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Bipartisan bill would form West Side Commuter Rail Authority to plan Willamette Valley rail extension
Summary
Lawmakers and local leaders told the Joint Transportation Committee they support House Bill 34,53 to create a public corporation to plan and operate an expanded Westside commuter rail service linking the Portland metro, Salem and beyond; advocates urged referral to Ways and Means and raised governance, asset-transfer and funding questions.
Representative Kevin Mannix and supporters urged the Oregon Joint Transportation Committee on March 11 to advance House Bill 34,53, legislation to create a public corporation to plan, implement and operate a Willamette Valley commuter rail system that would take over the Westside Express Service (WES) and pursue extensions to Salem and Eugene.
Supporters said the bill would provide a governance structure to coordinate multiple local governments, transit agencies and private partners while opening the door to transit‑oriented development around new stations. "This bill is a little different because it establishes a public corporation to do the planning, implementing, and operations of this future Willamette rail system," Representative Kevin Mannix said in opening remarks. He told the committee the bill incorporates a "dash‑1 amendment" to fix a treasury‑identified funding mechanism issue and that the committee should send the measure to Ways and Means.
Why it matters: witnesses said an extended commuter rail line could provide a reliable…
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