Editorial: Green transportation pays a big dividend

Portland's policies save money, enhance livability.

Last update: August 11, 2007 - 4:28 PM

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TWIN CITIES' TURN?

"Portland has a particularly compact development pattern, which facilitates shorter trips to work ... and other purposes. Comparative national research shows that in metro Portland 30 percent of all jobs are within three miles of the central business district."

CEOsForCities.org

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A fallen bridge and the realization that Minnesota must spend more on transportation in the coming decades prompts this question: How can the state get the most for its money while keeping in mind the global realities of unstable oil supplies and a warming climate?

One answer is to consider the Portland model. We know, we know. People are weary of hearing about the green, fuzzy and sanctimonious Oregon city that claims to have found urban nirvana. But, as it turns out, Portland's environmentally conscious transportation and land-use policies have saved residents a bundle of money while also nurturing a prosperous economy.

A new report from CEO for Cities, a Chicago-based research organization of business and civic leaders interested in the best urban practices, estimates that Portlanders save $2.6 billion a year because they live closer to work, spend less money on gas and, in the process, avoid wear and tear on transportation infrastructure.

What if the Twin Cities had similar policies? What would happen if incentives were created to locate new jobs nearer the core cities or along established transportation routes? What would happen if reliable, high-quality transit were provided along those routes?

Not everyone would choose to live and work near these "efficiency corridors," nor would everyone choose to take transit. But all would benefit. Auto traffic would be comparatively lighter, and stress on roadways and bridges comparatively less. Gas consumption and the formation of greenhouse gasses would decrease. The up-front investment would be considerable, but the long-term payoff could be significant.

The new report, "Portland's Green Dividend," notes that metro Portland's residents travel 20 percent fewer miles per day (about four miles per day less) than Americans living in other major markets. That doesn't seem like much, but it adds up -- and would add to greater savings in the Twin Cities, which is one-third larger. Money not spent on gas is money not sent out of the local market (primarily to big oil companies), leaving Portlanders to invest more in their homes and the local economy, the report says.

Minnesota is not Oregon -- politically or geographically. Growth boundaries wouldn't work here. But we believe there is a sizable market in the Twin Cities for more transit and for more efficient lifestyles, and that policies to enhance those choices for some could benefit all. This seems a good moment to reconsider that direction.

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