Public Policy

Transportation issues

The Alliance is committed improving the region's transportation infrastructure, advocating for strong transportation policies and projects and focusing on the implementation of regional and statewide freight-mobility strategies.

The Alliance's top transportation priority is the Columbia River Crossing project. The Alliance supports a replacement bridge with light rail in order to alleviate both the freight and commuter congestion and safety issues of the current bridge and allow for trade and commerce to flow more smoothly on I-5. Included in this section, you will find updates on the Alliance's transportation-related policy work and a number of studies the Alliance has conducted about delays in moving people and freight in, out of and around the Portland region.

To review past congestion and transportation studies, go to the Reports & Studies page. If you are interested in getting more involved the Alliance also has a transportation committee. Contact Bernie Bottomly at bbottomly@portlandalliance.com with questions about the Alliance's transportation work or to learn more about the committee.

Transportation news:

January 2012: ConnectOregon case studies advocate for freight related projects and policies

In order to advance important transportation priorities in the 2013 legislative session, the BEST coalition (Building the Economy through Sustainable Transportation) and its partners, including the Alliance, know that it is important to communicate the benefits of investing in our state's transportation system. To that end, BEST recently developed some ConnectOregon case studies that highlight project benefits across the state. ConnectOregon is a legislatively authorized funding program for statewide multimodal transportation improvement projects. Learn more and view the case studies >>

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December 2011: Columbia River Crossing passes major milestone

The Columbia River Crossing project recently passed a major milestone, as U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the approval of the project's "Record of Decision" or ROD. The ROD represents the final clearance of the project's environmental evaluation process and sets the stage for the Oregon and Washington departments of transportation to start the first stage of the project, which is right-of-way acquisition. Read more >>
Read Oregonian story >>

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December 2011: Bureau of Transportation faces budget shortfalls

The Portland Bureau of Transportation announced that it will face significant budget shortfalls due to lower than anticipated state revenue sharing. Revenues are down due to economic slowing, more efficient vehicles and fewer vehicle registrations in Multnomah County. The level of cuts could approach 30 percent. Bureau Director Tom Miller discussed the budget challenges with the Alliance Transportation Committee last week.

Alliance staff sits on the PBOT Budget Advisory Committee and is working to help prioritize spending on key economic engines like freight mobility and major transportation corridors as well as maintenance and preservation of existing structures. More information >>

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December 2011: Group works to find funding for non-highway transportation

The Non-Roadway Transportation Funding Working Group, appointed by Governor Kitzhaber, is in the processes of investigating how to fix the problems of decreasing funding for non-highway transportation in the state. The group will meet in the coming months to look at possible sustainable funding alternatives. More information >>

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November 2011: Alliance supports nomination of Pacific Power Vice President to chair the Oregon Transportation Commission

On November 1, the Alliance sent a letter of support for the appointment of Pacific Power Vice President, Pat Egan, to become the new chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission. Read letter >>

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November 2011: Central Eastside Industrial Council thanks Portland Bureau of Transportation for 12th Avenue bridge resolution

Read letter >>

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November 2011: Bureau of Transportation forecasts $16M in cuts for next year

More information >>

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October 2011: Alliance comments on important Metro land use decision

The Alliance drafted an opinion piece in support of Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) approval of the agreement worked out between Washington County and Metro President, Tom Hughes, to add industrial lands to the urban reserves designations near Hillsboro. The op-ed ran in The Oregonian and was signed by the Alliance's regional partners in Clackamas, Washington and Multnomah counties as well as John Mohlis from the Building Trades Council. LCDC approved the additions. View the op-ed >>

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October 2011: Columbia River Crossing continues to move forward

The Columbia River Crossing (CRC), which is a crucial piece of infrastructure for the regional economy, is one of our top transportation priorities. A new bridge that addresses the freight and commuter congestion and safety issues of the current bridge and allows for trade and commerce to flow more smoothly on I-5 is critical for economic stability and growth.

Final Environmental Impact Study
In September, the long-awaited Columbia River Crossing (CRC) Final Environmental Impact Study was filed. The report contains the Locally Preferred Alternative adopted recently by Metro, which includes a variety of transportation improvements throughout the five-mile project corridor, including:

  • A new river crossing over the Columbia River and I-5 highway improvements. Includes improvements to seven interchanges, north and south of the river, as well as related enhancements to the local street network.
  • A variety of bicycle and pedestrian improvements throughout the project corridor.
  • Extension of light rail from the Expo Center in Portland to Clark College in Vancouver, along with associated transit improvements, including transit stations, park and rides, bus route changes and expansion of a light rail transit maintenance facility.
  • A new toll on motorists using the river crossing as a demand management and financing tool.
  • Transportation demand and system management measures to be implemented with the project.

Group disputes Columbia River Crossing land use final order
On another note, a group including Weber Coastal (Taco) Bells, the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, Plaid Pantries and Jantzen/Angel LLC filed suit with the Oregon Land Use Court of Appeals on the Columbia River Crossing, alleging that the land use final order for the project was approved under an Oregon law meant for light rail projects, not highway improvements. We will keep you posted on what this means for the project. More information >>

Columbia River Crossing project citizen advisory committee
The Columbia River Crossing project is forming a bi-state citizen advisory committee to provide input on corridor and local improvements and serve as a liaison to local neighborhoods. More information >>

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October 2011: Alliance weighs in on monthly parking in SmartPark garages

The Portland Business Alliance sent a letter to the City of Portland regarding the proliferation of monthly parking in the city's downtown garages. The garages were permitted under a conditional use permit that does not allow monthly parking, which can take away spaces from retail customers for whom these garages were built. View the letter >>

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October 2011: Important freight intersection improvement project moves forward

The City of Portland recently submitted its list of priority projects for regional flexible funding to Metro, including a freight project supported by the Alliance: the North Time Oil Road and North Burgard Road Intersection Improvement project. With a total project cost of $2.6 million ($2.36 million in federal funds plus $270,000 in city funds), this is a much-needed safety project to correct an uncontrolled intersection at a blind corner that is heavily used by trucks accessing the Rivergate Industrial District. Improvements include widening North Burgard Road and creating left-turn lanes from each direction onto North Time Oil Road. The project supports the St. Johns Truck Strategy and is identified as a Tier 1 project in the city's Freight Master Plan. More information >>

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October 2011: Portland urban area traffic delays 13th worst in the country

The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) annual Urban Mobility Report notes that the economic slow-down has also slowed the growth of congestion but suggests that, once the economy does start to recover, problems will grow at an even greater rate due to lack of investment. The Portland region typically ranks poorly in the TTI report, and this year was no exception. The report finds that the Portland urban area's traffic delays - quantified as a Travel Time Index - are 13th worst in the country. But the report also says the Portland region's road network has among the fewest users per capita in the country, while its transit usage per capita is ranked 10th among large cities. View key findings of the report >>

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October 2011: State of Washington receives grants for highway improvement projects

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood delivered some welcome news to the state of Washington transportation program, announcing the state would receive $25.9 million in grants for an array of highway-related efforts ranging from completing environmental review and design for the new Columbia River Crossing to constructing a new overpass in Ridgefield. View the list of projects >>

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October 2011: Transportation for America requests Alliance support on key issues

Transportation for America made a presentation to the Alliance Transportation Committee asking for Alliance support for their initiative to:
  1. Articulate a national vision, objectives, and performance targets for the national transportation program to improve safety, efficiency, environment, health and equity.
  2. Restructure and consolidate federal programs for greater modal integration, providing more transportation options for all Americans.
  3. Empower states, regions and cities with direct transportation funding and greater flexibility to select projects.
  4. Reform how we pay for the transportation system and create a Unified Transportation Trust Fund that would achieve balanced allocations of federal funds in a portfolio of rail, freight, highway, public transportation and non-motorized transportation investments.

View Transportation For America's Green Freight and Ports fact sheet >>

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October 2011: City of Portland releases East Portland in Motion report

The City of Portland has released a draft of its East Portland in Motion report, which is a five-year implementation strategy for active transportation projects east of 82nd Avenue. More information >>

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October 2011: Alliance supports the Transportation Infrastructure and Innovation Act

The Alliance joined a national coalition of chambers of commerce to send a letter to the U.S. House and Senate transportation committee leadership in support of the "America Fast Forward" proposal to expand the existing Transportation Infrastructure and Innovation Act. The Act gives state and local agencies the ability to accelerate the financing and construction of local highway and transit projects without direct federal spending. View the letter >>

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September 2011: Columbia River Crossing Coalition supports environmental impact statement findings

Last week, the Columbia River Crossing Coalition (CRCC) voiced its support for the environmental impact statement findings, which is set for government approval on September 23.

The CRCC is a group of businesses, ports and community groups, including the Alliance, that have organized to support the Columbia River Crossing project.
Read the Portland Business Journal article >>

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