Southwest Corridor Plan
Details from Metro

In February 2010, the Metro Council prioritized the corridor connecting Portland, Tigard and Sherwood for a study of potential transportation improvements. Partners in the Southwest Corridor Plan include the cities and counties in the corridor, Oregon Department of Transportation and TriMet.

Southwest Corridor
Metro and its partners will be taking a two-phased approach to determine how to improve connectivity between downtown Portland and the Tigard town center and on to Sherwood.

Phase One will include planning broadly for housing, employment and land use as well as auto, freight, local bus and high capacity transit, bicycle and pedestrian access and facilities.

Phase Two will focus on developing high capacity transit improvements in the corridor that will be supported by the housing, employment and land use plans and completed in concert with other kinds of transportation changes. There is still a lot of work ahead to determine the type of high capacity transit - light rail, bus rapid transit, commuter rail, or rapid streetcar - that would best meet the needs of this corridor.

The two-phase approach will lead to identification of promising land use and transportation improvements that could lead to further study of environmental, community and transportation costs, benefits and trade-offs. Throughout the process, the project team will share information with the public, announce project milestones and offer opportunities to provide input.

Portland, Tualatin, and Sherwood are each working on the Barbur Concept Plan, Linking Tualatin Plan, and the Sherwood Town Center Plan respectively. Each of these plans are similar to Tigard's HCT Land Use Plan in that they will investigate ways to connect the corridor as a whole with a focus towards supporting key elements of a successful region such as vibrant communities, economic prosperity, transportation choices, clean air and water, and equity.

Only after the project partners identify alternatives, study benefits and trade-offs, and gather input from residents in the corridor will decision-makers determine the final project or projects and the final mode and route that high capacity transit will consist of. These decisions could potentially happen in 2014-2017, laying the foundation for project development and construction as early as 2017-2023.

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