Voters in Portland, Ore., ultimately did not pass the Get Moving 2020 ballot measure, a portion of which would have funded nearly 150 transportation projects, including TriMet’s Southwest Corridor Light Rail Project.
In a statement released Nov. 3, TriMet said the following:
“We are disappointed, as the Southwest Corridor project would have addressed one of the most congested travel corridors in the region, connected affordable housing to regional employment centers, advanced climate strategies and would have been a much-needed boost to the economy during and after construction. However, we understand that this measure was a substantial ask during a time of significant economic uncertainty and the unprecedented impacts of COVID 19. While there was broad and enthusiastic community support for the transportation improvements in the package, the funding levels needed to advance those projects on an aggressive timeline appear to be more than the current economic climate could support.
We are grateful for our Southwest Corridor Light Rail Project team who has worked so hard for the past few years to advance planning and design of the project. We are also grateful to the elected officials, neighborhood representatives and community advocates for all of their hard work on the project design and alignment. We are also appreciative of the hard work by Metro staff and council, who championed this measure.
Over the next few months, we will work to conclude the Final Environmental Impact Statement and temporarily shut down the project while we explore a path forward. We will have advanced the project to a point where it could be efficiently restarted at a future date, when resources become available. The growth, congestion and safety issues of the SW Corridor have not gone away, and they will continue to grow over time. We remain committed with our regional partners in the vision that is outlined in our 2040 plan. It is our hope that, in the not-too-distant future, we can come together as a region to address our roadway congestion and advance critical climate initiatives to better our community.”
