PORTLAND REVS UP FOR ACTION

The city of Portland, Oregon, has a reputation for thoughtful land use and innovative regional transportation planning. This article provides an account of Portland's successes in developing the city's transportation scheme. Portland's downtown transit mall and light rail system are two key components in the transportation system. The transit mall was established in 1978 to revive Portland's struggling core. The light rail system--Metropolitan Area Express (MAX)--is a popular mass transit alternative to bus travel. The region has a history of solving transportation issues via the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT). JPACT represents major political and transportation constituencies. The article reports on the future challenges for JPACT, which are being created because of Portland's rapid growth. Limited parking and increasing vehicle usage is one challenge. At this juncture, Portland is aiming to strike a balance between vehicle and transit use.