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Streetcar Heads South
This morning’s Oregonian previewed today’s Council vote on extending Streetcar to Lowell St., the southern end of the current South Waterfront development area. I am told the Council voted 4-0. So next year about this time we’ll be celebrating another opening! One of the amazing things about this particular extension is that the local property…
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Cycling Survey for Non-cyclists
The BTA is asking for participation in a survey to help design a strategy for developing bike boulevards that people who don’t cycle today will use. So even if you only have a dusty bike down in the basement (or are just thinking about buying a bike), please share your perspective. http://surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=800062376079
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Urbanism = Amenity?
Last week’s episode of Smart City (mp3, 23.6M) talks about sprawl and urbanism (the segment leads off the show). A few of the key ideas: Sprawl has been driven by a combination of zoning (trying to separate uses – keep the slaughterhouse away from my house) and Federal subsidies for things like the Interstate Highway…
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Biofuels: Agriculture or Industry?
According to an article in the Daily Journal of Commerce, siting of biofuel plants is complicated by how they should be treated under state land use law. Currently, Exclusive Farm Use zones may not allow these plants.
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Thinking Less about Cars
Two recent items of note: over at carbusters.org, they’re sponsoring a design competition for reuse of spaces currently dedicated to autos. And at BikePortland.org, new contributor Elly Blue is calling for more temporary street closures to help envision how our communities could work with fewer cars.