The following information explains the process used to develop a master plan with a facility plan approach. The goal of this approach was to ultimately produce a preferred alternative for the long-term development of PDX.

As part of the process to reach the preferred alternative at PDX, 11 workshops were held with the following groups:

• Planning Advisory Committee (PAC), a group of representatives from local agencies and the community at large;
• Airline Technical Committee, a group made up of representatives from the airlines; and
• Port of Portland staff.

Ultimately, these workshops led to the formation of two alternative-development concepts for PDX, more commonly referred to as the Centralized and Decentralized concepts.

The Centralized Terminal Alternative proposes a "satellite" concourse west of the existing terminal. Passengers would access this concourse by traveling through the existing terminal area and taking a people mover to the satellite concourse. There would be no direct landside ground access for the public to the satellite concourse.

The Decentralized Terminal Alternative proposes a second passenger terminal in an area south of the existing terminal. This terminal would have full auto and bus access, ticket and concession lobby, and airplane gates. A decentralized terminal would ease congestion along Airport Way - the only current road with access into the terminal - both during construction and long-term as passenger growth continues.

The Port of Portland has recognized the decentralized concept as the preferred long-term development strategy for PDX. The concept offers greater flexibility for access, optimal capacity expansion, ease of development and aircraft delay reduction.

As the two concepts were being generated through the master planning process, it became apparent to citizens and Port staff involved that the next stage of development at PDX would be a major undertaking and commitment by the Port and the region. This led those in the process to question the very core assumptions on which the traditional facility plan was founded.

Participants asked how PDX might delay the need to build additional facilities and accommodate more passengers and operations with its existing facilities and within its current property boundary. Participants also wondered what impact such things as the development of high-speed rail or shifting operations to other airports would have on the facility plan assumptions and ultimately the plan's conclusions. They even questioned if PDX might better serve the region if it was moved to a different location.