Online open house
The Portland Streetcar Montgomery Park Extension Summer 2023 Online Open House survey was available from June 26 through July 17, 2023. If you were unable to participate, you can still visit the Online Open House to learn more about the project.
Click here to visit the online open house
If you'd like to provide input on the project but missed the survey, you can contact the project team at any time with questions or comments by emailing MPstreetcar@portlandoregon.gov. You can also can sign up for email updates to learn about future in-person engagement opportunities.
Click here to sign up for email updates
What's happening now?
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is working to finalize Summer-Fall 2023 public engagement for the proposed streetcar extension. The project team continues to collaborate with the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) on proposed land use changes, which are planned to support the development of a new mixed-use district with affordable housing and employment opportunities on and around the former ESCO steel plant site in Northwest Portland.
In December 2021, PBOT released the Draft Montgomery Park Area Transportation Plan. BPS also released the MP2H-NW Plan Discussion Draft. City staff are currently working through issues and public comments on the drafts. In Spring 2024, City staff plan to propose final land use and transportation plans for adoption, as well as present a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for consideration. PBOT may seek federal transit funding for the project in 2024. The extension of the streetcar to Montgomery Park and rebuilding of NW 23rd Avenue from NW Lovejoy to NW Vaught could be under construction by 2026, including new stormwater management and accessibility upgrades.
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Project background
In 2001, Portland launched the country's first modern-era streetcar system to serve Downtown Portland, Northwest Portland, and the developing Pearl District. The streetcar system was expanded in the mid-2000s to serve the emerging South Waterfront district, and later the Lloyd Center and Central Eastside.
In 2009, City Council adopted the Portland Streetcar System Concept Plan. The Plan took a citywide view of streetcar system expansion, and a future line to Montgomery Park (the city's second largest office complex) was identified. The recent 2035 Comprehensive Plan and Transportation System Plan prioritized the Montgomery Park extension for planning and implementation.
In 2018, City Council funded a preliminary Northwest Public Streetcar Extension and Land use Alternatives Analysis for the extension. In 2019, the Montgomery Park to Hollywood Land Use and Development Study (MP2H) was funded through a grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). In 2021, after public engagement and study, PBOT and BPS developed the Draft Montgomery Park Area Transportation Plan and the Northwest Plan (MP2H-NW) Discussion Draft.
The drafts propose land use changes in the industrial employment area north of NW Vaughn Street and west of Highway 30, to complement the Portland Streetcar extension along NW 23rd Avenue and NW Wilson and Roosevelt streets to Montgomery Park. The drafts also propose a framework to promote development that creates more equitable outcomes and benefits to the community, including affordable housing, economic development, and other community benefits.
The extension of the Portland Streetcar to Montgomery Park would include a complete rebuild of NW 23rd Avenue from Lovejoy to Vaughn. The rebuild would include new stormwater, accessibility, and transit stop upgrades, and the design would preserve as much on-street public parking as possible.
Click here to learn more about MP2H
The route
The opportunity
For 22 years, the Portland Streetcar has been one of the City's tools for equitable and sustainable development. The new 1.3-mile streetcar extension to Montgomery Park and proposed land use changes will support the development of a new mixed-use district in Northwest Portland, with the potential for thousands of new housing units, including affordable housing.
The streetcar extension will help us:
- Connect more people via transit to critical destinations, including Forest Park, employment opportunities, healthcare, and educational opportunities in Northwest Portland, Downtown, and throughout Portland and the region
- Reduce carbon emissions by helping people meet their daily needs without a personal automobile
- Expand Streetcar access to diverse riders who rely every day on transit to get to important destinations
- Provide zero-emission, high capacity transit to future residents, employees, and visitors of a new mixed-use district west of Highway 30
- Rebuild NW 23rd Avenue from NW Lovejoy to NW Vaughn, supporting the vitality of one of Northwest Portland's most vibrant streets
Key facts about the extension
While the project is still in the planning phase, some key issues regarding the streetcar extension include:
- Parking: Parking loss along NW 23rd Avenue will be as minimal as possible. Some parking loss may be triggered by stormwater and accessibility requirements as a result of the street reconstruction.
- Right-of-way: The streetcar will be able to fit within the right-of-way on NW 23rd Avenue, with minimal impacts to travel lanes. Parking will be maintained on both sides of the street.
- Loading zones: Due to constraints, loading zones are not currently planned on NW 23rd Avenue. None currently exist.
- Transit travel time: Streetcar trips are not expected to be slower and streetcar headways will not be less frequent because of the extension.
- Off-wire extension: The new streetcar extension will be 100% off-wire utilizing proven hybrid battery technology, allowing cars to switch effortlessly between the existing streetcar system and this new extension. It will result in no new poles or overhead wires, reducing construction costs and minimizing impacts to NW 23rd Avenue
- Construction: The project team is coordinating project elements to minimize disruption as much as possible during construction, and PBOT will work to support businesses and residents during that time.
Public engagement
Upcoming events
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Previous engagement
To date, the following public engagement has occurred:
- 2007-2009:
- Portland Streetcar System Concept Plan engagement, including open houses, public workshops, District Working Group meetings, presentations to Neighborhood Coalitions and Neighborhood Associations, a Stakeholder Advisory committee, and public comments
- 2019:
- Neighborhood and business association meetings to inform stakeholders in the Northwest study area about the project and collect feedback, including meetings with:
- Northwest District Association and subcommittees
- Northwest Industrial Neighborhood Association
- Northwest (formerly Nob Hill) Business Association
- AIA Portland Urban Design Committee
- Neighborhood and business association meetings to inform stakeholders in the Northwest study area about the project and collect feedback, including meetings with:
- 2020:
- Spring: Kickoff open house sharing information about the project and collecting feedback from the public
- Summer: Urban design concept virtual open house to gather public preferences for land use develop scenarios and streetcar alignment alternatives
- Fall: Community based organization (CBO) outreach to understand aspirations, concerns, and priorities of community members
- 2020-2021:
- Northwest Project Working Group (PWG) recruitment and meetings, whose members included people with connections to neighborhood groups, local business groups, transportation advocates, property owners, and representatives of community based organizations
- 2021-2022:
- December 2021-May 2022: Public comments open for the MP2H Northwest Plan Discussion Draft
- 2023:
- May - June: Email outreach with stakeholder groups; Project mailer sent to all addresses within 1/3 mile of proposed alignment (more than 7000 addresses)
- June 1: Northwest District Association (NWDA) Planning Committee meeting
- June 20: Northwest Parking District Open House
- June 21: Northwest Parking District Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting
- June 28: Canvassing on and adjacent to NW 23rd Avenue and discussions with businesses and employees about project
- June 28: MP2H Northwest Plan Design and Character Statement Workshop Open House
- July 6: Northwest Active Streets (NWAS) Meeting
- July 12: Canvassing near existing streetcar alignment at parks and discussions with community members about project
- July 25: Tabling at Get Around Slabtown to discuss the project and get feedback about the project with residents, workers, and visitors in the area
- June - July: Montgomery Park Streetcar Online Open House and Survey
- August 8: Briefing to the Portland Planning Commission
- November: Intercept surveys at existing Portland Streetcar stations on and near NW 23rd Avenue to gather input from transit users in the area