Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Streetsblog

Oregonians Less Interested in Bigger Highways, More Excited for Bike/Ped

Oregonians are increasingly less interesting in seeing roads expanded and more interesting in ensuring proper maintenance of existing facilities. Image: ##http://bikeportland.org/2013/12/11/oregonians-support-for-road-expansion-keeps-falling-98331?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BikePortland+%28BikePortland.org%29## Bike Portland##
Oregonians are increasingly uninterested in seeing roads expanded and more interested in ensuring proper maintenance of existing facilities. Image: ##http://bikeportland.org/2013/12/11/oregonians-support-for-road-expansion-keeps-falling-98331?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BikePortland+%28BikePortland.org%29##Bike Portland##
false

By more than a two-to-one margin, Oregon residents would rather maintain existing highways than expand them. That's one of the most interesting findings from a recent survey of state residents taken by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Oregon residents' attitudes to transportation infrastructure seem to be changing quickly, reports Michael Andersen at Bike Portland. They increasingly favor priorities other than expanding the highway system:

As recently as 2007, almost 50 percent of Oregonians said it was more important "to expand the highway system to reduce traffic congestion" than "to preserve and maintain the highways Oregon already has." As of this year, that's fallen to 29 percent.

Meanwhile, for the first time on record, more Oregonians said that "adding sidewalks and bike lanes to existing streets" is "very important" than said "expanding and improving highways, roads and bridges" is "very important." In all, 40 percent of Oregonians gave high priority to more walking and walking facilities, while 34 percent said the same of road expansion.

In another new finding, 40 percent of Oregonians said that "reducing greenhouse gases" should be a "very important" priority for the state transportation agency. Another 38 percent said this is "somewhat important."

Let's hope the state of Oregon tailors its spending accordingly.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Transportation for America gives an update about how the federal budget negotiations underway right now might affect transportation. Systemic Failure describes how a Federal Railroad Administration rule actually punished a California community for making safety improvements. And The Architect's Newspaper explains how Cleveland urbanists fought a proposal for a McDonalds with a double drive-thru and describes the layout they are pursuing instead.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

How the Sausage Gets Made: Republicans Force Meaningless Vote on Congestion Pricing Repeal

... And will the Idaho Stop become a victim of the current bikelash? It's all in today's Capitol Idea by Amy Sohn.

May 13, 2025

‘Chaos’ Candidate? DoorDash Gave $1M to Super PAC Backing Cuomo, Who Decries Delivery Workers

Cuomo says he'll fix the chaos on the Streets by reining in app companies, but DoorDash just donated $1 million to help him win.

May 13, 2025

The Dave Colon Challenge: Whitney Tilson Is Pro-Bike, Pro-Business And Pro-Police

The political novice has 30 years experience cycling in the city but doesn't have a political record to help predict what his safe streets governance strategy would be.

May 13, 2025

Can New York City Fix Its Deadly ‘Conduit’ to JFK Airport?

The extra-wide medians on Conduit could fit 46 football fields, which combined with extra-wide travel lanes makes the strip prone to speeding and crashes.

May 13, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Bike Your Mayor to Work Day

It's the final day of our mayoral questionnaire week. Plus other news from a busy day!

May 13, 2025
See all posts