Measure 26-218 was not approved by voters in November 2020. As a result, further light rail planning and design work is on pause. The Federal Transit Administration, TriMet and Metro are completing the required Environmental Impact Statment (EIS) for the light rail project with a Final EIS and a Record of Decision anticipated in early 2021. The Project Library contains the Draft EIS and other environmental review documents.
In November 2018, Metro Council approved the light rail Preferred Alternative recommended by the Southwest Corridor Steering Committee. This option was identified based on analysis documented in the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, input from the public and agencies including comments on the Draft EIS, the project staff recommendation, and consideration of FTA’s rating criteria for large transit projects.
The Preferred Alternative would construct an 11-mile extension of the MAX system from Portland State University to Tigard and Bridgeport Village in Tualatin. The project would provide the backbone for enhanced local bus service in the Southwest Corridor and would make substantial investments in the transportation infrastructure of the Southwest Corridor including:
- a shared transitway that allows for express bus service from Beaverton and Hillsdale into downtown Portland
- continuous sidewalks and protected bike lanes on both sides of Barbur from I-405 to Barbur Transit Center
- improved pedestrian connections to the OHSU and VA complex on Marquam Hill and to Portland Community College’s Sylvania campus
- a rebuilt driving surface for Barbur including reconstruction of two aged viaducts
- greatly enhanced stormwater treatment along Barbur to support a cleaner Willamette River
- a new operations and maintenance facility for TriMet MAX vehicles
See the TriMet project website for more details on the light rail project.