Don’t worry if you missed the March 14 open house for East Metro Connections Plan. It’s not too late to help shape future transportation investments in Gresham, Fairview, Troutdale, Wood Village and Multnomah County.

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.

How important are projects that improve bicycling, walking and public transportation in your community? Metro wants your opinion.

Metro is providing detailed reports and information about different areas the Metro Council may consider for an expansion of the urban growth boundary.

At www.oregonmetro.gov/greatplaces, you can view interactive maps and download reports about each of 10 areas being considered. Three of these areas have been recommended to the Metro Council by Metro’s acting chief operating officer. Seven additional areas were requested by local cities for the Metro Council to consider. It is unlikely that all of the 10 areas will come into the urban growth boundary this fall.

Reports on each of these areas address:

• Traffic patterns and any resulting increase in traffic congestion, commute times and air quality;
• Whether parks and open space protection in the area to be added will benefit existing residents of the district as well as future residents of the added territory, and
• The cost impacts on existing residents of providing needed public services and public infrastructure to the area to be added.

As required by Metro’s charter, notices were mailed Thursday to households within one mile of each proposed expansion area with information about these reports and directing recipients to the website for more information.

The Metro Council will hold two public hearings on a possible urban growth boundary expansion in October. The first public hearing will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, at the Beaverton Library, located at 12375 SW Fifth St.

A final public hearing will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at the Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand Ave. in Portland. The Metro Council is scheduled to make its decision at this hearing.

In addition, written comments may be provided to the Metro Council through other means, up through Oct. 20:

Join Metro’s online participation tool, Opt In, to provide feedback about this decision

Send comments via email to 2040@oregonmetro.gov. Email messages will be shared with Metro Councilors and included in the public record

Written testimony may be mailed to the Metro Council, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97232, and included in the public record.

You can also contact your Metro Councilor directly.

Learn more about how to contact the Metro Council

Learn more about this fall’s growth management decision

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.