Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

A Riverfront Park Runs Through It : A Bend In The River For Citizen Involvement In Portland -- 40 Years Later, Tim Duroche

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Gives a brief history of the people and events that led to the establishment of Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland, Oregon. It also discusses how this impacted the future of citizen activism and participation in a variety of civic projects in the years that followed. The article discusses the process by which the Portland of today was formed in the period from 1970 to 1980. The author interviewed many of the people directly involved in the events described in the article.

Manufactured Home Parks: Norcs Awaiting Discovery, Andrée Tremoulet

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper examines manufactured home parks as a type of naturally occurring retirement community and considers the potential for adding social service programs (NORC-SSP) to enable further aging in place. An analysis of six focus group interviews with 48 residents found that the physical and social environment promoted a sense of safety and community, and that this housing option was an intentional lifestyle choice. Risks included the possibility of bad management and park closure. Manufactured home parks were found to offer an attractive option for exploring a NORC-SSP model that builds on residents' assets and community capacity.

The Winners In China’S Urban Housing Reform, John R. Logan, Yiping Fang, Zhanxin Zhang

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Housing reform in China has proceeded on two tracks: privatization of public housing and development of a new private housing sector. During this period of transition, rents have remained relatively low in the remaining public housing, and purchase prices offered to occupants of public housing have been well below market prices. Although these rents and prices are partly based on known formulas, there is considerable variability in how much people pay for similar apartments. This study uses 2000 Census data to estimate the housing subsidy received by the remaining renters in the public sector and purchasers of public housing, based …

Pushing Pedalers: What Drives Bicycling?, Jennifer Dill, John Gliebe

TREC Project Briefs

Using a bicycle instead of a motor vehicle for a portion of regular travel could increase people’s physical activity and help improve the nation’s health. Over 60% of personal trips are five miles or less – a reasonable distance to ride a bike – and nearly 40% are two miles or less. Yet current rates of bicycling for transportation are very low, despite the popularity of recreational cycling. Given the potential of bicycling as a means of everyday travel, why aren’t more people cycling? Very little information has been available on the relationship between different types of infrastructure, such as …

Oak Grove Neighborhood Center Plan, Adam Bartini, Åsa Bergman, Alicia Crain, Carley Francis, Kathryn Mcgovern, Nathan Mcneil

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Foothill Planning worked with the Oak Lodge Community Council and Clackamas County Urban Green to create an Oak Grove Neighborhood Center Plan. The plan sought to foster a more livable and sustainable community by strengthening the Oak Grove historic business district and improving its connections with the planned Park Avenue MAX station via two transportation corridors, McLoughlin Boulevard and the Trolley Trail. The project articulated ways that these corridors can serve as gateways into the Oak Grove neighborhood and help to revitalize the community. Cognizant of neighborhood concerns regarding previous planning process, the project relied on community input to shape …

Willamette Park Assessment And Recommendations, Julia Babcock, Bernadette Le, Maren Murphy, Amy Rossa

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

The vision of the project was to prioritize park improvements that balance the long-term sustainability and viability of the park with growing user demands. As a hybrid park, Willamette Park has a unique set of challenges related to its operations and management, as it is managed for both recreation and natural areas. The final report documents the process QPG undertook to explore opportunities and constraints in Willamette Park, and provides recommendations to guide the future planning of the park.

This project was conducted under the supervision of Sumner Sharpe and Ellen Bassett.

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 …

Health-Related Needs Assessment Of Older Residents In Subsidized Housing, Victoria Cotrell, Paula C. Carder

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

When a nonprofit organization with nursing-home and assisted-living experience purchased a 30-year-old highrise apartment building in downtown Portland, Oregon, the new owners were faced with how to manage a building that provided housing to more than 200 older residents whom they knew very little about. As long-term care providers, they knew that older people were at risk for developing chronic illnesses, disabilities, and other factors that could result in moves to nursing homes, hospitalizations, and early death. They also knew that older adults in subsidized housing, such as this Section 8 building, have higher levels of disability than their age …

2000-2009 Intercensal Population Estimates By Age Group For Oregon And Counties, Portland State University. Population Research Center

Oregon Population Estimates and Reports

This item only contains Oregon population tables, by age group, comparing 2000 and 2009 census data.

The Landscape: Forest Grove, Elizabeth Mylott

Metroscape

A brief look at the community of Sherwood, Oregon, highlighting its history, attractions, landmarks, and future prospects.

It's The Principal Of The Thing: Guiding A Rural School Has Its Own Trials, Susan Wilson, Tim France

Metroscape

The difficulties of K-12 education have become familiar to citizens of the metroscape, but they are usually viewed through the lens of urban and suburban schools, with their problems of multi-ethnic populations, crowded classrooms, strained budgets, and the like. Metroscape® was curious about the struggles and triumphs of the schools in the rural areas of the region, so we sent our interviewer, Susan Wilson, a Portland freelance writer, to Willamina to talk to a small town education leader in hopes of glimpsing the realities of schooling kids in that often overlooked setting.

A small-town principal is a versatile member of …

Jobs And Gender: Does Sex Play A Role In The Region's Recession?, Mary C. King

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

Unemployment rates in Oregon have been among the highest in the nation. In a real role reversal, unemployment in the seven counties of the Portland metropolitan area have hovered less than a percentage point below the state level, defying the usual rule that unemployment hits the rural counties far harder than the more diversified economies of the urban areas. Are we experiencing a “he-cession” here in the metroscape? Is the economic downturn hitting men hardest, leaving women relatively unscathed? Has stimulus spending disproportionately benefited men? Does it even make sense to think about an economic downturn having a gendered impact, …

Photovoice As Authentic Civic Engagement: Lessons Learned In One Immigrant Community, Meg Merrick, Angie Mejia

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

It is widely acknowledged that equitable and sustainable public policy can only be achieved when it is informed by the concerns, hopes, and experiences of those who are affected. Public agencies wishing to engage recent immigrants can find this to be challenging, however. Effective public participation and civic engagement can be difficult when community members cannot speak English and/or come from very different cultural and political environments. The Chronic Disease Prevention Program (CDPP) of the Multnomah County Health Department and Metro, two public agencies serving the Portland, Oregon region, have actively sought to learn from the experiences of immigrant community …

Understanding School Travel: How Residential Location Choice And The Built Environment Affect Trips To School, Yizhao Yang, Marc Schlossberg, Robert Parker, Bethany Johnson

TREC Final Reports

This project investigates issues related to parents’ decisions about children’s school transportation. This has become an important area of research due to the growing concerns that increased reliance on private automobile in school travel has led to adverse health impacts on children and negative impacts on environment. This study examines school transportation in the context of where families live and how families make decisions about school travel in the process of choosing their residence.

Using a middle-sized school district in Oregon State, we conducted a 5500-household survey and a number of interviews and focus groups. The study shows that parents …

Rural Transit In Oregon: Current And Future Needs, Jennifer Dill, Margaret B. Neal

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of the research reported was to identify the current status and needs for general public transportation in Oregon’s rural areas, as well as opportunities and barriers (e.g., funding, governance issues, and leadership) to expanding services over a 20 year period. Oregon is a largely rural state. This lack of density poses problems for the provision of public transit, whether through fixed route or demand response service. People living in the rural areas and who lack cars and access to public transportation are at a strong disadvantage. With no access to these transit resources, they may be limited to …

Tigard-Tualatin School District Enrollment Forecast Update, 2010-11 To 2019-20, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Charles Rynerson, Vivian Siu

School District Enrollment Forecast Reports

This report presents the results of a demographic study conducted by the Portland State University Population Research Center (PRC). The study includes analysis of population, housing and enrollment trends affecting the District in recent years, estimates of the impacts of housing development on TTSD enrollment, and forecasts of districtwide and individual school enrollments for the 2010-11 to 2019-20 school years. The Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD) enrolled 12,467 students in Fall 2009, a decrease of 128 students (1.0 percent) from Fall 2008. The loss occurred at both the elementary and high school levels, with decreases of 88 students (1.5 percent) in …

Development Of A Multi-Class Bicyclist Route Choice Model Using Revealed Preference Data, Joseph Broach, John Gliebe, Jennifer Dill

Urban Studies and Planning Faculty Publications and Presentations

Existing regional travel forecasting systems are not typically set up to forecast usage of bicycle infrastructure and are insensitive to bicyclists' route preferences in general. We collected revealed preference, GPS data on 162 bicyclists over the course of several days and coded the resulting trips to a highly detailed bicycle network model. We then use these data to estimate bicyclist route choice models. As part of this research, we developed a sophisticated choice set generation algorithm based on multiple permutations of labeled path attributes, which seems to out-perform comparable implementations of other route choice set generation algorithms. The model was …

Achieving Sustainable, Compact Development In The Portland Metropolitan Area: New Tools And Approaches For Developing Centers And Corridors, Gil Kelley, Sheila A. Martin, Elizabeth Mylott

Institute of Metropolitan Studies Publications

This report represents the work of a group of local public, private and institutional experts in real estate development and finance convened by the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies at Portland State University. This was done at the request of Metro, which wanted outside expert advice on ways to achieve more robust development of centers and corridors in the Portland metropolitan area, an important aspect of implementing the 2040 Growth Concept. Although the expert advisory group (EAG) enthusiastically took on this task, it wanted to first back up a step and deliberate over whether and to what extent center and …

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 …

Portland Public Schools Enrollment Forecasts, 2009-10 To 2020-21, Based On October 2008 Enrollments, Portland State University. Population Research Center, Charles Rynerson, Vivian Siu, Danan Gu, Richard Lycan, Kenneth Radin

School District Enrollment Forecast Reports

The Enrollment Forecasts in this report were prepared in Spring and Summer 2009, based on historic enrollment data from Fall 2008 and previous years. However, the entire report was not ready for publication until after preliminary Fall 2009 enrollment data became available. This preface briefly addresses the district-wide trends observed in Fall 2009 and evaluates the forecasts in the short term. The next report will include more analysis of enrollment trends with respect to area demographics and trends within subareas such as high school clusters. All 2009-10 enrollment figures are preliminary figures as of October 1, tabulated by the District …

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. …

Practical Approximations To Quantify The Impact Of Time Windows And Delivery Sizes On Freight Vmt In Urban Areas, Miguel A. Figliozzi

TREC Final Reports

This paper studies approximations to the average length of Vehicle Routing Problems (VRP). The approximations are valuable for strategic and planning analysis of transportation and logistics problems. The research focus is on VRP with varying number of customers, demands, and locations. This modeling environment can be used in transport and logistics models that deal with a distribution center serving an area with daily variations in the demand. The routes are calculated daily based on what freight is available. New approximations and experimental settings are introduced. Average distance travelled is estimated as a function of the number of customers served and …

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 …

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 …

Expanding Service Learning Models In Transportation, Robert Parker

TREC Final Reports

This OTREC education project links experiential education with local transportation planning through a collaborative partnership between the University of Oregon, the Lane Transit District, and the cities of Eugene and Springfield. The Community Planning Workshop (CPW) is an experiential/service learning program affiliated with the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon. Through this service learning program, graduate students learn professional planning skills while assisting communities in actual planning and policy projects.

The project results include: (1) the completion of the following six deliverables: EmX Evaluation Framework Document, EmX Stakeholder Perceptions Document, Bus Rapid Transit Case …

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 …