The Southwest Corridor Plan includes a proposed 12-mile MAX light rail line between Portland State University, Tigard and Bridgeport Village.
Later this year, the proposed light rail project will begin a federally-required environmental review, which will take roughly 12 to 15 months. The review will produce a Draft Environmental Impact Statement, a report that will help leaders make final decisions about the light rail line and related transportation projects to be built with it, as well as ways to mitigate any project impacts.
Before the review begins, the Southwest Corridor Plan partners are holding a 30-day public comment opportunity called a scoping period. During this time, residents, workers, commuters and other interested people and organizations can weigh in about potential impacts, alternatives and projects that should be included in the review.
There are several ways to participate during the scoping period, which extends from Sept. 2 to Oct. 3, 2016.
- Take an online survey. Two surveys are available. Both will close at 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 3.
- Short survey: For those seeking to give quicker input about the project, this survey should take 5 to 7 minutes. Go
- Long survey: For those seeking to provide more detailed input, a longer survey is available. This survey should take approximately 20 minutes. Go
- Attend an open house: Thursday, Sept. 22, 6-8 p.m. at Wilson High School, Portland Learn more
- Write a letter: Southwest Corridor Light Rail Scoping Comments, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97232-2736
- Write an email: [email protected]. Comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 3.
What's included in the study?
The environmental review will study several light rail alignment alternatives and a number of related roadway, bike and pedestrian projects closely related to the light rail line. One purpose of the scoping period is to inform which projects make that list.
What's on the draft list? Southwest Corridor Plan staff have released a Scoping Booklet with a proposed range of alignment alternatives and related transportation projects.
For those seeking additional detail, the Scoping Booklet is accompanied by a number of attachments and appendices, all of which are available on the Southwest Corridor Plan's special Scoping website.
Southwest Corridor leaders want to know what you think about this draft list of alternatives and projects, and about the potential impacts you would like to see studied during the review.
What happens after this?
The Southwest Corridor Plan steering committee – leaders from Metro, TriMet, seven cities, Washington County and the Oregon Department of Transportation – will meet in November and December to review comments from the scoping period and make decisions about what should be studied in the environmental review.
The review will begin in early 2017. A draft Environmental Impact Statement will be released for public comment in early 2018. That report and the public's comments on it will help shape the steering committee's final decisions about the route, station locations and design of the light rail line, related projects to build with it and actions to mitigate the project's impacts.
This timeline, from scoping period materials prepared by Southwest Corridor staff, shows the currently expected timeline for environmental review, final project selection and construction.
Learn more about the environmental review process.
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