More than 75 people from throughout the corridor connecting Sherwood, Tigard and Portland attended the open house for the kickoff of the Southwest Corridor Plan on Sept. 28. The event was an opportunity for the community to learn about the comprehensive planning effort to create livable and sustainable communities along the corridor through integrated community investments in land use and transportation.
Participants shared their ideas of what they like about their communities, what challenges they face and what should be considered as the plan moves forward. Displays let people talk about the process that will take their ideas down to an integrated solution that will best meet the needs, challenges and values of the communities in the corridor.
Residents of Tigard and Portland also learned about the local land use plans that will help form the Southwest Corridor Plan, specifically the Transit Alternatives Analysis component, which will examine the potential for high capacity transit investment in the corridor, which could take the form of a new light rail line, bus rapid transit, commuter rail or rapid streetcar, and/or improvements to local bus service.
The Tigard HCT Land Use Plan and Portland’s Barbur Concept Plan will examine current land uses and opportunities for vitalization and future growth, helping to identify potential station areas for any future high capacity transit investment.
This weekend, the project partners also hosted booths at the PSU Farmers’ Market in Portland and the Great Onion Festival in Sherwood, letting people know about the plan and getting their ideas for the plan.
Great ideas from residents will help inform the scope of the Southwest Corridor Plan – things like the importance of walkable town centers that include space for housing and businesses; preserved greenspace, including parks and natural areas; bicycle access; and ensuring that future growth is planned for on a community level.
Residents also pointed out the challenge of the hilly topography out of downtown Portland and split on whether the best transit solution was more local buses or an investment in high capacity transit. These ideas will be explored in more detail as the alternatives are compiled and measured against the goals of the plan.
Residents are next invited to talk to project partners at the Tigard Area Farmers’ Market on Sunday, Oct. 16 and the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Tualatin on Saturday, Oct. 22. Those who are unable to visit the events are invited to help form the process by taking an online survey (through Oct. 28).
The Southwest Corridor 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.