Put people first when mulling transportation’s future
Originally featured as a guest editorial in the Forest Grove News Times. Written by Devon Downeysmith, Climate Communications & Outreach Director, Oregon Environmental Council.
Devon with her daughter, Diana
As the mother to a nine-month-old baby, I think about the future more now than I ever did before. Recently several of our lawmakers — including my Forest Grove representative, Susan McLain — visited to hear what our community wants for our transportation future. Transportation is going to be a big issue in the upcoming legislative session, and with limited resources, our legislators have a big task when it comes to funding a package that meets our state’s needs. So what does a better transportation future look like?
We need to ensure that we can accommodate a growing community in ways that do not make us more dependent on cars and freeways. Many, like myself, commute into Portland for work. Max service to Forest Grove or rapid bus transit here would reduce driving and help us get to work faster. But also, my vision for Forest Grove includes a Pacific Avenue complete with electric charging stations, as well as state-level incentives for electric vehicles. These changes would make it easier for families like mine to get an EV to use as our Portland-commuting car, saving us money on gas and keeping our air clean. Click here to read more…
Oregon is about to make some big transportation decisions that will affect us for decades. Unfortunately, lawmakers are starting from a framework that falls dramatically short on what we need. We need fair funding, accountability, and more robust investments in safety, transit, and pollution reduction.
Tell your legislators that the stakes are too high to settle for less.
Today, 100+ Oregonians are rallying in Salem to deliver a message shared by more than a thousand during a legislative listening tour last summer – public and active transportation is equally important no matter where you live in Oregon.
There’s a big problem happening in our transportation system today, and it’s been decades in the making. The Oregon Department of Transportation is facing a $1.8 billion deficit. If this is not met, ODOT staff have sai
What comes to mind when you hear the word “EV”? Sleek, shiny sedans plugged into charging stations across the urban landscape? Monochromatic motor vehicles whirring down the highway in near silence? The clean future of commuter culture?If “rugged terrain,” “agriculture”, and “farm work” aren’t words that spring to mind, you aren’t alone. But OEC – and plenty of others – envision a future for electric vehicles that
State legislators are hosting a 12-stop statewide listening tour this summer on major transportation issues. We need your voice! Our transportation system should be safer, greener, better maintained, and more affordable for all Oregonians. Your testimony during these public hearings will impact how legislators shape the future of our transportation infrastructure! Your participation will also help OEC deliver stronger climate-smart legislation
When you think about water in Oregon, you might think about the Rogue River, Pacific Coast or Malheur Lake. However, some of the most important bodies of water in our state aren’t visible to the naked eye: they’re under our feet.
Everyone deserves the right to safe, accessible, climate-friendly transportation options. And everyone deserves to arrive at their destination safely, regardless of their transportation choice. Yet the need for investments in transportation safety could not be more urgent as this year’s back-to-school season is met with a 40-year peak in pedestrian deaths, nationwide.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 16, 2023Media Contact:
Patty Wentz, [email protected]
503-970-7929
As Oregon experiences record breaking heat driven by climate change, it is important to note the one-year anniversary of the historic Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which will invest at least $370 billion–and potentially upwards of $1 trillion–nationwide to a