Urban Studies Commons^™

Roadway Not Improved: Exploring Temporary Uses And Community-Based Alternatives For Unimproved Streets, Leah Hyman, Al Klein, Rani Boyle, Katie Lynd, Emily Lieb

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

The Woodstock neighborhood of SE Portland is home to a high concentration of unimproved streets. Through conversations with the Woodstock Neighborhood Association and representatives at City of Portland agencies, LARKE Planning identified a disconnect between City street policies and residents' desires and concerns surrounding unimproved streets. Through Roadway Not Improved, LARKE is exploring temporary uses and community-based alternatives that will provide more flexibility to respond to the variations that exist among streets' physical characteristics and residents' visions for how these streets can or should contribute to neighborhood character and livability. Although the project focuses specifically on the Woodstock neighborhood, LARKE …

Growing Zenger Farm, Turhan Sonmez, Elizabeth Milner, Stacey Glenewinkel, Kate Carone

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Zenger Farm is a working urban farm in outer southeast Portland, Oregon, that promotes sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship and local economic development. Currently operating on 6 acres of farmland and 10 acres of wetland, the farm has an opportunity to expand onto 4 additional acres of adjacent land, and has asked Ecotone to help maximize the potential of that expansion. Growing Zenger Farm is a unique opportunity to learn how urban agriculture can best address the needs of communities. Food security, community development, education, economic development and environmental stewardship are components of Zenger's stated mission and goals and are …

Harvesting Opportunity: A Strategic Vision For Farmworker Housing And Microenterprise In Washington County, Nadine Appenbrink, Raihana Ansary, Elizabeth Decker, Kate Mcquillan, Karla Nelson, Emily Picha

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Farmworkers in Washington County face stagnant incomes, limited opportunities and a shortage of affordable, quality housing. In this six month workshop project, Tierra Planning explored the connection between quality affordable housing and economic development opportunities for farmworkers in Washington County. We worked with stakeholders, regulators, landowners and farmworkers to identify barriers, opportunities and alternatives. Our final product was a "strategic vision" that included both general recommendations and recommendations specific to Washington County based on extensive research, outreach, and alternatives analysis. Our hope is that our work will spark discourse among local farmers, housing developers, and policy makers in the Portland …

Gateway Ecodistrict Pilot Study, Michael Budds, Erin Reome, Dan Schauer, Aaron Wilson

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

The Gateway EcoDistrict Pilot Study used site conditions, community priorities, and plans for future growth and development to recommend catalyst projects. The study’s objectives included raising awareness about the EcoDistrict concept, mapping physical and social assets conducive to an EcoDistrict, and identifying organizations interested in management of the pilot EcoDistrict. An assessment of opportunities and constraints to establishing an EcoDistrict in Gateway served as a corollary part of the study. This project was conducted under the supervision of Sumner Sharpe and Ellen Bassett.

Reshaping The Planning Agenda, Heidi Guenin, Bob Kellett, Vivian Siu, Lindsay Walker, Jenny Weinstein

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Housing Land Advocates and AARP Oregon have identified that the participation of older adults in the planning process in Clackamas County is not leading to outcomes that address their needs. One potential barrier to advocacy is older adults' lack of understanding of the planning process. A better informed population of older adults will lead to more effective participation in planning processes and an increased ability to advocate for their needs. Another potential barrier may be the way in which planners engage older adults in planning. Through better engagement strategies there will be better outcomes. This project was conducted under the …

Co-Evolution Of Transportation And Land Use: Modeling Historical Dependencies In Land Use And Decision-Making, Lei Zhang, Wei Zu, Mingxin Li

TREC Final Reports

The interaction between land use and transportation has long been the central issue in urban and regional planning. Models of such interactions provide vital information to support many public policy decisions, such as land supply, infrastructure provision, and growth management. Both the transportation and land use systems exhibit historical dependencies in policy decisions. For instance, the expansion of a roadway today will change travel demand patterns, and make certain other roads more or less likely to be expanded in the future. A specific land supply decision made at one point in time, by changing the relative attractiveness of other areas …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Safety Investment Program (Sip) Policies For Oregon, Christopher M. Monsere, Lisa Diercksen, Karen Dixon, Michael Liebler

TREC Final Reports

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Safety Investment Program (SIP) seeks to allocate safety funds in a manner that maximizes safety benefits on preservation projects and at specific high-crash locations. The SIP philosophy targets highway sections for investment with the premise that the most effective use of safety dollars to save lives is to invest in areas where the most people are being killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes. The SIP categorizes five-mile roadway sections on a 1-5 rating based on the number of crashes in a three year period; with five (5) being the most crash prone section. …

Understanding Delivery Routes In Urban Areas, Miguel Figliozzi

TREC Project Briefs

Supply chains and urban areas cannot thrive without the efficient movement of goods. A recent study indicates that commercial vehicles carrying goods or providing services account for, on average, almost 10 percent of the total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in medium to large urban areas. A predominant share of these trips takes place within a multi-stop tour. In order to develop a well-organized system for moving freight through urban areas, it is crucial to understand and quantify how routes and distribution decisions affect commercial vehicle flows and VMTs.

In the past, transportation planning models have focused on passenger movements but …

Equity Analysis Of Portland’S Draft Bicycle Master Plan – Findings, Jennifer Dill, Brendon Haggerty

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Portland's current bicycle network has brought the city into the national spotlight as a leader in the provision of cycling infrastructure. As the city looks forward to 2030 with ambitions of becoming a truly world-class bicycling city, it is clear that if the Draft Plan is fully implemented, nearly all of the city will be covered by a dense network of bikeways. The question of equity in the future is therefore not so much one of network coverage or lack of coverage, but of project priority and timing of implementation. The current network, while outstanding relative to other cities, nevertheless …

The Built Environment, Neighborhood Safety, And Physical Activity Among Low Income Children, Jessica Greene, Debbie Daniel

TREC Final Reports

There is a growing body of evidence that environmental factors are related to physical activity and active modes of transportation. There is a separate body of research that links neighborhood safety to physical activity. This study used a cross sectional telephone survey of 801 parents/guardians of low income children in Florida to bridge these literatures and examine the independent relationship of the built environment and neighborhood safety on childrens' physical activity.

In multivariate regression models we find that neighborhood safety is a more consistent predictor of low income childrens' physical activity. In neighborhoods where parents reported that there was a …

Evaluation Of Short Duration Unscheduled Absences Among Transit Operators: Trimet Case Study, James G. Strathman, Joseph Broach, Steve Callas

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report analyzes factors contributing to short duration (one to three days) unscheduled absences among operators at TriMet, the transit provider for the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region. The analysis draws on a wide array of operator-specific information recovered by transit ITS technologies in combination with information from the agency’s human resources, scheduling, incident, and customer relations databases. The likelihood of an absence is estimated in relation to personal characteristics, employment status, aspects of assigned work, service delivery and performance indicators, temporal factors, and customer feedback. The findings can be used directly to support extraboard planning practices. More generally, the findings …

Transporting The Economy, Miguel Figliozzi

TREC Project Briefs

The efficient, timely and reliable movement of freight is a critical responsibility of the transportation system and strategically important to the U.S. economy. Today, Americans purchase billions of dollars worth of goods over the Internet for home delivery, routinely sent using nextday- express packages. They also expect globally produced fresh fruits, flowers and vegetables to be available year-round. These shipments move over an extensive freight transportation system comprising millions of vehicles and thousands of miles of road, track and pipeline infrastructure, all supported by sophisticated information technology and operated, managed and maintained by a large, specialized labor force.

These are …

Developing Corridor-Level Truck Travel Time Estimates And Other Freight Performance Measures From Archived Its Data, Christopher M. Monsere, Michael Wolfe, Heba Alawakiel, Max Taylor Stephens

TREC Final Reports

The objectives of this research were to retrospectively study the feasibility for using truck transponder data to produce freight corridor performance measures (travel times) and real-time traveler information. To support this analysis, weigh-in-motion data from each of the twenty-two stations in Oregon were assembled, processed, and uploaded in the WIM data archive is housed under the Portland Transportation Archive Listing (PORTAL) umbrella at Portland State University’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Lab. Nearly 42,000,000 truck records were successful uploaded to the archive dating back to July 2005. Two separate algorithms necessary for this research were scripted, tested, and validated. The closest stations …

Distribution Logistics Course, Miguel A. Figliozzi

TREC Final Reports

Commercial vehicle movements associated with the delivery of goods and services are currently experiencing a number of challenging problems. Carriers and fleet operations face congestion, a growing number of tolls, increasing service level demands, and in some cases opposition due to the externalities caused by freight traffic in urban areas. This course provided a greater understanding of the complex issues surrounding urban freight and logistics and it was relevant to graduate students in civil engineering, urban planning, and business programs.

The Incorporation Of Direct Democracy : Populism And Initiative Practices As Contested Terrain, Larry Galizio

Dissertations and Theses

What are the democratic implications of the increasing professionalization of direct democracy?

The dissertation takes a critical approach to the "initiative-industrial complex" and offers a counter-thesis to prevailing scholarly research on the substantial growth in the use of political consultants in initiative campaigns. The political economic analysis approaches direct legislation campaigns and elections as constituent parts of a system of legitimation for the existing set of social relations.

An historical analysis reveals that the contemporary era of initiative activity rivals that of its frequent use during the populist and progressive eras; and that in the early 21st century direct legislation …

The Impacts Of Gentrification On The African American Business Community Of Portland, Oregon, Alexandra Hosford

Anthós

I focus this inquiry on the impact that gentrification has had on black business and entrepreneurship in the Albina District of Portland, Oregon. The Albina district of provides a unique opportunity to measure the effects of gentrification on black business and business development because the area has historically been a residentially segregated black community and has seen dramatic changes due to gentrification in the past decade, including an influx of middle class, white residents. I conduct this examination by subdividing my inquiry into three main sections. First, I provide an outline of the background and evolution of the discourse around …

20 Minutes In West Portland Park: Opportunities For Access, Ali Demersseman, Dana Dickman, Nuin-Tara Key, Laura Spidell, Sara Wright

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Exploring the planning concept of the "20-minute neighborhood" and analyzing the feasibility of applying the concept to the West Portland Park neighborhood. We also seek to engage the community in a meaningful discussion about the future of West Portland Park in order to help the community begin to build the connections and tools necessary to play an active role in future planning efforts." This project was conducted under the supervision of Sy Adler and Ethan Seltzer.

Land Use And Crime Patterns In Coquitlam Detachment, Kathryn Wuschke, Patricia Brantingham, Jordan Ginther

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications and Presentations

Poster presented to the Institute for Canadian Urban Research Studies in 2009. Examines land use and crime patterns in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam. Data shows that commercial and civic, institutional, and recreational land uses display the highest rates of all crime types under investigation in both Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.

Population Forecast For Lane County, Its Cities And Unincorporated Area 2008-2035, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Risa S. Proehl, George C. Hough Jr., Danan Ru, Kenneth Radin, Mark Gilbert

Oregon Population Estimates and Reports

This report presents the results of a study conducted by the Population Research Center (PRC) to address the long-range planning needs of Lane County and produce population forecasts at the county and sub-county level. This report considers recent and historical demographic changes experienced within the County and provides forecasts from 2008 to 2035 in 5-year intervals. Expected future populations that result from the most-likely demographic trends throughout Lane County are presented in this report.

Factors Affecting Behavioral Changes In Response To Road Fees: Some Analyses Of The Effect Of Attitudes, Transit Access, And Fuel Efficiency On Changes In Miles Driven, Anthony M. Rufolo

TREC Final Reports

Objective The Oregon Department of Transportation conducted a test of an innovative technology to replace fuel taxes with mileage fees. In the test, some vehicles were charged a flat fee per mile and others were charged differential fees that were higher for travel in the Portland metropolitan area during weekday peak hours and lower for other travel. I was charged with developing the database for the project and analyzing the behavioral responses of the participants. The database is quite extensive, including responses to three surveys as well as information on mileage in various categories. The experiment ended on April 1, …

Evaluation Of The Oregon Dmv Medically At-Risk Driver Program, James G. Strathman, Hongwei Dong, Lois M. Bronfman

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Oregon is one of six states with requirements for mandatory reporting of drivers with medical impairments. In 2003, the state’s mandatory reporting program, administered by Oregon Driver Motor Vehicles (DMV) Services, was revised to cover an extensive range of cognitive and functional impairments. This report examines the safety risk of persons treated in Oregon’s revised Medically At-Risk Driver program. The incidence of crashes and traffic offense convictions before and after license suspension is documented and compared to crash and conviction incidence of persons treated in the DMV’s voluntary medical reporting program. Comparisons are also made to a representative sample of …

Bridging The Partisan Divide: A City Club Report On Reducing Excessive Partisanship In The Oregon Political System, City Club Of Portland (Portland, Or.)

City Club of Portland

No abstract provided.

Ecolopolis 4.0: Livability In Cascadia, Portland State University

Regional Planning and Metropolitan Growth Management Research Projects

This is a working document and is the forth report in this series. This document examines the implications for Cascadia of the new federal livability partnership between the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Transportation. This new interest in the role that Federal agencies can and should play in furthering goals for livability and smart growth presents Cascadia and other megaregions an opportunity to articulate their own livability agendas in anticipation of new initiatives emanating from Washington, DC.

This version, 4.0, has been produced by the Fall 2009 class and is edited …

Clinton Street Max Visioning, Greg Barlow, Allen David, Hannah Dondy-Kaplan, Tammi Hawkins, Emily Rice, Kellen Smith, Ethan Berleman, Alicia Castro, Kathleen Critchlow, Brett Luttrell, Michael Noonchester

Urban Design Workshop

This report documents the initial analysis and visioning process performed in the area surrounding the Clinton Street Station, which is nestled between Hosford-Abernethy and Brooklyn neighborhoods and the Central Eastside Industrial District.

This project focuses on the future of the Clinton Street Station and how its development will impact the surrounding area over the next 50 years. This task involved acknowledging and balancing the current needs of the various stakeholders. The purpose of this report is to act as a tool for the Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood Association (HAND) to more adequately understand the opportunities and constraints that the future station area …

No Vacancy, Rebecca Dann, Beth Somerfield, Emily Rice, Briana Meier

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Vacant lots and buildings, whether in stages of redevelopment or decline, are spaces in flux. Left unused, these empty spaces can pose difficult challenges for their owners and surrounding neighborhoods; however, the uncertain futures of vacant sites also present unique opportunities for a variety of temporary uses. In partnership with the Central Eastside Industrial Council, LocusLab is exploring the potential to enliven the Central Eastside Industrial District by activating vacant spaces with temporary activities and developments. We've worked to: uncover potential benefits of temporary use; find ways to overcome barriers faced by temporary projects; initiate a conversation between property owners, …

Cully Main Street: A Plan For Community-Serving Improvements, Daniel Costantino, Lani Edghill, Mary-Rain O'Meara, Jason Wallace

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

The Cully Main Street is defined by Metro's Region 2040 Plan and includes parts of NE Cully Blvd and NE Killingsworth St. Our mission is to provide the Cully community with a plan to encourage the location of more and better neighborhood businesses and services within a short distance of their homes and in a walkable and bikeable environment. Our approach is grounded in the belief that economic development at the local level should benefit the current community, by maintaining and promoting neighborhood livability and safety improvements. The major product of this project will be a set of zoning, infrastructure, …

Washington Park Access & Circulation Plan, Ray Delahanty, Cathy Cibor, Mallory Atkinson, Brendon Haggerty, Talia Jacobson, David Amiton

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Portland's Washington Park is home to many of the region's most popular educational, recreational, and tourist attractions. As demand for these attractions continues to grow, the quality of transportation services offered at the park increasingly contribute - in ways both positive and negative - to the quality of the overall user experience. Recognizing the interplay between transportation and user experience, New Leaf Planning has worked closely with its client, the newly formed Washington Park Alliance, to identify transportation challenges and opportunities for improvement within Washington Park. This partnership will culminate in a Washington Park Access & Circulation Plan, which will …

Foodability, Kim Armstrong, April Chastain, Stephanie Vanrheen, Steve White, Elizabeth Chapin, Julia Person

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

The Portland Plan will consider current physical and socioeconomic conditions and trends and help establish shared visions, goals, and policies to guide the efforts of BPS and other city agencies over the next 20 years. BPS is interested in addressing food access issues in the Portland Plan, but does not have a defined, stakeholder-supported vision for food access. The Foodabilty project is developing a vision, goals, and strategy recommendations for food access in Portland that can be used to ground and direct future actions by the City and other organizations. It is supported by a set of maps displaying the …

Humboldt Community Action Plan, Sara Bedinghaus, Nikolai Ursin, Morgan Masterman, Mark Gilbert, Lizzy Warren

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Mosaic is working to develop an action plan that will enable the community to better address their concerns. The Humboldt neighborhood is one of the most diverse and rapidly changing areas in the Portland area, constantly challenging the neighborhood association's efforts to reach a diverse, representative population of residents. Through concerted outreach, interviews, and workshops Mosaic Planning has identified a series of goals the neighborhood hopes to one day realize. By thoroughly researching methods to achieve these goals, the group will provide a series of action items to the community, which can be implemented by residents. This plan will help …

Neighborhood Climate Action Planning Handbook, Hannah Dondy-Kaplan, Erica Timm, Beth Cohen, Dyami Valentine, Mariah Vanzerr, Devin Moller

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

The City of Portland and Multnomah County are developing new plans and policies to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals of 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. To meet these new steep reduction targets, actions will be needed at every level of society. While neighborhoods have historically received little attention as a means of addressing climate change, they are ideally suited to bring people together to bridge the gap between individual actions and higher level government policies. To help neighborhoods develop strategies and actions to address climate change, C-Change Consultants worked with the Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Coalition to create a Neighborhood …