Votes Seem to Favor Expansion of Portland-Metro Light Rail System

Votes are still being counted, but an expansion of the MAX light rail system to the suburban community of Tigard appears to be squeaking out a victory.

1 minute read

November 10, 2016, 2:00 PM PST

By jwilliams @jwillia22


MAX Orange Line - Portland, Oregon

Sam Churchill / Flickr

Another ballot measure to expand transportation infrastructure appears to have won, this time in Portland, Oregon. An extension of the metro area's MAX light rail system is narrowly winning the support of voters in the community of Tigard, to the southwest of Downtown Portland. Reporting for Oregon Public Broadcasting, Ryan Haas writes that a vote to expand the rail system to Tigard was required because of a requirement in the city's charter which opposes light rail unless a ballot measure to approve it passes.

The proposed Southwest Corridor light rail line could reach 12 miles, making it the longest light rail line built in the region in 20 years. The northeast end would be close to where Interstate 405 goes under Portland State University. It would extend west and south to Bridgeport Village — the mall on the edge of Tualatin.

The Portland Tribune reports that the vote count as of Wednesday (Nov 9) morning showed the measure passing by a margin of 0.53 percentage points, with a 119 vote difference.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016 in OPB

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Brutalist grey department of housing and urban development building in Washington DC.

How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response

Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.

2 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Lancaster Boulevard with tree-lined median and wide sidewalks in Lancaster, California.

The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way

One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.

2 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Sign in front of building for seior services center in St. Petersburg, Fl.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk

High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.

4 hours ago - WESH

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA