April 2017
NEWS
The Southwest Portland Post • 3
Community Advisory Committee ponders light rail alignment, station issues
SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR PLAN
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
The Metro sanctioned Southwest
Corridor Light Rail Community
Advisory Committee met for the
second time on March 6.
The group of community
stakeholders provides feedback and
recommendations to project staff
and the steering committee during
the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement process.
The purpose of this evening
was to learn more about the light
rail alignment, potential stations,
and park-and-ride locations being
considered in the federal study.
In a packed classroom at the
Multnomah Arts Center, brief public
input was scheduled before members
got down to business.
Many handouts lined the tables
including Metro reports, minutes,
and a variety of articles from an
organization called Debunking
Portland. One article in particular
reviewed why many Americans
don’t ride mass transit.
Project manager Matt Bihn began
with a current presentation of the
project.
“The rail line is 12 miles long and
begins in downtown Portland,” Bihn
said. “It then makes its way through
Tigard with a variety of routes, and
ends in Bridgeport Village.
“We’ve divided the line into three
segments: inner Portland, outer
Portland, and Tigard.”
Bihn described one scenario of
where the light rail would travel
connecting the MAX line near
Portland State University, traveling
over a new light rail bridge over
Interstate 405, and make its way
south along Barbur Boulevard.
The other choice being examined
connects the MAX line by the Tilikum
Crossing, connecting neighborhoods
near the Ross Island Bridge, and
making its way down Barbur
Boulevard or parallel to Interstate 5,
and connecting to Barbur Boulevard
at Hamilton Street.
A committee member asked about
the various cost considerations of
each alignment. Another asked about
whether there would be a station
near some low-income apartments
on Barbur Boulevard, and wondered
whether the project would address
homeless camps in the woods.
“All these issues will be addressed
in the DEIS,” Bihn replied, “and this
committee will have a chance for
input when the time comes.”
According to Bihn, “Gibbs Street
is a crucial crossroads, as it accesses
the Southwest waterfront as well as
up to Marquam Hill.”
Having the line parallel the
freeway, Bihn explained, would
not provide improvements to bike
trails, add sidewalks, or make road
improvements for that section of
Barbur Boulevard.
“It would connect various
pathways to the raised tracks,
there would be less expense to the
alignment, and would not compete
with traffic along Barbur,” said Bihn.
On the other hand, he remarked,
alignment down Barbur Boulevard
would be easier to build, there
would be sidewalk and roadway
improvements, and include U-turn
lanes for business access.
Both the Newbury and Vermont
viaducts along Barbur Boulevard
w o u l d b e re c o n s t ru c t e d , a n d
widened, as well as the Capitol
Highway bridge.
Committee member Roger
Averbeck requested that the group
review the vision and goals that the
elected officials already promised.
“We must also address mitigating
impacts,” Averbeck said, “as well as
The Barbur Transit Center will eventually undergo major renovations, including
additional parking, once the light rail project gets underway.
(Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
improving business redevelopment.”
“The vision and goals clearly state
the community’s desires for Barbur
Boulevard as a destination rather
than a major thoroughfare,” replied
Bihn.
A question came from a Portland
Community College student in the
audience. He wondered if some
bus lines would disappear. Bihn
responded that TriMet does not want
light rail to compete with bus lines.
“There will be some changes and
eliminations,” he said. “Some buses
will merge, and some will share light
rail tracks at times then branch out
to destinations such as Hillsdale and
the community college.”
Some proposed stations include
Gibbs, Hamilton, Custer, and Spring
Garden streets. The current Barbur
Transit Center would be remodeled
and expanded. An additional transit
center is also projected for 53rd
Avenue near PCC Sylvania.
The lots are projected to hold 850
and 950 parking spots respectively.
A 53rd Avenue park-and-ride also
may be a hub with shuttles and
possible autonomous vehicles up to
the college.
As the two-hour meeting neared its
completion, Eryn Kehe, the project’s
(Continued on Page 7)
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