Connecting Transportation Policy & Practice to Create Healthy Communities

In January, CLF crafted a white paper on the opportunity to use federal economic stimulus funds to support good jobs, meet social and environmental goals, and ensure transparency and accountability. Using the paper, we engaged the community in advocacy effort that successfully redirected $2 million in federal stimulus dollars toward much needed sidewalks in low-income neighborhoods of East and Southwest Portland.

In October, CLF released a report on Metro’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), highlighting the disconnect between our region’s transportation goals and the projects it plans to build. The RTP policies state that all new transportation investments must address the climate crisis, create opportunities for healthy and active living, ensure people travel safely, address equity and environmental justice, and protect the environment. However, CLF’s report shows that the list of projects proposed by jurisdictions would direct billions of dollars on road expansions, and undermine these laudable goals. In 2010, CLF will be leading the way to bridge the divide between policy and practice in the RTP.

Downsizing the Columbia River Crossing Megabridge and Growing a Movement for Something Better

For five years, CLF has been working for a healthy and sustainable outcome in the effort to rebuild the I-5 bridges spanning the Columbia River. CLF’s work to raise awareness about the project’s negative impacts has led to groundswell of pubic opposition to the Columbia River Crossing (CRC). As a result, numerous elected leaders are not supporting the project, and in June, the state legislature affirmed its opposition by removing $30 million in funding for the CRC from their budget, despite almost $1 billion in earmarks for transportation projects in the state transportation bill. Since then, political support for the megabridge has continued to wane, and CLF has remained steadfast in championing a new approach to the CRC - one that puts people and the environment first, instead of cars.

Advancing Regional Equity

Protecting and Expanding Housing Choices & Access to Parks and Nature
In July, CLF served as a broker between diverse community interests to successfully preserve public parks access and funding for affordable housing in Portland’s Lents neighborhood when the city was considering locating a new baseball stadium there.

Creating Green-Collar Jobs
CLF collaborated with local non-profit and government partners to craft the Portland Clean Energy Works Community Workforce Agreement, which was adopted by City Council in October. The ground-breaking agreement establishes Portland as a pacesetter in the nation-wide race to create “green-collar jobs” that are career track, family supporting jobs which are both ecologically sound and healthy. The agreement sets the expectation for fair access to the jobs by groups such as women, people of color and youth that have typically encountered discrimination or hostile work environments within construction trades and related fields.

Changing the Conversation

From Portland to Albuquerque and St. Etienne France, CLF made presentations to numerous local, national and international audiences. We wrote dozens of blog posts and garnered media coverage on issues ranging from individual health and community health to transportation choices and inequality, helping raise the visibility of critical livability issues and our vision for a better future.

The 2009 annual Regional Livability Summit was bigger and more diverse than ever. Well over three hundred people brought their wisdom, inspiration, and energy to this year’s Summit. As one attendee put it “...it gets better every year...”