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The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) will host several open-house meetings this month as part of a study of  possible improvements to intercity passenger-rail service between the Eugene-Springfield and Portland areas.

Information gathered at the meetings will be used to develop preliminary alternatives to the study, which will help select a general passenger route and evaluate options for train frequency and trip times, and improve on-time performance, ODOT officials said in the agency's Winter 2012/13 Newsletter.

After soliciting public feedback in fall 2012, ODOT developed corridor concepts for potential rail routes and station locations. The agency also is soliciting feedback on its draft goals and objectives to help shape its evaluation criteria, the results of which will be presented at another round of public open houses in late 2013. After that, a smaller group of alternatives will be evaluated in detail in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the newsletter states.

The goals of the project are to improve passenger-rail mobility and accessibility in the Willamette Valley; protect freight-rail capacity and investments in the corridor and maintain safety; plan, design and build a cost-effective project; provide an affordable and equitable travel alternative; be compatible with passenger-rail investments planned in the state of Washington; promote community health and quality of life along the corridor; and protect and preserve the environment.