Ross Roberts

"This is an important milestone," said Ross Roberts, transportation planning manager for Metro, a regional government agency."It is a real big step to have this piece of the work done and is a necessary step to get federal funding."

The impact statement concludes federal environmental review of the project, which clears the way for the federal government to provide approval to begin the final design of the project."In this process, Metro's role has been as the planning body," Roberts said."Now it's just a matter of federal approval and designing the project.Metro's role from here on drops off.We leave it to TriMet to design and build the project."

The approximately $490-million project, expected to carry 46,000 riders a day by 2025, would reduce travel time from Clackamas Town Center to downtown Portland by one-fourth compared to bus service."There is a huge trip generator that is not currently on the system," Roberts said.

Written comments can be submitted to Ross Roberts, project manager; Metro Transportation Department; 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97232.

Comments can also be made on the transportation hotline at (503) 797-1900 or by e-mail at trans@metro.dst.or.us.For more information about the South Corridor Transportation Alternatives Study, how you can be involved and current meeting schedules, call Metro's transportation hotline at (503) 797-1900 or visit Metro's web site at www.metro-region.org.

Metro, the regional government that serves the 1.3 million people who live in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties and the 24 cities in the Portland metropolitan area, provides planning and services that protect the nature of our region.

List of news releases

Tri-Met's Phil Selinger and Metro's Ross Roberts addressed the issues at the PAC's April meeting.
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Roberts said the locations of the stations are "set in cement, but it hasn't hardened yet."

Neither Metro nor Tri-Met has made any Financial commitments or policy decisions on river transit, although Ross Roberts, Metro's project manager for the South Corridor Study said rivet transit is one of about a half-dozen alternatives Metro is studying.

Roberts said there are a number of challenging issues Yates' plan raises, such as building park-an-ride lots or parking garages along the Willamette River Greenway and the impact of dock facilities on fish habitat.

Roberts also wonders if there really any federal transportation dollars available for river transit as the type Yates envisions.
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Passenger ferries running up and down a river on a regular basis are not very common in this country, Roberts said.

Metro Project Manager: Ross Roberts; (503) 797-1752; mailto:RossR@metro.dst.or.us

For information on the study or to submit your comments, please contact Ross Roberts, Project Manager, Metro Transportation Department; 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97232.Comments can also be made on the Transportation Hotline: 503.797.1900 or by email at trans@metro.dst.or.us.