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2035 Regional Transportation Plan

Planning and conservation  ›  Regional planning and policy  ›  MPO for the Portland region  ›  Regional Transportation Plan  ›  2035 RTP

Learn about the adopted update to the region's plan for a safe and reliable transportation system. View ordinances, supporting documents and other publications developed throughout this four-year effort.

A transportation system for the 21st century

The RTP presents the overarching policies and goals, system concepts for all modes of travel, funding strategies and local implementation requirements.  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.

This RTP update has been shaped by looking ahead to 2035 to anticipated 21st century needs and these desired outcomes for the region:

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

Linking transportation investments to the 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.

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 has been 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 by the U.S. Department of Transportation on Feb. 29, 2008.
Read the SAFETEA-LU

The second step has produced a final RTP that meets regional and state as well as federal planning requirements. The final RTP includes:

• 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.

Files and related materials

If any of these files are too large for you to download, call 503-797-1735 for assistance or to request a CD of the files.

• Metro Ordinance No. 10-1241B, exhibits and staff report 19.6M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published January 7, 2013
• Final RTP as amended by Metro Ordinance No. 10-1241B 47.0M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published January 7, 2013
• 2035 RTP Technical Appendix 13.2M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published July 29, 2010
• Regional Transportation System Management and Operations Plan 11.7M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published July 29, 2010
• Regional Freight Plan 7.6M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published July 29, 2010
• Public comment report, May 2010 4.6M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published May 14, 2010
• Regional High Capacity Transit System Plan 18.0M Adobe Acrobat PDF | Published July 29, 2010
• Final 2035 RTP Project List 587K MS Excel | Published October 4, 2010

Related Links

Freight and goods movement

The Regional Freight Plan presents policies and strategies for moving freight that complement the region's multimodal transportation system and support regional land use goals.

Cost of congestion

Download a study examining the relationship between investments in transportation and the economy.

Public opinion research on quality of life and growth in the region

To understand the underlying values and beliefs of the people in the region about quality of life and growth management principles, Metro commissioned extensive public opinion research in 2006 and 2009.

Related Internet links

• Federal Highway Administration SAFETEA-LU website

  (http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/)

• 2006 Oregon Transportation Plan Amendments

  (http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP/ortransplanupdate.shtml)

• 2006 Oregon Transportation Planning Rule Amendments

  (http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/transplan.shtml)