Through the Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP), the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) established a policy foundation to guide statewide transportation system development and investment. The OTP is augmented by mode and topic plans, including the Oregon State Rail Plan (OSRP). The OSRP explores the issues affecting the state's rail freight and passenger system and describes existing conditions and forecasts, and provides a comprehensive inventory of rail infrastructure needs.
Unlike highway or transit systems, the rail network is predominantly owned by private industry, requiring a unique public- and private-sector collaboration to proactively plan and explore the best mix of transportation investments to ensure a safe, efficient, and reliable rail network for the benefit of Oregon's residents and businesses.
Given the comprehensive list of passenger and freight rail needs, limited state funding, and growing political, business and public interest in rail, a standardized approach is needed to catalog and update projects and to streamline and methodize their tracking and prioritization.
The list of passenger and freight needs was used to develop the Rail Needs Inventory (RNI), a project database and an overarching decision framework to guide investment and programming decisions. The RNI is a key component and action item described in the Oregon State Rail Plan - Implementation Plan (OSRP-IP).
The user-friendly online map of the current RNI projects is located here.
Oregon Corridor Investment Plan
Project Overview
ODOT has studied ways to improve the frequency, convenience, speed and reliability of intercity passenger rail service between the Portland urban area and the Eugene-Springfield urban area. Over several years, ODOT worked with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), through a grant under its High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program, to analyze and select a route, station locations and service characteristics for these improvements. After extensive analysis and public outreach, FRA selected Alternative 1 for the Oregon Passenger Rail alignment. This alignment follows the existing Amtrak Cascades passenger rail route and will accommodate increased passenger rail services by improving track, signal and communication infrastructure.
FRA’s Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision (ROD) were signed on April 14, 2021. The FEIS describes the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of the alternatives studied in the FEIS and describes proposed mitigation plans. The ROD marks the end of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review process.
What’s Next for Oregon Passenger Rail?
Moving forward, Oregon is now eligible to compete for significant infrastructure grants to improve passenger rail service between Eugene and Portland. Because the Selected Alternative follows the existing Union Pacific (UPRR) rail line between Eugene and Portland and would be constructed mostly within existing rail right-of-way, infrastructure investments may be separated into relatively small, lower-cost elements so that ODOT could implement the Selected Alternative incrementally as funding becomes available. Additional environmental review and permitting may be required for these individual projects.
More Plans and Studies
Central Eastern Oregon Station Report (2019)
The Central & Eastern Oregon Station Report examines the passenger rail markets along the Union Pacific Railroad’s Portland, La Grande, and Huntington Subdivisions that combine to run through the Columbia River Gorge and Eastern Oregon.
Rail Funding Task Force Recommendation (2011)
The Oregon Rail Funding Task Force researched long-term sustainable funding sources for passenger and freight rail in Oregon. This report explains their final funding recommendation.
Oregon Rail Study (2010)
This report was designed to inform policy makers how Oregon's rail system is being used, how it might be used in the future and to provide a foundation for strategic investments.
Pacific Coast Collaborative: High Speed Rail on the Pacific Coast (2010)
This report is part of a feasibility study on fully connecting San Diego through Portland and Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia with high speed passenger rail.
Contact: Bob Melbo
(971) 375-5376 (p)
(503) 986-4189 (f)
robert.i.melbo@odot.oregon.gov
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