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

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.