Red Electric Trail Planning Study

Portland City Council accepted the Red Electric Trail Planning Study on May 16, 2007.

The May 2007 report was modified after review; the final study is dated July 2007. The revisions include the addition of a connection to SW Slavin and additional items in appendices on Public Involvement, News Media, and Correspondence. Revised costs by segment are shown on page 36 and illustrated on A-38.

The only other changes are in Appendix A, where illustrations were added or updated and pages were renumbered as follows:

• A-1 Recommended Red Electric Trail Routes (May 2007)
• A-32 Red Electric at SW Shattuck, sketch
• A-33 Revised Cost Estimate by Trail Segment (January 2006)
• A-34 Recommended Red Electric Trail Routes (December 2005)
• A-35 Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District Trails Plan (October 2006)
• A-36 Revised Cost Estimate by Trail Segment (May 2007)
• A-37 Revised Cost Estimate by Trail Segment (May 2007)
• A-38 Revised Cost Estimate by Trail Segment (July 2007)

Background
The Red Electric Trail Study is the outgrowth of recommendations from two earlier projects. One was the Southwest Urban Trails Plan (2000), a project of the Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT), which recommended the Red Electric historic rail alignment as one of seven possible walking routes in Southwest Portland. The other was the Fanno Creek Greenway Trail Action Plan (2003), which also recommended that the Red Electric alignment be studied as the easternmost portion of a partially existing 15-mile long trail. The Fanno Creek Study was completed through a partnership that included Portland Parks & Recreation, PDOT, Metro, Washington County, Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District, and the Cities of Beaverton, Tualatin, and Tigard and involved substantial public outreach. (Check out historic information on the Red Electric rail line.)

The purpose of the Red Electric Trail Planning Study was to identify a safe recreational east-west trail connection for pedestrians and cyclists between the Willamette River Greenway trail system and the Fanno Creek Greenway trail system in Beaverton. The recommendations resulting from this study will guide future trail development along the 16 mile-long segment.

Planning began in Fall 2003 and the first draft was released for review in Fall 2005. Public comments were incorporated into the January 2006 draft document.