• Portland Streetcar Montgomery Park Extension

    Online Open House

  • Welcome to the Portland Streetcar Montgomery Park Extension online open house!  

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    The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and other City bureaus are planning to extend the streetcar along NW 23rd Avenue to Montgomery Park.

    As part of this project, the City is considering land use changes to increase opportunities for housing and jobs near Montgomery Park.

  • In this open house you can learn about the streetcar extension project, how we got here, and what’s coming next. On the “Survey” page, you can share your thoughts about the project. Click through the stations to learn more and let us know what you think!

  • This online open house is now closed. The content is still available, but we are no longer accepting survey submissions. Thank you!

  • About

    Portland Streetcar has a solid track record of supporting existing neighborhoods, creating new places, and connecting people to key destinations. As the Northwest district continues to grow, we have an opportunity to expand transportation options for new and long-term residents, workers, and visitors. As a city and a community, we want to create sustainable, more connected neighborhoods and provide transit service to those who need it most.

  • What is the Portland Streetcar Montgomery Park Extension?

  • The proposed extension of the current streetcar line from NW Northrup Street, up NW 23rd Avenue to Montgomery Park, has been informed by several years of conversations between PBOT, Northwest-based stakeholders, Portland Streetcar, TriMet, Metro, and other City bureaus.

    If approved by City Council, the project will build a new 1.3-mile streetcar track to Montgomery Park and rebuild NW 23rd Avenue between NW Lovejoy Street and NW Vaughn Street. It will also create new local streets that people can walk, bike, take transit, and drive on (extensions of NW Roosevelt Street, NW Wilson Street, and NW 25th Avenue).

    The City is also proposing land use changes near Montgomery Park to support a new climate-friendly and transit-oriented neighborhood west of Highway 30 between NW Nicolai and NW Vaughn streets.

     

  • Montgomery park project area map

    Click the image to enlarge in a new tab.

  • People who ride the Portland Streetcar are more diverse and transit-dependent than Portlanders as a whole. The streetcar provides the climate benefits of clean, green transportation while helping create sustainable, dense, mixed-use neighborhoods. Expanding transportation access for people who need it most and reducing carbon emissions are equity priorities for the City.

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    This extension will:

    • Provide accessible, zero-emission transportation options to current and future residents, workers, and visitors of a new mixed-use district west of Highway 30.
    • Connect existing and future residents to critical destinations on current streetcar lines and the broader regional transit system, while improving access to Forest Park.
    • Reduce carbon emissions by helping people meet their needs without a personal automobile.
    • Expand streetcar access to people who rely on transit every day to get to important destinations like work, school, parks, community events, grocery stores, and doctor appointments.
    • Rebuild NW 23rd Avenue from NW Lovejoy to NW Vaughn, including new stormwater management and accessibility upgrades.
    • Support the creation of 1,000-3,000 new jobs and up to 3,000 new housing units.

     

  • Potential impacts of the extension:

    Parking: Parking loss along NW 23rd Avenue will be as minimal as possible, though we may need to remove parking at specific locations due to stormwater and accessibility requirements through street reconstruction.
    Right-of-Way: The streetcar will be able to fit within NW 23rd avenue with minimal impact to travel lanes. Parking will be maintained on both sides of the street, and transit stops will be shared to minimize impacts.
    Loading zones: Due to constraints, loading zones are not currently planned on NW 23rd Avenue. None currently exist.​
    Transit travel times: Streetcar trips will not be slower, and arrivals will not be less frequent because of the extension.
    The streetcar extension will be 100% ‘off-wire’: The streetcar will be using new battery-powered technology, meaning no overhead wires or poles. This will help lower costs and reduce construction impacts.
    Impacts during construction: We are coordinating project elements to minimize disruption as much as possible during construction, and PBOT will work to support businesses during that time. Construction is not expected to begin until 2026. 
    • We’re exploring a Local Improvement District (LID) (Click to learn more!) 

    • We’re exploring the development of a Local Improvement District (LID) on NW 23rd Avenue and along the streetcar line to help fund this project. The LID will help pay for the reconstruction of NW 23rd Avenue as well as the extension.

      What’s an LID? An LID is one way a group of property owners can share the cost of infrastructure improvements, like transportation and stormwater. Financing is typically offered over 20 years, with payments not due until after the project is complete.

      There will be more opportunities for stakeholders to learn more about what’s involved with a new LID, weigh in through future engagement opportunities and participate in a formal process.

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    • Learn more about a Local Improvement District

  • Related work

    There is a lot of work happening in NW Portland related to this project. We’re coordinating with other City bureaus to minimize construction impacts and save money. 

  • Potential land use changes

    The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) is looking at potential changes to land uses and how to best meet community needs. This includes thinking about how the now vacant ESCO site might develop, with opportunities for potential equitable development.

    New transit service can be planned with decisions about how land is used, which can drive housing and economic development. The proposed streetcar extension and land use changes will work hand-in-hand to encourage housing development and help people get to where they need to go without a car. We’ve seen this happen before:

    • 50 percent of all housing built in Portland since 2001 is within ¼ mile of an existing streetcar stop, including nearly 40 percent of affordable housing units built during that time.
    • More than 1/3 of Portland’s affordable housing units are near the existing streetcar, and the majority of  people riding the streetcar live and work close to it.

  • graphic of map demonstrating the repair project along NW 23rd ave and the potential land use changes on Roosevelt and Wilson.

    Click the image to enlarge in a new tab.

  • Other work happening in the area:

    NW 21st and 23rd Intersection Enhancements: Includes improvements to key intersections along NW 21st Avenue and NW 23rd Avenue between NW Johnson Street and NW Flanders Street and potential curb extensions.

    Lower Northwest Sewer Capacity Project: Includes replacement or repair of aging sewer pipes in the Northwest and Pearl Districts and installation of new water quality treatment vaults. This project will protect the public and the environment by reducing the possibility of flooding and sewage overflow to homes, businesses, and streets.

  • What we’ve done 

    Over the past five years, we talked with key neighborhood groups in Northwest Portland and developed a preferred route for the streetcar extension. 

  • Since 2009, this extension has been in a number of planning efforts:

    • Portland Streetcar System Concept Plan
    • Portland’s Transportation System Plan and 2035 Comprehensive Plan
    • Metro Regional Transportation Plan
    • Montgomery Park to Hollywood (MP2H) Study
    • Montgomery Park Area Draft Transportation Plan

  • The most recent public outreach and research began in 2019 as part of the Montgomery Park to Hollywood (MP2H) Project co-led by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) and PBOT.

    Through that work, the project team looked at existing transportation options and land use in the area and considered bringing transit service to Montgomery Park, as well as opportunities for building new housing and job creation. ​

    In 2020, the team developed several scenarios and routes for a potential transit extension. Community members evaluated these scenarios and potential routes in neighborhood and stakeholder meetings, public open houses, and through a stakeholder working group. Based on this feedback, the team decided that extending the streetcar on NW 23rd Avenue to NW Roosevelt Street and NW Wilson Street would best meet community needs.

  • In past public engagement, we heard:

    Support for:

    • Access to a variety of travel options including transit, biking, and walking, while maintaining access for cars and preserving on street parking
    • Reconstruction of NW 23rd Avenue
    • Good lighting, inviting transit stops, and placemaking
    • Improving safety for all users
    • Respecting the cultural and historical significance of the area
    • Relieving area traffic and parking problems as the area grows through transportation options

    Concerns about:

    • Potential conflicts between the streetcar and people walking, rolling, biking, or driving (for example, delays along the street or interactions at intersections)
    • The loss of on-street parking and business access
    • Impacts during construction

  • Learn more about what we did in prior phases

  • Survey

    As we prepare to present the proposed route for the streetcar extension to City Council, we want to know what you think about the project. Use the questions below to share your thoughts and concerns.

  • Demographic questions

    These questions are optional and completely confidential. We do not share this information with any other entity.

  • Don't forget to submit your answers on the next page!

  • What's next?

  • This fall, we plan to present the preferred route for the streetcar extension to Portland City Council for approval. If adopted, we will:

    • Formally enter Project Development 
    • Explore funding opportunities to pay for the project
    • Develop final designs of the extension, including stop locations 
    • Have another round of community engagement 

  • Be sure to click "Submit" before you leave.

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