Portland, Oregon is known as a green city due to its sustainable transportation system and strategies to harvest rainwater. Some of its rainwater harvesting methods include rainwater tank systems, eco-roofs, and green streets. Portland also has one of the lowest carbon transportation networks in the United States, which includes improving pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, expanding the streetcar system, and maintaining bridges and pavement.

1. Portland ,Oregon Green City
Mansoura University
Faculty Of Engineering
Department Of Architecture
January2014 / Pre-master
Safa Abulsaad

2. Table of content
2.3 Green power
2.2 Sustainable Transportation
1. Introduction
1
4
5
18
33
2. Green Portland
2.1 Harvesting rainwater
3.CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
37
38

3. Introduction1
Portland is a city located in the U.S. state of
Oregon, near the confluence of the Willamette
and Columbia rivers . It had population 587,865 in
2012. Portland is the 28th most populous city in
the United States.
Portland was incorporated in 1851 near the end
of the Oregon Trail . It has a climate marked by
both warm, dry summers and wet, cool-to-chilly
winter days. This climate is ideal for growing roses.
So that , Portland has been known as the "City of
Roses“.
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4. The new goals and guidelines required every city
and county in Oregon to have a long-range plan
addressing future growth that meets both local
and statewide goals. In short, state land-use goals
require :
 Setting urban growth boundaries
 Using urban land wisely
 Protecting natural resources
 Planning and Growth
Oregon Legislature Adopts Land-use
Planning in 1973
On January 8, 1973, maverick Oregon Governor
Tom McCall famously warned state legislators
of the threat posed by those he called the
“grasping wastrels of the land.” “Oregon,” he
proclaimed, “is an inspiration,” and land was its
“most valuable finite natural resource.”
Oregonians listened..
Governor McCall and his allies
convinced the Oregon Legislature
in 1973 to adopt the nation's first
set of land-use planning laws.
McCall, with the help of a unique
coalition of farmers and
environmentalists, persuaded the
legislature that the state's natural
beauty and easy access to nature
would be lost in a rising tide of
urban sprawl.
Governor
Tom McCall
(1967-1975)
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5. IN 1980 central city was stagnating and it is air quality was
dangerously polluted. But Portlanders had a plan . . . to reinvest in
the urban core and build light rail lines instead of freeways.
By linking land use, transportation, green spaces and people, they
poured their efforts into creating attractive, livable neighborhoods
instead of sprawl.
Over the past 40 years, Portland community could grow their
economy, clean their environment and support vibrant places for
Portlanders to work, live and play.
TodayPortland’s walk able neighborhoods, public transit
system, robust central city, and biking and sustainable food
cultures are features that city around the world emulate. And it’s
unique and compact neighborhoods continue to attract
newcomers, who like the livability of this beautiful city.
Portland Today
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6. Green Portland2
Waste
Water
Transportation
Energy
Built
environment
Why Portland is a green city ?
 In Portland, rainwater now greens the city
instead of polluting the rivers.
 Portland is America’s clean energy hub and
home to leading renewable companies.
 Portland has one of the lowest-carbon
Transportation networks in the United states.
4

7. Harvesting rainwater :
2.1
2.1.1 Rainwater Tank system
2.1.2 Eco Roofs
2.1.3 Green streets
5

8. Rainwater Tank system2.1.1
Harvesting rainwater can reduce our
need and demand for water transport systems
that threaten the health of the water cycle and
our local environments.
 Rainwater harvesting is one strategy in the
greater scheme of reducing domestic water
use.
 By harvesting rainwater, we can be led to
dozens of other practices that bring us into
greater sustainability.
 Growing plants that shade and insulate
windows reduces energy use; increasing home
food production reduces demand for wasteful
water use in industrial fields
 Above all, rainwater harvesting increases
quality of life: ours, and that of life worldwide.
 In arid climates and places with salty
irrigation water rainwater flushes salts and
chemicals out, allowing for long-term health
and soil vitality.
 There are four potential ways to reuse storm
water:
1. Rainwater Tank system
2. Eco roofs
3. Green streets
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9. 2.1.1 Rainwater Tank system
Definition: rain catchment system for roof
rainwater is used to filtering and storing rain
water.
Uses: outdoor irrigation, cleaning but it’s cannot
be drinkable
System components :
Gutters: Roof water gathers in the gutters and
runs to a pipe towards the tank.
First Flush: The first rain of the year is the dirtiest
as it cleans the roof. This water is directed away
from the tank in a "first flush system" and the
subsequent water continues to the tank.
Screen: The rainwater goes through a screen to
remove leaves and debris, and then funnels into
the top of the covered tank.
Storage: The tank is dark, to prevent algae from
growing, and screened, to prevent mosquitoes
from entering.
Irrigation: A hose attachment is located near the
bottom for irrigation.
 System Analyses
7

10. 2.1.1 Diagram
8

11. 2.1.2 Green streets
Green Streets transform
impervious street surfaces into landscaped
green spaces that capture storm water runoff
and let water soak into the ground as plants
and soil filter pollutants.
Urban stormwater runoff that
isn’t properly managed can pollute rivers
and streams and contribute to combined
sewer overflows (CSOs) to the
Willamette River.
Green Streets reduce the negative impacts
of stormwater runoff.
They mimic natural conditions by using soil
and vegetation to manage runoff on
the surface, at the source.
Green Streets offer many benefits that
sewer pipes can’t. Green Streets:
1. Clean and cool air and water
2. Enhance neighborhood livability
3. Increase community and property
values
4. Enhance pedestrian and bicycle
access and safety
5. Protect valuable surface and
groundwater resources
6. Add urban green space and wildlife
habitat
7. Help meet regulatory requirements
for pollutant reduction and watershed
resource management
8. Reduce stormwater in the sewer
system
9. Save money on wastewater pumping
and treatment costs
9

12. 2.1.2 Green streets
Green Streets have different shapes and
sizes, but they all have stormwater
management benefits and help protect
watershed health. Here are some
examples:
1. Stormwater Curb Extension
Extending into the street, stormwater curb
extensions transform the curb lane into a
landscape area.
Curb extensions can conveniently integrate
a ramp for safe pedestrian crossing.
2. Stormwater Street Planter
Stormwater Street Planters between the
sidewalk and the curb work well in areas
with limited space, and they allow for
adjacent street parking or travel.
SE 42nd and BelmontSE 12th and Clay
SW 12th and Montgomery SE 92nd street
Types of Green Streets :
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13. Types of Green Streets(continues) :
3. Rain Gardens
Where there is plenty of space,
rain gardens are ideal. They
can also transform awkward
street intersections into safe
pedestrian and bicycle crossings.
4. Simple Green Street
Excavating an existing planting
area behind a reinforced curb,
making curb cuts for inflow and
outflow, and landscaping with
appropriate vegetation is a simple
approach to capture and
treat street runoff.
N Willamette and Denver
NE 21st and sandy SE 55th and Belmont
NE 23rd and Irving
11

14. 2.1.3 Eco-Roofs
One of Portland strategies to build a green city were
covering suitable rooftops on new and existing
buildings with soil and vegetation:
Ecoroofs , Roof-gardens .
An EcoRoof : is a lightweight, low-maintenance
vegetated roof system used in place of a conventional
roof.
EcoRoof can be use in :
• Ecoroofs can be located on flat or pitched roof
structures at a slope up to 40 percent .
• They can be used on most types of commercial,
multifamily, and industrial structures,
as well as single-family homes and garages.
• Ecoroofs can be used for new construction or to
re-roof an existing building.
Benefits of Ecoroofs :
1. Reduce runoff
2. Filter air by decreasing air temperatures
and reducing smog.
3. Cool the city
4. Provide wild life habitat
5. Provides insulation and lowers cooling
costs for the building.
6. Provides an attractive alternative to a
conventional roof.
7. Lasts twice as long as a conventional
roof, saving replacement costs and
materials
8. Creates a market for recycled materials,
such as compost, mulch, soil and other
ecoroof components.
9. Creates jobs in multiple industries.
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15. Multnomah Building Green Roof – case study
Introduction
• In 2000 Multnomah Building roof became leaky
and it was need of replacement.
• With the encouragement of Portland’s Bureau of
Environment Services (BES), the County evaluated
the potential for an ecoroof and ultimately
decided to cover most of the west-facing roof with
a vegetated system.
• The County Commissioners endorsed the project
because of the longevity of the green roof, the
predicted cost effectiveness
over the long term, and the environmental
benefits.
13

16. Multnomah County Ecoroof Planting Plan
14

17. Ecoroof Section Diagram
Figure 1
15

18. Refer to Figure 1 for the following description:
a. Structural roof support (previously existed)
b. 5-ply roofing system (previously existed): A
built-up roof (3-ply polyester and 2-ply fiberglass
membrane) set in hot asphalt atop three inches of
polyisocyanurate and fiberboard insulation.
c. ¼ in. protection board over existing roof: laid
on top of the existing roof, provides roof
protection during construction as well as
additional root barrier protection.
d. ½ in. drainage mat with root barrier: A hollow
core layer of TremCo GR with a top layer of fabric
that allows water to pass through while restricting
the movement of soil. The fabric is treated with
copper hydroxide to restrict root penetration.
e. Stainless steel edging: Retains the soil around
the perimeter of the roof and prevents it from
entering the drains.
f. growth medium (soil)
g. Green roof vegetation
h. Drip irrigation system
I. Gravel ballast: Surrounds the roof drains.
Secures the drainage mat and allows free
movement of runoff around the roof drains.
j. Roof drain: Provides overflow drainage for
runoff that is not absorbed, evaporated, or
evapotranspired.
k. Monitoring equipment: Measures the rate and
volume of runoff.
16

19. Project Summary
Commercial / Industrial retrofit - demonstration projectProject Type:
Green roof (ecoroof); 12,000 sq. ft. (area); 6-in. deep growth medium (soil)Technologies:
• Roof longevity - the ecoroof should double the life of the roof.
• Storm water management - there will be a substantial reduction in runoff from
the roof, with improvements in the quality of the runoff (reduced pollutant loads;
lower temperature).
• Improvements to the urban environment - the new landscape adds green space
to the urban environment and enhances the aesthetic appeal of the property.
Major Benefits:
• Total project cost: $343,000 (includes design, terrace construction, etc.)
• Ecoroof construction cost: $179,801 ($15 per sq. ft.)
• BES provided a $50,000 grant for the project.Cost:
April - July 2003Constructed:
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20. Sustainable Transportation
2.2.1.Introduction
2.2.2.Mobility And Accessibility..
2.2.3.Managing The System..
2.2.4.Economic Vitality..
2.2.5.Safety And Neighborhood Livability
2.2
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21. 2.2.1 Introduction
Portland is known throughout the United States,
and the world, as a sustainable city with an excellent
multi-modal transportation system. The City and
Transportation staff are proud of this reputation and
work hard to ensure that it
is deserved.
Transportation keeps Portland moving through its
commitment to sustainability and to a balanced,
equitable, and efficient multi-modal transportation
system.
In addition to the recent downturn in the economy,
Transportation has made $16 million in budget
reductions over the last 10 years. Yet the City’s
transportation needs have continued to grow. There
are almost 4,000 miles of streets, over 300 miles of
bikeways and 155 bridges to maintain. Streetcars,
sidewalks and traffic signals are but a few of the
other obligations Transportation has to the City.
Transportation has risen to the challenge of
providing continued high quality service with
limited funding by:
 Providing safe transportation options for
pedestrians, bicycles, transit and motor
vehicles...
 Managing a safe and efficient transportation
infrastructure through asset management
programs and work crews that ..deliver the
best value for the public dollars being spent.
 Creating jobs through capital improvement
projects...
 Improving traffic safety and neighborhood
livability...
 Increasing access to homes and jobs by
improving connectivity throughout the City.
19

22. Sustainability of Portland Transportation System :
Portland Bureau of Transportation made
strategies in order to :
Improves the City's air quality and reduces congestion
through the public ..investment in a multi-modal
system of streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, bridges and
rail lines that serve cars, bikes, pedestrians, transit and
freight.
 Promotes a safe and accessible transportation
system with programs designed to ..reduce conflicts
among automobiles, bikes and pedestrians sharing the
road.
 Increases the longevity of the public investment
through proper maintenance ..and reduces the
demand and stress on the transportation network by
promoting alternate modes of transportation.
 Strengthens public places and streetscapes through
management of public parking ..and right-of-ways.
 Contributes to the livability of the region by planning
for local and regional ..transportation projects and
overseeing private development activities.
20

23. Transportation system in the following categories:
Mobility and
Accessibility
Economic
Vitality
Safety and
Neighborhood
Livability
Managing the
System..
21

24. 2.2.2 Mobility and Accessibility..
1. Pedestrian Mobility
To increase pedestrian mobility, Transportation
focuses on targeting gaps and barriers in the
pedestrian network. Urban trails, pedestrian signals,
and sidewalk connections to improve walking
conditions are a few of the improvements made
through the City’s Small Infill Pedestrian Program.
2. Bicycle Mobility
Three projects have increased bicycle accessibility:
• The installation of 300 individual bike racks and 10
on-street bike parking corrals to provide ample,
convenient, and secure bicycle parking.
• The addition of 11 bike boxes, a new innovative
tool being tested by the City to increase the visibility
of bicyclists at intersections and reduce bicycle/car
collisions.
• Various bike lane, parking, and signaling
improvements made to enhance the ..bicycle
network through the Bikeway Network Completion
Program.
• Transportation plans a system
where people can access all modes of
transportation throughout the City.
22

25. Mobility and Accessibility..(continues)
3. Portland Streetcar
The Portland streetcar is a neighborhood connector that
carries over 12,000 people per day and is one of the City's
most effective strategic development tools.
4. Motor Vehicle Accessibility
In response to the influx of alternative types of motor
vehicles, such as electric vehicles, motorcycles and scooters,
Transportation has taken measures to accommodate the
needs of these vehicles within the transportation system.
5. Intercity Passenger Rail
As fuel prices rise and congestion worsens, more travelers
are turning to passenger rail for intercity trips.
Portland is served by the Coast Starlight route (Seattle to
Los Angeles) and the Empire Builder route (Portland to
Chicago).
23

26. 2.2.3 Managing the System..
The 333 employees in Transportation’s
Maintenance Operations Division preserve the
public’s investment in transportation
infrastructure.
They are responsible for the safety and proper
function of Transportation’s entire system,
including: bridges, staircases, retaining walls,
guardrails, parking meters, pavement, pavement
markings, street signs, sidewalk system, street
lights, traffic signals and green infrastructure such
as street area landscapes.
Maintaining an efficient and safe
transportation system relies on
infrastructure that is properly
maintained and operated.
24

27. 1. Bridges: Of the 155 bridges owned and
maintained by Portland, 55% of the bridges are
considered to be in “good or better condition” and
17% are weight restricted to prevent premature
structure failure or excessive damage. Weight
restrictions on bridges impact the ability to move
freight and goods throughout the City, which
impacts the economy.
2. Pavement: Transportation’s philosophy regarding
pavement maintenance is that it is financially
prudent to maintain roadway pavements in fair or
better condition than to rehabilitate or reconstruct
roadway pavements in poor condition. If streets are
maintained in good to excellent condition, the total
annual maintenance investment is much less than if
the pavement is allowed to deteriorate to poor or
very poor conditions.
25

28. 3. Pavement Markings: Pavement markings
are a communication system for roadway users.
Various materials are used on the pavement
surface to denote lane lines, edge lines, bike
lanes, center lines, and word/symbol messages.
4. Sidewalk System: Transportation oversees
the maintenance of 2,491 miles of sidewalks,
3,251 miles of curbs, and 37,744 corners owned
by the City of Portland.
5. Parking Meters: Transportation operates
parking meters to generate parking turnover in
business districts.
6. Street Signs: Street signs direct and regulate
safe movement of motor vehicles, pedestrians
and bicyclists using the transportation system.
(143,654 street signs) ..
25

29. 7. Street Lights: Portland General Electric
(PGE) provides electricity for all 54,963 city-
owned street lights. All street lights are
considered “dark sky” friendly, which means
they minimize the amount of light pollution
emitted at night.
8. Traffic Signals: Transportation’s traffic
signal system includes:
- An operating system that regulates signal
timing.
- An Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is a
technology and communication ..system
to control traffic and information,
resulting in improved safety and reduced
traffic delay.
26

30. 9. Keeping the System Clean and Hazard Free:
1. Street Cleaning Program.
2. Managing Water Run Off.
3. Green Streets.
10. What Happens to the “Road Waste?“
With every transportation improvement or
maintenance project, tons of “road waste” materials,
including concrete, gravel and asphalt, are created.
Transportation has accepted the challenge to develop
cost effective ways to recycle these materials. The 20-
acre Sunderland Recycling Facility is designed to meet
Portland’s sustainability goals by:
 Expanding, reusing/recycling of City generated “road
waste” materials.
 Reducing the need to purchase virgin rock...
 Offsetting operating costs through the sales of
compost and recycled products.
27

31. 2.2.4 Economic Vitality
The ability to attract businesses and keep jobs in the
Portland Metropolitan region is directly tied to the
transportation investments being made in Portland.
Between 1980 and 2000, investments in
transportation contributed to a 37% increase in
industrial jobs in the Portland region compared to
the national rate of only 12%. Transportation
improvements provide economic vitality by:
• Creating jobs...
• Improving the ability to move freight efficiently...
• Improving circulation, capacity and connectivity for
people and goods...
• Facilitating economic development.
• The economy of the region is
dependent on the efficient
movement of people, freight and
goods through the system.
28

32.  Enhancing the Central Business District
To support the economic vitality of Portland beyond the Central
Business District, Transportation initiated programs benefiting small
business owners throughout the City by:
 Reducing the wait time for development permits. Transportation
created an ..expedited development review process by consolidating
many development permitting functions for public works permits.
 Promoting vibrancy and access for businesses. Restaurants, coffee
shops and ..other small retail establishments depend on outdoor
seating. The Sidewalk Café Permit Program (which monitors outdoor
seating in the right-of-way) regulations were revamped in FY 08-09 to
include new seating criteria, fee structure and enforcement provisions.
 Providing convenient public access to businesses and facilities. By
monitoring ..time limit zones and paid parking meters, the public has
more access to parking throughout the day as cars “turn over” the
parking spaces.
30

33. Improving Access to Jobs and Housing
Locating residents near jobs and transit reduces
transportation costs for households and encourages
people to leave their cars at home.
Improving Access for Freight
Portland’s economic competitiveness depends on the ability to move
freight in an efficient and timely manner.
Transportation has implemented several planning initiatives to facilitate
truck movement, such as the Marine Drive Interchange Design. As a major
connection between I-5, the Marine Terminal, and the River gate Industrial
Area, the interchange is vital to the movement of freight.
Transportation also completed design guidelines for truck mobility and the
Central East Side Industrial Street Plan, which creates a street design that
facilitates truck movement through the area and ensures continued
viability of the area as an industrial district within the central city.
31

34. 2.2.5 Safety & Neighborhood Livability
• Portland strives to provide a safe
transportation system through
education, enforcement and
engineering.
Portland residents are concerned about traffic safety.
According to annual citywide surveys, they fear high-
speed and high-volume traffic. This concern has
direct impacts on commute patterns.
Calendar year 2008 had the lowest number of total
traffic fatalities in the city’s history. There were 20
traffic fatalities, of which 15 were motor vehicle
occupants and 5 were pedestrians. This was the fifth
year in the past decade with no bicycle fatalities.
The number of traffic crashes and fatalities has
decreased during recent years for two primary
reasons:
 Transportation’s focus on improving traffic safety.
The safety program focuses on ..engineering,
education, enforcement, encouragement, and
evaluation.
 An increase in multiple modes of transportation
sharing the road.
32

35. 2.3 Green Power
2.3.1. Portland Renewable Energy
2.3.2. Case Study: Building Integrated
Wind Turbines.
2.3.3. Case Study: Building Integrated PVs
2.3
33

36. Portland Renewable Energy
When subscribing to electrical service,
Portlanders can choose renewable energy
sources for their electricity. By paying a bit more
each month, from $1.85 to $8.00 more for the
average size home, Pacific Power provides them
clean energy sources from wind, solar, and bio-
mass. By utilizing the “Blue Sky” package, a
household could “prevent almost 24,000 pounds
of CO2 emissions annually, as much as a car
makes when driven about 25,000 miles.”
In 1991, Portland created the City Energy
Challenge Program to cut energy use and save
money in City operations.
The policy’s goal was to, “Promote a
sustainable energy future by increasing energy
efficiency in all sectors by ten percent by the
year 2010.” The City already exceeded that
goal. Between July 1991 and December 2001,
the program saved $9.46 million. Currently, the
savings equal $2 million per year – more than
15 percent of Portland’s energy bills!
34

37. Case Study: Building Integrated Wind Turbines.
Gerding Edlen Development’s (GED) 12W
project is a mixed-use high-rise tower in
downtown Portland. The building is designed to
be topped by four wind turbines with 18’
blades spinning on 40’ masts. The wind turbine
array is anticipated to produce 1 percent of the
building’s electricity use.
Despite the popularity of BIWT in concept, the
complexity of the dynamics of wind resources
and the lack of installed examples have slowed
market penetration.
The complexity of wind behavior in an urban
environment is commonly underestimated.
The design team to date has collaborated with
Dr. Sander Mertens of DHV Engineering in the
Netherlands to predict the wind speeds and
distributions available at the project site.
The team also collaborated with aeronautical
experts from Aerovironment Inc. in a wind
tunnel at Oregon State University to understand
the local wind behavior at the rooftop and to
determine effective turbine locations. With
these feasibility studies in place, the team feels
that the prospects are promising enough to
proceed with the project.
35

38. Case Study: Building Integrated PVs
Oregon Health & Sciences
University (OHSU) Center
for Health and Hearing.
• Portland’s first Platinum
LEED certified office
building, largest and first of
its type in the LEED rating
system. 16-storey, 400,000
square foot multi-use
public-private partnership.
Green Features In The Building:
• 100% onsite water re-use system
• 10% net reduction in budgeted HVAC and electrical
capital cost ($3 million savings)
• Natural ventilation in stairwells
• Radiant heating and cooling with thermal energy
storage
• Displacement ventilation in exam rooms
• 300 kW output from 5 micro-turbines
• Onsite sewage treatment, with treated
effluent used for toilet flushing and irrigation
• 60 kW solar photovoltaic integrated with
south facing window overhangs
• Measurement and verification system for
analyzing future energy use
• Site-built solar thermal system for water
heating .
36

39. Conclusion3
Clean energy, efficient public transportation systems, large parks, green buildings, wide
recycling systems… All of these green initiatives contribute to making Portland one of the
greenest cities in the United States, but it’s not only legislation that makes this possible –
it’s the efforts of all of Portland’s inhabitants working together that make it a reality.
By law, all Oregon cities must establish an urban growth boundary (UGB), beyond which
urban development is prohibited. The UGB significantly reduces urban sprawl and is one
of the primary reasons that Portland’s downtown remains vital and green.
Similarly, Portland can boast 10,000 acres of parkland including the largest forested-area
in the nation (Forest Park) within city limits. A personable downtown, half-size city blocks,
shopping districts and parks keep Portland’s downtown lively, and also make Portland the
ideal city to explore on foot. In fact, in 2006, Prevention magazine ranked Portland
“America’s Best Walking Town.”
Portland is the first City in the country to create a Green Investment Fund, a five-year, $2.5
million grant-based fund given to commercial, industrial or residential projects
demonstrating innovative green technologies and practices.
37

40. 2.2
References
1 "Population estimates“ Portland Research Center. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
2 "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
3. From the McCall Gallery at the 1000 Friends of Oregon website: www.friends.
org/resources/mccall.html. Also see Brent Walth, Fire at Eden’s Gate: Tom McCall &
The Oregon Story (Portland: Oregon Historical Society Press, 1994).
4. William Dietrich, “A Tale of Three Cities: Portland and Vancouver Get Going
While Seattle Stalls,” The Seattle Times, Pacific Northwest Magazine, February 2, 2003,
taken from http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/thebigsqueeze/theseries.
html; Elizabeth Armstrong Moore, “In Portland, Living the Green American
dream,” The Christian Science Monitor, April 26, 2005, taken from http://www.
csmonitor.com/2005/0426/p03s01-ussc.html; and Matthew Preusch, “A City Proud
of Its Underbelly Slims Down and Tones Up,” The New York Times, December 1,
2003, p. A14.
5. City of Portland Bureau of Transportation , Annual Report . 2008-09
6. www.law.uoregon.edu/org
7. www.globe.ca/wp-content/uploads/.../vva_case_study_5.pdf
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