Narrative:

The WX conditions at portland, or were such that approachs and takeoffs were to runway 21. The winds were strong, 180 degrees/25 KTS and gusting. We were taxiing out on taxiway echo. We were on the tower frequency holding short of echo 1 taxiway. Tower asked us if we wanted the full length. We said yes. We were told to hold short of the runway at taxiway A8. Looking at the blown up insert of our commercial chart, I attempted to determine where the hold short line was. I looked at the end of runway 21 and saw a taxiway sign A8 near the end. So I assumed the hold short line was near the signage, with the wet conditions, it was hard to pick out the hold short line. We crossed over the hold short line by about 20 ft before we realized that was the A8 taxiway hold short point. So we stopped. I think there should be an A8 taxiway sign near the hold short line, instead of having a sign near the end of the runway. Or maybe have the amber flashing hold short lights at A8 taxiway. It was confusing at least coming on taxiway echo. If there is a blown up insert on the commercial chart, there must be a problem with this area of the airport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: a 'kpdx' tower specialist revealed that certain relatively recent changes have occurred in or near the area of the airport referenced in the report. One includes the addition of 'A8' taxiway which serves as access to both runways 10L and 21. The 'hold short lines' for these runways forms a 'V' where taxiway 'east' enters taxiway 'A8.' these lines are supposedly well defined.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW TAXIED PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE DURING TAXI FOR TKOF AT KPDX.

Narrative: THE WX CONDITIONS AT PORTLAND, OR WERE SUCH THAT APCHS AND TKOFS WERE TO RWY 21. THE WINDS WERE STRONG, 180 DEGS/25 KTS AND GUSTING. WE WERE TAXIING OUT ON TXWY ECHO. WE WERE ON THE TWR FREQ HOLDING SHORT OF ECHO 1 TXWY. TWR ASKED US IF WE WANTED THE FULL LENGTH. WE SAID YES. WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF THE RWY AT TXWY A8. LOOKING AT THE BLOWN UP INSERT OF OUR COMMERCIAL CHART, I ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE WHERE THE HOLD SHORT LINE WAS. I LOOKED AT THE END OF RWY 21 AND SAW A TXWY SIGN A8 NEAR THE END. SO I ASSUMED THE HOLD SHORT LINE WAS NEAR THE SIGNAGE, WITH THE WET CONDITIONS, IT WAS HARD TO PICK OUT THE HOLD SHORT LINE. WE CROSSED OVER THE HOLD SHORT LINE BY ABOUT 20 FT BEFORE WE REALIZED THAT WAS THE A8 TXWY HOLD SHORT POINT. SO WE STOPPED. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE AN A8 TXWY SIGN NEAR THE HOLD SHORT LINE, INSTEAD OF HAVING A SIGN NEAR THE END OF THE RWY. OR MAYBE HAVE THE AMBER FLASHING HOLD SHORT LIGHTS AT A8 TXWY. IT WAS CONFUSING AT LEAST COMING ON TXWY ECHO. IF THERE IS A BLOWN UP INSERT ON THE COMMERCIAL CHART, THERE MUST BE A PROB WITH THIS AREA OF THE ARPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A 'KPDX' TWR SPECIALIST REVEALED THAT CERTAIN RELATIVELY RECENT CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED IN OR NEAR THE AREA OF THE ARPT REFERENCED IN THE RPT. ONE INCLUDES THE ADDITION OF 'A8' TXWY WHICH SERVES AS ACCESS TO BOTH RWYS 10L AND 21. THE 'HOLD SHORT LINES' FOR THESE RWYS FORMS A 'V' WHERE TXWY 'E' ENTERS TXWY 'A8.' THESE LINES ARE SUPPOSEDLY WELL DEFINED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.