For anyone who lives, works or travels through the southwest part of the region, a community forum on May 23 will be a chance to weigh in on potential transportation, parks and nature projects planned for the area.

Help Metro and cities across the Portland metropolitan area select proposed bike, pedestrian and freight projects as part of the Regional Flexible Funds program. These proposed projects are located in all three area counties – some provide local improvements and some provide benefit to the whole metropolitan region. Public comments on which bike, pedestrian, transit, road and freight projects to fund are being taken through 5 p.m. on June 7. Project descriptions are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Russian.

Looking for a safe way to bike from Forest Park to the Tualatin River? Once complete, the Westside Trail will offer commuters and outdoor enthusiasts alike new ways to get to commute, exercise and explore the great outdoors.

On Thursday, May 2 at 4:15 p.m., the Metro Council will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The hearing will occur during the Metro Council meeting in the Council chamber at Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand Avenue.

The Metro Council will vote on the amendments at the Council meeting on May 16.

The RTP is updated every four years, as required by federal law. In between full updates to the RTP, it may be necessary to amend the plan in response to changing local conditions and newly adopted plans. To be eligible to build a project with federal funds the project must first be amended into the RTP.

Proposed changes to the RTP project list include projects in Washington County, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Portland, East Multnomah County and Oregon Department of Transportation projects along Interstate 205. Comments will also be received on analysis of how these changes may affect regional air quality.

Learn more about proposed project list changes and view the decision-making timeline

Metro invites you to help finalize the vision for the regional strategy that will make it easier and safer to walk, ride a bicycle and access transit at a community open house, Thursday, May 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Metro Council Chamber.

The changes, including some road widening projects that got a chilly reception from the Metro Council, were approved unanimously without much substantive discussion at Wednesday's meeting of the Metro Policy Advisory Committee. Meanwhile, a public comment report on the projects showed little opposition to the proposals that received the most attention from the Metro Council.

Metro is creating an Advisory Committee to support the development of Metro’s agency-specific equity strategy and encourages interested individuals to apply.

What will your community look like in 2035? How will our choices today shape how we live, work and get around in the future?  Metro wants your opinion.

Metro is asking the public to weigh in on project list changes for the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan. Public comments on proposed amendments will be taken through April 8.

The Mount Scott/Scouter Mountain Trail would link the Springwater Corridor and Powell Butte in the north with Mount Talbert and the Clackamas River in the south, bringing together town centers, neighborhoods, schools and natural areas – including the 100-acre Scouter Mountain Nature Park.