Oregon

The Charms of 'Illegal Neighborhoods'
A longtime resident of an old, eclectic neighborhood reflects on what makes the area so desirable and why new places like it are effectively outlawed today.
Golf Course Plans for 280 Acres of State Park Land Abandoned in Oregon
A controversial and unprecedented deal that would have privatized 280 acres of state-owned Bandon State Natural Area have fizzled out thanks to new requirements from the Bureau of Land Management.
Moving Day for Portland's 'Right to Dream Too' Homeless Camp Delayed
Two years of work by the city to move the location of the Right 2 Dream Too homeless encampment, including the purchase of land for a new location, has stalled in the final hour.
California's Oil Battles Move from Legislature to Air Resources Board
Big Oil may have defeated Gov. Jerry Brown's oil reduction goal in the legislature this month, but there are other avenues for the green governor to pursue his climate change agenda. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard was renewed by CARB on Sept. 25.
Massachusetts Could Be Next State to Adopt a Road Usage Charge
In the wake of voter rejection of automatic indexing of the state gas tax, Massachusetts legislators may do away with the tax altogether. They are considering a trial of the Oregon model of road usage charge.
Bikeshare Finally Coming to the City that Made Bikes Famous—Portland
Still without a corporate sponsor, Portland is moving ahead with a bikeshare proposal that will add 600 shared bikes to the city's streets.
Here Comes Portland's New Orange Line
TriMet will get a new addition to its rail system later this month, when it opens the new Orange Line.

Land Sparing Protects Urban Ecosystems Better Than Land Sharing
A study of two cities at opposite ends of the urban spectrum demonstrate how density matters for a number of ecological services.
Legal Marijuana Still a Challenge for Road Safety
The state of Washington is finding that more and more fatal car crashes involve drivers under the influence of THC. But legal limbo, lack of research, and spotty detection makes the question of what to do very hard to answer.

First Bus Rapid Transit Comes to Portland Metro Region
But not to Portland, nor even in Oregon for that matter. The Vine will service downtown Vancouver, Washington and be operated by Vancouver's public transit agency, C-TRAN. It broke ground in downtown Vancouver on Monday.
Gray Wolves Return to the Golden State—After 91 Years
Two adults and five pups have been photographed in Northern California by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. They are protected by the federal and state Endangered Species Act, which is credited for their return.
Terror On-Board European High-Speed Train
Massacre on a Paris-bound train was averted in France on Friday due to the courageous actions of three Americans, one in the Air Force another in the Oregon National Guard, who rushed and subdued a Moroccan man armed with an AK-47 and a handgun.
Traffic Deaths Soar—Is Cheap Gas a Culprit?
An August 17 press release from the National Safety Council indicates the United States is on track to exceed 40,000 road deaths this year, the highest since 2007. A January NPR report links the spike to decreased gas prices.

Portland's Tilikum Crossing—Open to All but Cars—Attracts a Throng on Preview Day
The first bridge in the country to allow all forms of traffic except for cars opened for a public preview over the weekend. Tens of thousands of Portlanders showed up to enjoy the bridge.
Oregonians Slow to Adopt the New OReGO Road Usage Charge
All eyes are on Oregon as it rolls out its road usage charge program, known as OReGO. So far Oregonians have been slow on the uptake.
Biofuels Make Headways into Jet Fuel Market
Jets no longer run solely on fuel derived from petroleum, thanks in part to Colorado-based Red Rock Biofuels. They signed contracts with FedEx and Southwest Airlines for "renewable jet fuel" that is derived from wood-based biomass.
Portland to Buy Land for Homeless Camp
The city of Portland has allocated funding for the purchase of land reported to be under consideration as the new location of a large homeless camp called Right 2 Dream Too.
The Scary, Likely Event of the 'Really Big One' in the Pacific Northwest
Forget Hollywood's proclivity for destroying Los Angeles and San Francisco in movies like San Andreas—the greatest seismic threat in North America is in the Pacific Northwest.
Students Design and Build Downtown Portland's First Parklet
The newest addition to the city of Portland's Street Seats program is the result of a student team of designers and builders from Portland State University.
Need Convincing that Vehicle-Miles-Traveled Fees Make Sense?
Eric Jaffe's July 1 article in CityLab has 18 reasons, and not one in opposition. The date is significant as it marks the official kickoff of the Oregon Road Usage Charge program.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont