2009
• Presentation: Regional Transportation Plan 2.8M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published January 5, 2009