The survey is intended to gauge support for restoring, taking care of and publicly opening more of the 16,000 acres of natural areas and parks that Metro owns or manages. During the next several months, the Metro Council will consider asking voters to invest in making the most of the places they’ve protected.

Metro invites comments on the updated Regional Travel Options (RTO) Strategic Plan. The comment period begins Tuesday, February 21 and runs through 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 21.

The program, which periodically polls nearly 11,000 of the region's residents, has been pitched by Metro staff as a way to get more input from the public, which traditionally have been reluctant to offer thoughts on the agency's policy goals. It also could be used for scientific polling if enough people sign up and participate.

At www.oregonmetro.gov/greatplaces, you can view interactive maps and download reports about each of 10 areas being considered.

Beginning this month, the Southwest Corridor Plan launches the collaborative planning effort to create livable and sustainable communities along the Barbur Boulevard/Highway 99W corridor connecting Portland and Sherwood.

On Aug. 4, the Metro Council designated stakeholders for the Southwest Corridor Plan Steering Committee. The committee will be made up of elected and appointed officials from partner jurisdictions and agencies, and will shepherd the development of an implementation strategy for coordinated land use and transportation investments in the travel corridor connecting Portland, Tigard, King City, Tualatin and Sherwood.

Metro's online opinion panel reached a significant milestone Wednesday, with more than 5,000 people now signed up for Opt In.

This fall, the Metro Council will decide whether to expand the urban growth boundary and, if so, where.

This decision will not just be about lines on a map. It will affect how the region’s communities develop and thrive. It will have an impact on investments in good jobs and safe neighborhoods, protection of farms and forest land and getting more out of investments in existing schools, parks, sidewalks, streets and other public structures.

Events starting Monday, July 11 will let residents provide input on a variety of bike, pedestrian and freight projects.

Over the summer, the public can weigh in on a proposal that helps focus continued growth and investment in the region’s downtowns, main streets and employment areas. Today Metro’s acting chief operating officer, Dan Cooper, presented the Metro Council with several options to consider for small expansions of the urban growth boundary. These options are located in targeted areas to complement ongoing efforts that focus more growth and investment in existing communities.