Oregon
Senators Resist Obama Budget Proposal to Sell TVA
A proposal in President Obama's fiscal year 2014 budget would reduce the deficit and place a government-owned utility in private hands - ostensibly Republican goals - but it is being opposed by Tennessee's senior Republican Senator, Lamar Alexander.
Portland Parklets Program Gets Kicked to the Curb
A pilot program introduced parklets to Portland last summer to seemingly widespread applause. Fearing the loss of parking, a group representing downtown business owners has successfully lobbied the city to cancel the program in the downtown core.
Bike-Oriented Development Sprouts in Portland
With the traditional metrics of retail economics and geography being undermined by the Internet, businesses are searching for new ways to reach potential customers. Astute business owners in Portland are recognizing the value in good bike exposure.
Replacing the Gas Tax: Two States Choose Different Strategies
What is the future of the "deeply flawed" state gas tax? Lemov Penelope compares the approaches taken by VA and OR - both plan to eliminate it and replace it with alternatives - a state sales tax and a vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) fee, respectively.
How Will Portland Develop Its Last Major Parcel?
Brian Libby examines the plans for Zidell Yards, downtown Portland's last major real estate opportunity, which "seeks to be a macro development comprised of many different micro-sized parts."
Green Lights for Bike Traffic Signals
With bicycling growing in popularity while driving decreases, should a city install "bicycle-specific traffic signals"? Mary Ebeling of State Smart Transportation Initiatives provides guidance and helpful designs from city transportation officials.
Small Houses Find Big Following in Cascadia
In a photo essay on small homes and the people who love them, Sightline Fellow Alyse Nelson explains the attraction of compact living and the ways in which small homeowners are living it up by scaling down.
Just One Obstacle for Portland Bike-Share: Who'll Pay?
Notoriously bike-friendly city; home to country's leading bike-share operator; a latecomer to the bike-share bandwagon. What's working with this picture of Portland, Oregon?
Bicyclists, Not Drivers, are the Better Consumers
Familiar with the perception that bicyclists are generally kids with no money and too much time? Emily Badger discusses the findings of a study that shows riders out-consume drivers over the course of a month for all businesses except grocery stores.
New Apartments in Portland: No Parking = No Car? Not So
Turns out if you don't provide the parking, tenants still bring their cars - they just park on the street, according to a limited Portland survey. Neighbors asked city planners for a moratorium on 'parking-less' apartments and adding parking minimums
Should We Slow Down Our Pursuit of Rapid Transit?
Jarrett Walker examines the desirability of slow transit as argued by University of British Columbia Professor Patrick M. Condon in support of a vast streetcar network for Vancouver.
Legalizing Green Design
Across America, arcane zoning regulations and building codes prevent some of the most promising sustainable techniques and technologies from being built. A project based in Oregon aims to make land use regulations friendlier for greener building.
How Zoning Might Make or Break New Streetcar Lines
As St. Louis and Portland speed along with new streetcar developments, Yonah Freemark considers how zoning may determine the success of one, and the failure of another.
Portland Shifts Gears
America's burgeoning bicycle culture gets the star treatment, as USA Today focuses its attention on the new infrastructure, new funding, and new culture that have made bicycling in Portland an ease.
Portland Perfects the Public Toilet
Portland's progressive urbanism - from its smart growth restrictions, to its revived historic Pearl District and bicycle infrastructure - are the envy of cities across America. Could the city's new sustainable public toilet be its next export?
Apartment Building Boom In Portland - Without Auto Parking
OPB investigates the flood of new apartment buildings going up in downtown Portland and finds that two-thirds lack any motor vehicle parking - which is great for renters without cars seeking affordable housing, but can anger the neighbors.
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.
Pioneering Net-Zero Building Opens in Unlikely Location
To find Oregon's first energy-neutral building, you'll have to venture 45 minutes outside progressive Portland to the Willamette Valley town of Newberg. There you'll find a first step in an effort to change our physical and cultural environments.
States Take the Lead in Implementing Driving Fees
With D.C. abandoning its leadership position in funding road infrastructure improvements, states such as Oregon and Minnesota are going forward with pilot plans to transition to road usage fees.
Portland's Subsidized Segregation
In the first part of a series examining the failure of Portland-area fair housing, Brad Schmidt explains how a region that prides itself on its progressive values and openness to diversity is "harboring a form of institutionalized racial inequity."
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
