8 results for tag: Transportation Solutions

A Clean Cars Win!

Today, Oregon took a momentous step to reduce air pollution and help us meet our state’s transportation emission reduction goals by passing the Advanced Clean Cars II Rule (ACCII). These rules will help us in our transition to 100% zero-emission passenger vehicles by 2035! The Advanced Clean Cars II Rule will reduce tailpipe emissions, one of the biggest sources of climate pollution in Oregon, from new passenger vehicles like cars, personal trucks, and SUVs, starting with the 2026 model year through 2035. This rule strengthens Oregon’s vehicle emission standards (learn more about the details here) for all new light-duty cars sold so that by ...

Tolling in Oregon: What’s The Deal?

What is tolling? It seems like a simple question, but a “toll” can be understood in many different ways. Most simply, a toll is a charge for driving a vehicle on a specific piece of roadway.  Looking beyond that, though, there are a lot of really interesting questions worth considering.  For example, how much should a toll cost? What is the toll really paying for? Should every vehicle be charged the same amount, regardless of factors like the time of day or the number of passengers? The answers to these questions are more important than you might think. The price of a toll, much like the price of a loaf of bread or a gallon of gas, can ripple ...

New land use planning rules begin to address gaps from the past

Last month, The Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) finalized the adoption of the Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities rules. These transportation and land use rules, while not completely transformative, have real potential to help communities shape their growth in ways that support thriving communities, reduce dependence on cars and greenhouse gas emissions, and provide more affordable housing options. The rules also aim to address equity by directing transportation, housing, and planning investments and policy to serve everyone in Oregon, particularly those from under-resourced and under-served communities.  Oregon's ...

What could we do with a billion dollars?

Now that Congress has passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, more than a billion dollars will be coming to Oregon for transportation. That’s great news and it presents us with a big opportunity to think about how we can spend that money wisely. Some of the money is committed to specific projects already underway. But, we’ll have choices with the rest and we should demand that it be invested in things that we know we need in the future. Things that will give people more freedom, access, and choices about how they get around, and which also make our communities safer, healthier, and more resilient. What kinds of things could this ...

E-Bike Events this Fall with OEC

At OEC, we believe that a high-quality transportation system is one that offers people healthy and safe choices to meet their transportation needs. Electric bicycles and other kinds of small electric mobility devices, like scooters and skateboards, are potentially transformative because they can meet many of the same needs as a car, but with fewer costs, and a lot less pollution. In order to really take advantage of their potential, we need to make sure that our leaders understand the benefits so they can help us realize the potential of e-bikes. To this end, OEC’s Legislative Director Morgan Gratz-Weiser and I (Transportation Program ...

ODOT Mega-projects in the Portland area

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has a mega-project wishlist. The top projects on this list are the Abernethy Bridge on I-205, and the Boone Bridge, the Rose Quarter, and the Columbia River Crossing on I-5.  These projects have been waiting for funding for years or even decades. A total price tag for Oregon of at least four billion dollars seems likely, and for that, we’ll receive a few short segments of highways with more lanes.  ODOT says these projects will increase safety and reduce traffic congestion in the Portland region. However, they will not meaningfully achieve these goals. If we really wanted to address safety and ...

E-Bike Q&A: You have Questions, We have Answers!

E-Bikes are growing in popularity, yet many people still are hesitant to purchase one. In this Q&A, current and former OEC staff answer questions about their recent E-Bike purchases. OEC Summer Intern Juliáe Riva sat down with former OEC staff member Jonathan Lin and OEC’s Rural Partnerships and Water Policy Director Karen Lewotsky to learn more about their personal experiences with recently owning e-bikes. JR: What e-bike do you own? JL: Specialized Turbo Vado SL 4.0 EQ. Specialized uses a smaller motor [than most other brands] that they developed to fit into various styles [of bikes]. Mine is a commuter/hybrid bike. It has a pretty ...

Why Does Congestion Pricing Matter?

As ODOT considers transportation pricing in the Portland region, we explain why “congestion pricing” is the most effective long-term way to address our traffic woes.