AP Environmental Science e² video transportation “Portland: A Sense of Place” questions

1. Portland was on the path of suburban sprawl in the 1960's. What happened?

Portland was on the same path as most American cities in the post-war boom: rapid urban development around the automobile leading to the upper and middle class moving out into suburbs and a gradual abandonment of the city center to the poor and parking lots. City planners recognized this and in response, passed laws which stopped the development of sprawls around the area.

2. 1973 was a pivotal year there, what happened?

The land use planning law in Oregon changed to mandate each city to define a specific UGB. This was to prevent further development of sprawl revitalization of city centers.

3. What was the initial reason for the mandate?

The initial reason was to protect Oregon's farmland, which was being encroached on by expanding urban (and suburban) areas.

4. Explain a UGB.

In contrast to smart bombs, a UGB is an unguided bomb… I mean, UGB stands for urban growth boundary, which is a boundary that limits where urbanization can happen. This promotes urban growth within the line, while preserving farmland and forests outside of the line.

5. Accessibility vs. mobility is the choice they made, like in Switzerland, as well as other European cities. What do you see in the video that you might also see in Europe?

There are light rail lines, wide sidewalks, and bicycle lanes in the city center, similar to European cities that have chosen to develop around a pedestrian-centric model.

6. Who is the first class passenger in Portland?

The pedestrian!

7. Cities in Europe have vibrant city centers, and are great cities to walk around. How is this done in Portland?

Portland has an efficient and far-reaching public transportation network that promotes walking by ensuring that whatever can't be reached on foot can be accessed by bus or light rail. Downtown is also pedestrian-oriented - crosswalks have comfortable timing and sidewalks are wide and easy to use.

8. Explain "trip behavior".

Trip behavior is the mentality that an urban resident will take to get to their destination - in Portland, most will shun cars to either walk or take public transit.

9. How much did property values increase in the Pearl district after the trolley went in? Why? (note the amount of glass in each trolley). http://www.explorethepearl.com/

Property values in the Pearl district went up four times after the trolley went in. This is because land investors and developers can be assured of their permanence - unlike buses, tracks represent a firmer commitment to continued public transport access.