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Southwest Corridor Plan

Planning and conservation  ›  Transportation and land use projects  ›  Southwest Corridor Plan

Find out about the comprehensive planning effort to create livable and sustainable communities along the corridor between Portland, Tigard and Sherwood through integrated community investments in land use and transportation.

The Southwest Corridor Plan integrates multiple efforts: local land use plans to identify actions and investments that support livable communities; a corridor refinement plan to examine the function, mode and general location of transportation improvements; and the transit alternatives analysis to define the best mode and alignment of high capacity transit to serve the corridor. The plan is a partnership between Metro, Multnomah County, Washington County, the Oregon Department of Transportation, TriMet and the cities of Portland, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin, Beaverton, Durham, King City and Lake Oswego.

The integrated approach allows Metro and its partners to measure the success of the transportation project against some key elements of a successful region, things like vibrant communities, economic prosperity, clean air and water and equity. Transportation and land use decisions that support local land use goals for jobs and housing will be fundamental to a successful outcome.

Southwest Corridor Transit Alternatives Analysis

In December 2010, Metro was awarded a $2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to analyze alternatives for improving transit in the corridor that includes Barbur Boulevard/Highway 99W and Interstate 5. This transit alternative analysis will be part of a larger transportation plan, which will also examine opportunities for improvements to the roadway, bike, pedestrian and freight networks. Download the grant application (PDF 3.7M)

There has been speculation that the Southwest Corridor Plan could lead to a light rail project in the corridor. Although this is a possibility, this early stage of the process will include asking residents and businesses what they like about their communities, what challenges they face and what should be considered moving forward. Early next year, this wide range of potential solutions will be narrowed down based on how well they meet the needs of, and the local and regional goals for, the corridor. Light rail may be included as a potential solution at that time, but other high capacity solutions, such bus rapid transit, commuter rail or rapid streetcar, or even improved local bus, may also be pursued as well or instead.

The corridor in the vicinity of Barbur Boulevard/Highway 99W was designated in 2009 as the as next regional priority for high capacity transit expansion by the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation and the Metro Council. The corridor, identified as near-term priority under Metro’s Regional High Capacity Transit System Plan, shows the greatest ridership projections for potential high capacity transit corridors in the region. The alternatives analysis will determine what mode of high capacity transit – light rail, commuter rail, rapid streetcar or bus rapid transit – would best meet the future travel needs in the corridor.Find out more about the High Capacity Transit System Plan

Need assistance?

Malu Wilkinson, project manager: 503-797-1680 | malu.wilkinson@oregonmetro.gov
Karen Withrow, communications manager: 503-797-1932 | karen.withrow@oregonmetro.gov
Jamie Snook, transportation project manager: 503-797-1751 | jamie.snook@oregonmetro.gov
Transportation corridor planning: 503-797-1756 | trans@oregonmetro.gov