Resolution No. 03-11 CITY OF TIGARD, OREGON
RESOLUTION NO. 03- 11
A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING AND ENDORSING THE DOWNTOWN TASK FORCE'S DESIGN
RECOMMENDATIONS DOCUMENT FOR THE COMMUTER RAIL STATION
WHEREAS,Washington.County and TriMet—along with Tigard, Beaverton, Tualatin, Wilsonville and
other regional partners—are planning a Commuter Rail train system that would carry commuters from
Wilsonville to Beaverton beginning in 2005; and
WHEREAS, as part of those plans, Tigard would have a Downtown station; and
WHEREAS, Council appointed the Downtown Task Force in November 2002, and its first charge was to
work closely with Washington County and TriMet to influence the Commuter Rail station's
development and appearance; and
WHEREAS, the Task Force has completed its first task by working with TriMet and City staff to develop
station dcsign rccommendations that reflect the character of Tigard and are contained in the February 2003
"City of Tigard Downtown Task Force Recommended Design Elements for the Downtown Tigard
Commuter Rail Station"; and
WHEREAS, one of the City Council's Goals is to support the activities of the Downtown Task Force as
they provide input to the design of the Tigard Commuter Rail station; and
WHEREAS, in order to influence the station design,the Task Force recommendations need to be submitted
to TriMet prior to the beginning of Final Design,expected in April 2003; and
WHEREAS, the document "City of Tigard Downtown Task Force Recommended Design Elements for
the Downtown Tigard Commuter Rail Station"represents the City's vision for the Downtown Station,
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED by the Tigard City Council that-
SECTION 1. This document shall be forwarded to the TriMct Board of Directors by April 1, 2003, to
provide design guidance prior to the commencement of Final Design.
SECTION 2: The Task Force and City staff shall work with TriMet to find alternate funding options for
those recommendations not funded by the project.
RESOLUTION NO.03 -11
Page 1
SECTION 3: This resolution is effective immediately upon passage.
PASSED: This ,day of 2003.
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ATTEST:
City Recor City of Tigard
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RESOLUTION NO.03-
Page 2
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City of Tigard
Downtown Task Force:
Recommended Design Elements for the
Downtown Tigard Commuter Rail Station
February 2003
This document produced by the
Tigard Downtown Task Force
February 2003
Task Force:
Chair: Mike Marr
Members: Carolyn Barkley; Brian Bishop; Martha Bishop; Alexander
Craghead; Craig Dirksen; Mike Duyck; Francine Gritzbaugh; Marland
Henderson; Chris Lewis; Judy Munro; Mike Stevenson; Dr. David Torkko
City of Tigard Staff:
Jim Hendryx, Community Development Director
Barbara Shields, Long-Range Planning Manager
Beth St. Amand, Project Manager
For more information on this report and Commuter Rail,
contact the following:
Task Force Chair Mike Marr 503-624-2975
City of Tigard Jim Hendryx 503-639-4171
TriMet Claudia Steinberg 503-962-2154
Washington County Steve Hansen 503-846-7875
TIGARD DOWNTOWN TASK FORCE STATEMENT
February 27,2003
The Tigard City Council formally established the Tigard Downtown Task Force on November 26,
2002 with Resolution No. 02-72. The objective of the Task Force is twofold. The first objective
is to work closely with Washington County and TriMet to influence the development and
appearance of the Commuter Rail Station to be located in the rail corridor near Main Street in
downtown Tigard. The second is to examine and develop other future downtown revitalization/
economic development needs of the area.
The Task Force met informally several times beginning in June 2002,becoming familiar with the
general conceptual Commuter Rail plans prepared by Washington County and TriMet. We were
provided with various element options available to choose from, to reflect our preference for a
number of design items, i.e. the Station, lighting, paving, bike racks, signage, etc. Numerous
members of the Task Force have toured and photographed existing elements of TriMet Stations
throughout the Metro Area. A number of major issues are not within our area of responsibility,
although we have expressed our opinions on some of them.
Upon our formal appointment and subsequent monthly meetings, and through the consensus
process, we have agreed to the elements of the Station we prefer and recommend to the Tigard
City Council. Those can be found in this document, entitled Station Design Recommendations.
Tt should be noted that the Task Force is in favor of a traditional look that is of a train station of
the early to mid 1900 era. We have attempted to give considerations to several key factors:
Cost of development Cost of maintenance Tigard history
Pedestrian safety Visual impact on surrounding area
Traffic impacts Compatibility with future downtown enhancements
We also have presented some very general ideas under the title of Station Enhancements which
we wish to follow up on,depending on the funding availability.
There are two items that deserve special comment. The first is the matter of access to and from
the Commuter Rail Park and Ride Lot. The Task Force by majority feels that the parking lot
needs two access locations. We strongly support the inclusion by TriMet and Washington County
of a second entrance and exit to the park and ride lot. The impact of only one location, on Main
Street, particularly during commute hours, would be extreme. We also feel that there are
significant safety and emergency vehicle access issues. This position is consistent with that of
many business and property owners, including Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, in the downtown
area.
Tigard Downtown Task Force Statement
February 27, 2003
Page 2
The second item we wish to address is that of lighting in the Rail Station and Parking Lot. We
have selected lighting styles which we envision being the same or compatible with lighting to be
installed in the downtown area streets in the future. The cobra style lights are thought to be very
unattractive and do not contribute to the ambience desired. We recommend that the City of
Tigard, TriMet and Washington County research and work together for the availability of like
lighting, and the installation of same, for the Rail Station, Rail Station Parking Lot, and the
downtown streets.
We extend our appreciation to Washington County, TriMet, and the City of Tigard for the
opportunity to participate in this process. Should there be any questions or comments, we look
forward to hearing from you.
Tigard Downtown Task Force
R. Michael Marr, Chairperson
Carolyn Barkley
Marland Henderson
Brian Bishop
a
Christine Lewis
Martha Bishop
4 �
Judy Munro
Alexander Craghead '
"I /Z/
Michael Stevenson
Craig Dirksen �
�.
Dr. David Torkko
Mike Duyck
Table of Contents
I. Introduction 1
11. The Washington County Commuter Rail Project 3
111. Rail Station Site and Design 7
IV. Vision —Approach and Summary 8
V. Parking and Safety Concerns and Recommendations 9
VI. Station Design Recommendations 10
VII. Station Enhancements 16
VIII. Conclusion 18
Appendix
Resource Information
I. Introduction
In Fall 2005, the Beaverton-to-Wilsonville Washington County Commuter Rail is
scheduled to begin operation. Downtown Tigard will have its own station.
To take advantage of this opportunity, all Downtown property and business
owners were invited to a series of meetings in 2002 to assess how the station and
its elements could act as a catalyst for Downtown Tigard. A dedicated group of
individuals continued to meet, and the Tigard City Council formalized the group
as the Downtown Task Force in November 2002. The Council also expanded the
Task Force's scope, including tasks beyond Commuter Rail that address
revitalization of the Downtown.
This Document: Purpose and Process
This document, Recommended Design Elements for the Downtown Tigard Commuter
Rail Station, addresses the Task Force's first work task:
The Task Force will work closely with Washington County and TriMet
to influence the station's development and appearance.
The Task Force's recommendations are intended as guidelines, to influence TriMet
to choose designs that reflect the Task Force's preferences. This document will be
used to discuss financial responsibility for station amenities and enhancements.
The discussions will help determine the funds needed to realize the Tigard station
as presented here.
Process
In Fall 2002, TriMet had not yet entered Final Design and anticipated February
2003 as the start date, depending upon federal approval. A significant amount of
the project's funding will come from federal sources. With increasing competition
for federal funding of rail transit projects, the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) is now requiring all projects requesting federal dollars to submit additional
data. The Commuter Rail project team is working toward submitting this
information in March and is hoping for permission to enter Final Design in April.
Using this timeframe, the Task Force worked to provide TriMet with its
suggestions for the Tigard station prior to entering Final Design. This document
reflects the Task Force's proactive efforts with TriMet and Washington County
over the last seven months.
TriMet provided key technical assistance to aid the Task Force. TriMet staff
worked closely with the group to identify different station elements and probable
designs. Task Force members then photographed elements throughout the metro
area that could be used for Tigard's station and the Downtown. At the November
I
and December 2002 meetings, the Task Force reviewed and discussed those
examples to arrive at consensus recommendations.
Objectives
This document will fulfill the following objectives:
■ Illustrate the Task Force's preferred elements and style for the Downtown
station to reflect the character of Tigard.
■ Provide a design palette for Main Street by choosing elements that can be
used both in the station and on Main Street.
■ Provide design guidance to TriMet prior to Final Design.
2
II. The Washington County Commuter Rail Project
The Commuter Rail project will move
commuters through the eastern Washington
County transit corridor by joint use of freight 8eaved.-tC
rail lines. The project will run 14.7 miles from
Wilsonville to Beaverton along the existing
railroad corridor, with five stations located in
Wilsonville, Tualatin, Downtown Tigard,
Washington Square, and Beaverton. It is
anticipated that rail service will begin in Fall
2005. The following information was excerpted scbolls Ferryt
from TriMet's Washington County Commuter Washington Sq'
Rail Station Design Scope, September 2002.
Project History Tigard* CJ
In 1996, Washington County; the cities of ,;.
Beaverton, Tigard,Tualatin, Wilsonville and
Sherwood; TriMet; Metro; and ODOT began
studying the feasibility of commuter rail along F
a branch freight rail line that parallels
interstate 5 and Highway 217 between
Wilsonville and Beaverton. In 1.999, theTualati,
county and the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) began an alternatives analysis and an
environmental assessment. Both processes
have been concluded, and the project is now �LErEND
seeking federal approval to begin final design.
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Operation r ,
Commuter rail is a transit service that
predominantly serves work commute trips over
longer distances than light rail. Trains
typically run during both the morning and
afternoon rush hours.Washington County and Wilsonville
TriMet are planning for weekday commuter
rail service for 3.5 hours in both the mornings
and afternoons, and they estimate a daily
ridership of 4,650 in 2020_ It is estimated
that it will take 26 minutes to commute
between Beaverton and Wilsonville.
3
Commuter Rail Vehicles Project Funding
Most new commuter rail systems in North America use diesel electric,- Total capital cost:
powered locomotives hauling 3 to 6 passenger coaches in order to carry $120 million(year-
many passengers over long distances. For commuter corridors with of-expenditure
shorter distances between stations and smaller passenger loads, self- dollars). Federal,
state and local
propelled train cars are more economical. The Washington County funding will cover
Commuter Rail vehicles will have two train cars. Since the construction costs.
Washington County commuter trains will be operating on an active A request for
freight railroad, the passenger vehicles also must comply with safety federal
standards set by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), authorization and
funding is pending,
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Community Development Not date!May 23.2002:LAG 181.WSSub'GroupVuiap_PrOd%burnham2;apr
The Downtown Tigard Station will be located directly southeast of Main Street.
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The Downtown Tigard station's preliminary design illustrates the platform and park-and-ride;as of February 2003,
TriMet was awaiting federal approval to enter final design.
III. Rail Station Site and Design
Existing Conditions
The Downtown Tigard station will be located in the
city's Central Business District (CBD). The CBD
allows retail, office, industrial and residential uses.
Main Street businesses include retail, office,
restaurants, and a post office, with angled parking on
Main Street.
x
The Station Site t
The site fronts directly on Main Street, with
Commercial Street to the cast and Tigard Street and
Burnham to the west.
The arca proposed for the station and track lies in the
current railroad right-of-way. Today, there are three
sets of tracks: two on the west of a vegetated berm
and one on the cast. The existing tracks are flush with
Looking south from Main Street at west
Main Street. tracks and site of future park-and-ride.
To the west of the railroad right-of-way, there are
businesses and a parking lot. On the cast, there is a ~" Platform zs
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business, parking lot, a grassy arca, and the Tigard
Transit Center. The Transit Center serves bus patrons
only, and it docs not have an existing park-and-ride.
Preliminary Design
Ramp to TG
The preliminary design for the Downtown Tigard
station is shown on the previous page. The design Park and
places the station platform in the existing railroad Ridey `
right-of-way. The cast track will be preserved, within
another track installed. The two western tracks will be �. �°
removed, and a 120-space park-and-ride built on the Looking north (toward Main Street) at
land. There will be approximately 15 bike spaces. current east track with improvements
roughly superimposed and Transit Center
The platform will be approximately 200 ft. long by at far right.
20 ft. wide. The existing Transit Center will be
connected to the platform with an elevated walking ramp.
Plans also call for a screening hedge between the track and the
cast property boundary, including a pedestrian path,
and a hedge along the west edge of the park and ride.
7
IV. Vision — Approach and Summary
A. General Approach
From the start, the Downtown group said it wanted to decide what to do with this
station now, as "it's people's entry into Tigard and will reflect Tigard and the
Downtown." This project would act as a catalyst, inspiring other projects or
activities Downtown, due to its location in the middle of Main Street and having
new riders in town. Two additional sentiments were expressed: 1) the desire to
visualize the station fully, taking it beyond basic design; 2) to choose designs that
could be used both in Downtown and in the station.
Using the Washington County Commuter Rail Station Design Scope, September 2002,
TriMet helped the group visualize the station and its components. There are three
main categories of improvements:
■ Station Elements, which remain the same throughout the line;
■ Amenities, items that go beyond the basics; and
■ Enhancements,which the community funds.
The group narrowed down the list to 11 priority items, and visited downtowns and
MAX stations throughout the metro arca to provide photographed examples.
B. Summary of Task Force Preferences
The Task Force initially agreed that it wanted a traditional look for the
Downtown Tigard Station, and its recommendations reflect this emphasis.
Overall, the group prefers designs that incorporate traditional elements, create
distinctive landmarks, and reflect Tigard's history.
The Task Force also weighed the applicability of designs to Downtown when
creating its recommendations. Integrating the station into the fabric, of Main
Street is important, and will require replicating certain station components in
Downtown. Additional issues—such as safety, station accessibility for pedestrians
and vehicles, and business tic-ins— are also key, but will be addressed in other
efforts.
Throughout the examples, the Task Force consistently singled out artist-
influenced elements. Recognizing that TriMet's Public, Art Program will apply its
creativity in new ways, the Task Force has provided potential influences here and
looks forward to working with the artists.
8
V. Parking and Safety
Concerns and Recommendations
A. Safety
The park and ride lot design needs to accommodate safe
pedestrian circulation connecting the parking lot to the station
platform.
B. Second Entrance/Exit for Park and Ride Lot
The Task Force by majority feels that the parking lot needs two
access locations. We strongly support the inclusion by TriMet
and Washington County of a second entrance and exit to the
park and ride lot. The impact of only one location, on Main
Street, particularly during commute hours, would be extreme.
We also feel that there are significant safety and emergency
vehicle access issues. This position is consistent with that of
many business and property owners, including Tualatin Valley
Fire & Rescue, in the downtown area.
9
VI. Station Design Recommendations
The following recommendations represent the Task Force's preferences
for the Downtown Tigard station, developed through a consensus-
driven approach.
1. Shelters
Roof
■ A roof with a steeper "
pitch (like Example
1). The group likes '
the appearance of
Example 1, but it
should be elongated
to reflect the
Commuter Rail
platform size. Natural
light is highly valued,
and should be
included in the Ex. I
design. An all-glass
roof is discouraged.
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Ex. 2: Glass roof panels.
10
Windscreens
■ Smaller, multiple
unconnected glass
panels, as seen in k ,
Example 3, but ;a..
with a pattern
that deters
vandals. The
s
design allows
riders to enter they
tram at multiple �.,.4
access points. It
also improves
safety, as it ,.z.
eliminates
inaccessible corners Ex. 3
and the glass maintains visibility.
Posts/Railings
�4
■ Brick or legged
supports
(Example 4).
Brick should be
given consideration
in the shelters, {t
either as posts or
in the walls.
Ex. 4
11
2. Paving
Basic
■ Scored concrete due to design
flexibility and ease in
maintenance. The ability to
easily maintain any paving
material and/or design is as~
high priority. '
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■ The group wants to explore
other scoring designs and the f �
potential for color. The Task
Force likes the look of brick,
but suggests not using actualk,,.,, `
brick unless durability and
maintenance concerns can be Ex. 5
resolved.
■ The final material and design
should tie into future
downtown improvements.
3. Lights t
■ A traditional light that can be Ex. b-
used in both the Main Street right Hillsboro,
of way and the park-and-ride lot, Downtown
Portland
such as Example 6. The parking
lot light style should be the same
b"
for platform lights.
■ If a light similar to Example 6
cannot be used in both areas,
another decorative light should be used
as opposed to cobra or stock lights.
12
4. Benches
h r
■ A bench that is artistic, yet
traditional in style, and made
out of metal. Concerns were
raised about wood's ability to
withstand vandalism.
Ex. 7: The Task Force chose this
Westside MAX bench as its preferred
option. The bench is wood and metal.
5. Trash Receptacles � �
�h v
■ Metal cans, due to maintenance
reasons (graffiti, ease of removing =��fr
garbage, lid to keep dry), such
as Example 8. The receptacles should
incorporate openings for air circulation
to alleviate smell.
Ex. 8
6.Tree Grates
■ If trees are considered, a round iron grate with
a black metal tree guard (Example 9)
provide a dual, complementary function.
While the grate could be round or square,
the use of the guard protects young trees and
children's arms or feet from getting caught
in the root hole. The grate should be easily
modified as trunks expand.
Ex. 9
13
7.Bike Racks '
■ A simple yet traditional example, �
such as Example 10, possesses U
character and its compact shape `
does not intrude into the
pedestrian environment. ��; "`. �"" ��
' Preferred:
� r Ex. 10 (left); Lake
Oswego.
■ However, an artistic, unique 7 � Ex. Li (above);
approach, like Example 11, r,,�,� "'� Honolulu.
supplies diversity in style. Overall,
the group wants to avoid standard
approaches.
8.Landscaping
■ Consider trees before planters.
However, there were some questions regarding trees on platforms,
including a) impact of eventual canopy size on a narrow platform and
b) tree safety (birds, pests, vandalism). Maintenance responsibilities
will need to be determined.
9.Railings
■ For safety reasons, an all-metal
railing with all elements clearly '
visible. The railing should also
create visual interest, such as the
Rose Quarter (Example 12) railing. ,.
Nu
While traditional, it also t'
incorporates artistic elements and
ties into the station design well.
Ex. 12
14
lO.Boundary Walls
■ Consider walls where
appropriate. Appropriate uses
include channeling users on ,
public property and away from
adjoining private property,
which is a Task Force priority. v
t
■ A wall patterned like natural �
elements, such as Example 13, 4k
would complement the scored Ex. 13
concrete of the station paving.
The walls should be about
knee-high, enough to deter or
channel foot traffic.
tzt t
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11.Signs
■ A directory style takes up limited space `
and can be mounted on a light pole (such as
Example 14 at the zoo). It lists services by
general type instead of specific businesses, ,r.
which limits updates.
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Ex. 14
15
VII.Station Enhancements
In the Washington County Commuter Rail Station
Design Scope, TriMet characterizes enhancements as the
following: "Communities may consider adding amenities,
with local funding, that are beyond the basic design of the ;t;r
f,
commuter rail stations in order to achieve local design
objectives. The Project will strive to incorporate station
enhancements wherever financially feasible."
The TriMet public art program may incorporate station
enhancements as part of its work. The Task Force
presents the following preferences as a guide to the art An example of a clock with
committee and for future local improvements, and chime (Hillsboro).
encourages TriMet to consider these as project
additions.
A. General Guidelines
■ Incorporate traditional elements, create
distinctive landmarks, and reflect Tigard's '
history.
r
Some ideas raised by Task Force members A�
include the following:
■ Have a train theme; Examples of historical text embedded in
■ paving. Goose Hollow (top), tells the
Tie hot-air balloons into designs site's history; Westside MAX includes
to reflect the Festival of quotes from area historical texts.
Balloons;
■ Have a clock that can be seen
along Main Street.
In addition, add-on elements that use
text within the paving take a historical
approach or tell a story
PP y about our
community are preferred. `" ��
16
�r
s
The Lincoln High Mural in Portland faces Westside MAX at Goose Hollow. It uses photos
and text to tell a story about Lincoln's past.
17
VIII.Conclusion
The Task Force views the Commuter Rail and its station as an opportunity for
Downtown Tigard. This station will be riders' entry into Tigard and will reflect
Tigard and the Downtown. How the station is designed will impact the perception
of both.
This document will be submitted for approval to the Tigard City Council and
forwarded to the TriMet Board of Directors prior to the beginning of Final Design.
The Task Force requests that TriMet review these recommendations, consider the
group's comments and concerns, and incorporate the suggested components into
the final station design. To make this possible, the group has worked diligently to
provide TriMet with this information before final design commences. At the time
this document was finalized, TriMet was awaiting federal approval to enter Final
Design, expecting it in Spring 2003.
It is intended for these recommendations to influence further discussions regarding
form, function and funding. Those discussions will help determine the funds
needed to realize the Tigard station as presented here.
18
Appendix
For more information about Commuter Rail, consult the following
resources:
Websites
htt!p://www.tri-met.org/projects/conunuterrail.htm
httl!://www.co.washington.or.us/del!tmts/lut/commrail/train.htm
Documents
Exhibit A to Commuter Rail Intergovernmental Agreement -
Washington County Commuter Rail Station Design Scope,
September 2002 (Author: TriMet).
This report is stored on the City of Tigard network at:
I:\LRPLN\beth\Downtown\Final Station Design Plan March
2003.doc
19