A 28 member citizens committee known as the Transportation Futures Committee (TFC) examined a wide range of transportation issues facing Clark County over the next 20 years to address internal county travel and bi-state travel needs between Oregon and Washington. The TFC found that commuter rail may be a low cost option to improve bi-state mobility and that it has potential to make more effective use of existing transportation facilities. Commuter rail makes use of existing rail track and right-of way through the shared use of the track for both freight and passenger movement.
The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of commuter service between Vancouver and Portland. The continued increase in bi-state travel and the corresponding limited increase in transportation system investment has led to the need to pursue transportation strategies that can better manage existing transportation facilities. The study will examine critical issues in the implementation of commuter rail. These include schedule reliability, operations, shared use with freight and inter city passenger needs, capital and operating costs, ridership and transit service objectives. It will assess how commuter rail meets the regional transportation goals contained in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan and jurisdictional comprehensive plans.
