Join us for an evening of laughter at CLF's 2010 LAUGH for Livability show!

Described by many as "Prairie Home Companion meets the Daily Show with Jon Stewart"..... LAUGH is an evening filled with spoken word, sharp-tongued political satire and musical talents from our region's leaders and rising stars. Cocktail hour + silent auction and victuals lead into the main event where you'll see long time favorites along with surprise guests at this great event! The proceeds from this evening of fun will benefit the Coalition's work to connect issues, organizations and individuals to ensure a livable region for all.


LAUGH is Friday, February 19, 2010, 6 p.m at the Melody Ballroom....get your tickets NOW! For more information about this year's show click here.

The Bike Gallery has generously donated a $500 gift certificate for the Raffle at this year's LAUGH! Purchase a new Trek 7.1fx, an Electra Amsterdam original or use the gift certificate to meet any of your bike, repair or accessory needs. Raffle Tickets are $5 each or five for $20. Purchase your tickets now!

           

Help CLF Prepare for Equity Atlas 2.0

The Regional Equity Atlas maps equity conditions in the greater metropolitan region. By measuring access to opportunities like affordable housing, transit, parks and grocery stores, the Atlas illustrates which people and places have the best access and which ones have the worst access to these important assets.

Visit www.equityatlas.org to learn more about the Equity Atlas.

Right now we are beginning work to develop the next iteration of the Regional Equity Atlas when the 2010 Census data begins to be available, and we need your input now to identify what equity indicators should be included. Please click here to share your input on what you'd like to see in Equity Atlas 2.0.

Collin and Smash Ride Across America...a benefit for CLF!

Collin Roughton and Ashley Mitchell are two friends who are setting out on January 2nd, 2010 to bicycle across the country! They're starting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida crossing all of the southern states and ending in Portland, OR. Both Collin and Ashley are active volunteers in their communities and work together as Bicycle Safety Instructors for the Community Cycling Center.

Through an Americorps funded internship, Collin worked with CLF, and both Ashley and Collin feel strongly that CLF's work to create a transportation system that puts people first is vital to Portland's communities.

You can show your support for Collin and Ashley's ride by donating to CLF (indicate that your donation is in honor of the Ride by typing "Ride Across America Donation" in the Comments field at the bottom of the CLF Donation page). To find out more about the ride click here.

Shifting the Balance on Transportation: Regional Transportation Plan Moving in the Wrong Direction

The Regional Transportation Plan guides how the Portland metropolitan area will invest almost $14-20 Billion in transportation projects over the next 25 years. The decisions Metro and its partners make through the RTP will have a major impact on how the region grows and whether it thrives.

Coalition for a Livable Future just released a report on the RTP (the Executive Summary of the report is available here), highlighting the disconnect between Metro’s strong policies and the often misguided projects proposed by jurisdictions around the region.

Metro has stated that they want the Regional Transportation Plan to address the climate crisis, create opportunities for healthy and active living, ensure people travel safely, address equity and environmental justice, and protect the environment. These goals are excellent.

However, the list of projects submitted by jurisdictions does not meet Metro’s goals. The current plan increases spends billions on road expansions, increases global warming pollution, fails to invest adequately in bicycle, pedestrian and transit, ignores equity, and continues to fund the massive and ill-advised Columbia River Crossing megabridge.

The region must find solutions that shift the balance in transportation spending in order to create a healthier, more prosperous and sustainable region for everyone.

Take Action for a Climate Smart Columbia River Crossing Project Now!

The Columbia River Crossing Megabridge is the biggest public works project in our region's history. Projected to cost a whopping $3.6 billion, the CRC aims to rebuild and widen the I-5 bridges spanning the Columbia River.

Unfortunately, the design being considered would significantly increase global warming pollution, harm people’s health, and undermine our region’s vision of a sustainable economy, all while siphoning billions of limited public resources from addressing other critical transportation needs.

For more information regarding CLF's campaign to change the direction of the CRC Megabridge click here.

Shift the Balance

Shift the Balance is our current campaign to influence two big transportation decisions: The big plan--Metro's Regional Transportation Plan Update which will determine how our region will spend $13-20 Billion on transportation projects over the next 20 years. And, the big project--The Columbia River Crossing Project, which is looking to spend $4 Billion to rebuild and expand the I-5 bridges across the Columbia River.

Learn more about regional transportation issues and how we're trying to shift the balance towards a more sustainable and equitable transportation system.

Connections

Download the latest edition (1.4MB) of the Coalition for a Livable Future's journal, Connections. As always, this issue of Connections shines a light on some of the great work happening in our region: work to fix broken systems, intensify what’s already working, and encourage innovation. The efforts highlighted demonstrate the insight that new solutions must be artfully designed to prepare us for the future, while also honoring history and lessons from the past.

About CLF
The Coalition for a Livable Future is a partnership of over 100 diverse organizations and thousands of individuals working together to create a more equitable and sustainable Portland metropolitan region. Learn more about us.