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

Portland Suburb: To Fight Climate Change, Expand Highways!

Is more of this the way to beat congestion in the Portland region? Photo: Bike Portland
Is more of this the way to reduce carbon emissions in the Portland region? Photo: Bike Portland
false

Clackamas County, outside of Portland, has some opinions about the region's plan to address climate change. According to Michael Andersen at Bike Portland, county commissioners have drafted a letter to regional planners saying the right way to control carbon emissions is to build more highways.

Scratching your head? Well, the misguided belief that building more roads reduces congestion, and thus emissions, is still deeply entrenched in American transportation bureaucracies.

Clackamas County wants more roads to be included in the climate plan from Metro, Portland's regional planning agency. But get this -- Metro's plan already has a lot of road work in the name of reducing emissions, Andersen reports:

Metro’s draft version of that plan (PDF) calls for the region to dedicate 58 percent of related funding over the next 20 years -- about $20 billion -- to roads, even though the report says that “adding lane miles to relieve congestion … will not solve congestion on its own.”

Metro’s draft plan calls for $12.4 billion to be spent on transit, which it rates as enough to achieve a 16 to 20 percent cut in per-capita carbon emissions. The plan calls for $2 billion to go to improving biking and walking, which it rates as enough for a 3 to 6 percent reduction.

But most of the money identified as part of Metro’s climate plan is slated to go to road improvement or construction, which the plan identifies as reducing greenhouse gases by less than 1 percent. (The report notes that this figure doesn’t include “synergies” with other policies, however.)

Metro estimates that this set of investments would cut regional carbon emissions per person by 29 percent over the next 20 years.

Something tells us Clackamas County's lobbying for even more roads is based on selfishness rather than concern for future generations.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Bike Walk Lee recaps the Diane Rehm Show discussion about bike safety and the new Governor's Highway Safety Association report. The City Fix asks: What if there was no need for cars in the world's largest cities? And Greater Greater Washington says election day will have big consequences for transit in Maryland and Virginia.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Wednesday’s Headlines: Ostrich Parent Edition

Bradley Tusk and Randy Mastro team up to distract people from the much-harder effort of making streets safe. Plus other news.

August 13, 2025

As Mayor Adams Preps Veto of Minimum Wage Bill, Instacart Boasts ‘Squeezing’ Its Workers

Instacart's months-long campaign against pay parity for grocery delivery workers appears to have borne fruit with a mayor who claims he supports workers.

August 12, 2025

UPDATE: Speeding Senior Driver Kills Self and Two Pedestrians in Astoria, Pols Call for 20 MPH Limit

The Queens crash is another reminder that speed kills — and that the city has the power to lower its speed limit.

August 12, 2025

Vital ‘Lifeline’ or Blatant Ripoff? Instacart Makes Groceries 75% More Expensive

Instacart is arguing that its services are a lifeline to low income New Yorkers, but the app makes groceries 75 percent more expensive.

August 12, 2025

Could It Be? Red Hook Pool May Finally Open on Sunday

Residents of Red Hook have been sweltering all summer, but help may be on the way.

August 12, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Badge Idea Edition

President Trump took over policing in one of America's most important cities yesterday. Plus other news.

August 12, 2025
See all posts