March 20, 2013
Public weighs in on corridor concept screening results

ODOT thanks everyone who participated in the public meetings and online open house held in January 2013. We received hundreds of public comments. Read a summary of the events and public comments.

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March 1, 2013
Joseph Rose, The Oregonian
Amtrak rail ridership thriving in Oregon, Washington, study says

Is a passenger-rail renaissance picking up steam in Oregon and Washington? A new study on Amtrak ridership and financial performance in 100 U.S. metro areas holds up the two Northwest states as models for future rail service in an era of fiscal restraint.

In fact, Portland now has the 16th busiest Amtrak terminals in the country, according to the Brookings Institute report released Friday. (read full article)

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February 12, 2013
Leadership Council approves corridor concept screening results

On January 31, 2013, the project Leadership Council approved the corridor concept screening results. This map shows ODOT’s recommendation for which rail route alternatives to move forward for more detailed consideration. The Leadership Council also recommended an initial level of screening for a new proposed alignment along the WES route from Tualatin to Beaverton Transit Center and then along the MAX alignment to downtown Portland.

(more)

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January 31, 2013
Goals and Objectives - Prioritization Results

Thanks to everyone that participated in the open houses. See how the public prioritized the draft project goals and objectives.

(Click on the chart image to see a summary of the results)

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The project is studying options for improved passenger rail service. The study area includes the segment between the Columbia River in the Portland urban area and the Eugene-Springfield urban area. This 125-mile segment is part of the federally-designated Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor. ODOT is leading an environmental review process that will inform a number of important decisions, including selection of the general rail alignment and communities where stations will be located. The project will also determine several service characteristics, such as the number of daily trips, travel time objectives, and the technologies to be used (for example, whether the trains will be powered by electric or diesel‐electric engines).