Portland Looks to Move Beyond Auto-Centric LOS

After years of signaling its intent, it appears as though the City of Portland is getting serious about ditching its auto-centric level-of-service (LOS) metric with one that evaluates multiple modes, reports Jonathan Maus.

1 minute read

August 3, 2012, 1:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Last week the City of Portland issued a request for proposals [PDF] for a consultant to update the city's transportation performance standards. Why is this significant? Like most cities around the country, Portland is burdened by performance standards that rely on an automobile-oriented level-of-service evaluation as the basis for, "determining the adequacy of transportation services in
development review applications and volume-to- capacity (v/c) measures
that are used in project and system planning."

According to the RFP, "The existing LOS standards and measures, which focus only on
motor vehicle levels of service, do not reflect the City of Portland's
current practice which emphasizes and promotes a multimodal approach to
transportation planning and providing transportation services." And with the city seeking to encourage alternative modes in its transportation policies and land use decisions, the current standards have become an obstacle. 

So after years of "grumblings" about the need for this momentous policy change, why is it being undertaken now? Maus believe the reason is, "because the City is beginning the
process of updating the Comprehensive Plan and the Transportation System
Plan (TSP) which lives within it."

"The RFP deadline is August 17th and work on the $100,000 project is expected to proceed by mid-September."

Monday, July 30, 2012 in Bike Portland

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Blue and silver Amtrak train at small station.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train

The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.

July 3 - New Orleans City Business

Large spinning swing ride at Chicago's Navy Pier.

The Subversive Car-Free Guide to Trump's Great American Road Trip

Car-free ways to access Chicagoland’s best tourist attractions.

July 3 - Streetsblog Chicago

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion

The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

July 3 - Governing