Portland 2040 Analysis

1. Portland 2040 Analysis

2. Portland residents drive less… While per capita vehicle miles traveled is increasing nationally at an average of 2.3% per year, VMT per capita in the Portland area is now declining thanks to reliable transit service, smart land-use planning, and public outreach programs.

3. Cyclists Per Day Bikeway Miles 10,000 300 Miles of Bikeways Bridge Bicycle Traffic 250 7,500 1992: 83 miles of bikeways 2,850 daily trips 200 5,000 150 2005: 259 miles of bikeways 10,192 daily trips 100 2,500 50 0 0 Year: 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2,850 3,555 3,885 3,830 3,207 4,520 5,225 5,690 5,910 6,015 7,686 8,250 8,562 8,875 10,192 Bridge Bicycle Traffic: 78 84 86 103 113 143 166 183 213 222 235 251 254 257 259 Bikeway Miles: …bike more… Bicycles’ mode share almost tripled between 1990 and 2005, and Portland has the most bike commuters of any city in the nation.

4. …and take more transit. Per Capita Transit Trips, 2005 Source: National Transit Database, www.ntdprogram.gov Only 6 U.S. metropolitan areas have higher per capita transit ridership than Portland, and all are older cities with substantially larger populations.

5. Why? Because we sprawl less. Growth by Density Category, 1990-2000 Source: Nelson and Sanchez, 2003. In the past two decades, the majority of the Portland area’s population growth has taken place in urban areas that are close to existing destinations and easily served by transit, bike, and pedestrian networks.

6. Portland’s per capita GHG emissions are falling. Source: Portland Office of Sustainable Development, 2005. Metro has not yet conducted a region-wide GHG inventory, but the region’s most urban county lowered per capita GHG emissions due to transportation by 15%, and total per capita GHG emissions by 12.5%, and in between 1990 and 2004.

7. Metro Travel Behavior Survey Granting low-income residents access to transit is particularly important because they are significantly more likely to take advantage of it than average residents, leading to greater reductions in VMT.

8. Smart Growth Saves Money Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005. Residents of well-planned cities with good transit service spend less of their household budgets on transportation.

9. The Regional Transportation Plan The latest update to the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) reinforces the 2040 Growth Concept by ensuring that the transportation network allows residents, commuters, and freight easy access to regional centers. The plan’s goals focus on livability, public heath, and protecting the environment: • Foster Vibrant Communities and Efficient Urban Form • Sustain Economic Competitiveness and Prosperity • Expand Transportation Choices • Emphasize Effective and Efficient Management of the Transportation System • Enhance Safety and Security • Promote Environmental Stewardship • Enhance Human Health • Ensure Equity • Ensure Sustainability • Deliver Accountability

10. Overall Impacts Overall, the 2040 Growth Concept shortens travel distances while increasing residential density. Since residents drive less, their cars emit fewer greenhouse gases.

11. Reduced CO2 Emissions In between 2005 and 2035, the shorter commutes created by the 2040 Growth Concept will prevent an average of 97,746 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year. We would have to plant Douglas Fir forests over 27% of the area inside the UGB to sequester that much carbon.

12. Metro Assessment • What building blocks do these current metro programs address? • Which programs are active in your life/school/neighborhood? • Which programs do not have an impact in your area? • What sustainability measures do you think are missing?