Select a station below or click "Next" to move through the open house in order.
The project team is conducting a National Environmental Policy Act environmental review to decide:
Oregon received a federal grant from the Federal Railroad Administration for the Oregon Passenger Rail study, which means the project is following the National Environmental Policy Act process:
A Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement:
The purpose of the Oregon Passenger Rail project is to improve the frequency, convenience, speed and reliability of passenger rail service along the Oregon segment of the Federally designated Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor in a manner that will:
Multiple transportation, land use, socioeconomic and environmental considerations drive the need for this project:
Read the full Purpose and Need Statement. (pdf)
The Purpose and Need statement is the foundation of the Oregon Passenger Rail project. The statement was developed based on input from the public, stakeholders and the Leadership Council.
The goals and objectives were used as the basis for evaluating the alternatives. Alternatives that better meet goals and objectives score higher in the evaluation.
Alternative 1 follows the existing Amtrak Cascades passenger rail route with track, signal and communication improvements.
Alternative 2 is primarily a new route between Springfield and Oregon City along Interstate 5, an existing freight rail line and Interstate 205. It would follow the existing alignment north of Oregon City.
The No Action Alternative follows existing Amtrak route with no additional service or improvements.
Criteria | Alternative 1 | Alternative 2 |
Passenger rail trip time: Eugene to/from Portland | 2 hours, 20 minutes | 2 hours, 2 minutes |
Ability to accommodate higher speeds in the future | Maintains current maximum speed (79 mph) | Maximum speeds of 120 mph on portions of new alignment |
Capital costs through 2035 (2015 dollars) | $870 million-$1.025 million | $3.62 billion-$4.44 billion |
Ridership (2035) | 739,000 | 723,000 |
Produces benefits and minimizes negative impacts | Higher frequency and ridership; improves service to central cities | Higher frequency and ridership, but service focused outside central cities |
Support preservation of land, avoid and minimize negative impacts | Lower footprint and construction impacts than Alternative 2 | New alignment, thus higher right-of-way and environmental impacts than Alternative 1 |
Station | Existing Conditions (2015) |
No-Build Alternative (2035) |
Alternative 1 (2035) |
Alternative 2 (2035) |
Eugene | 85,800 | 172,500a | 362,300 | - |
Springfieldb | 85,800 | 172,500c | - | 350,400 |
Albany | 31,800 | 54,800 | 119,300 | 122,500d |
Saleme | 65,300 | 97,100 | 203,700 | 203,500 |
Oregon City | 15,100 | 17,000 | 40,500 | - |
Willsonvillef | 15,100 | 17,000 | - | 39,800 |
Portlandg | 458,800 | 961,100 | 1,136,900 | 1,125,500 |
Total | 656,800 | 1,302,500 | 1,862,700 | 1,841,700 |
a There were no plans to extend the current Portland to Salem bus south to Eugene when the ridership forecasting was done. Therefore numbers for Albany and Eugene do not include a seventh bus round trip.
b Existing conditions and No Action Alternative values represent ridership at the existing Eugene Station. The analysis for Alternative 2 assumed a new station would be located near the potential new Springfield station (an existing transit center).
c There were no plans to extend the current Portland to Salem bus south to Eugene when the ridership forecasting was done. Therefore numbers for Albany and Eugene do not include a seventh daily bus round trip.
d All alternative values represent ridership at the existing Albany Station.
e Existing conditions and No Action Alternative values represent ridership at the existing Salem Station. The analysis for Alternative 2 assumed a new station would be located along 1-5.
f Existing conditions and No Action Alternative values represent ridership at the existing Oregon City Station. The analysis for Alternative 2 assumed a new station would be located at the Wilsonville South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART) Transit Center.
g Activity at Portland's Union Station encompasses all Amtrak Cascades train and Thruway bus passengers in Portland, including those from north of the Portland market.
ODOT and the Federal Rail Administration will review all comments and testimony. Responses will appear in the final Environmental Impact Statement.