When we last covered Portland’s homeless crisis, a lawsuit was in the works against Mayor Hales and the city for refusing to enforce anti-camping laws. The Portland Business Alliance, the Overlook and Pearl District Neighborhood Associations, the Cartlandia food truck pod, and others calling themselves Safe & Livable Portland filed a complaint in Multnomah County Circuit Court in April…
What is the one thing Portlanders have in common with Californians? Unsightly traffic congestion. Recently, Rose City ranked near the top for America’s worst commute in two traffic studies: the TomTom 2015 Traffic Index and the INRIX traffic report. The city is tied with Washington DC and Chicago for congestion level, or added travel time, in the…
Bike Town, USA leads the nation in rising home prices, illegal full-time Air BnB’s, adult marijuana users, public and “green” transportation, and congestion. Yes, even as we lead the nation in alternatives to driving our own cars to and from work, multiple sources place Portland in the top 10 or 20 cities with the worst traffic congestion…
More adults over age 26 are using marijuana in Oregon than in any other part of the country. Since recreational marijuana was officially legalized in 2015, marijuana use has been climbing at a rate above that of the national average. Legalization has ushered in a wave of users who downplay the negative effects of the…
Flooding is on our mind this week in regards to the flash 500-year flood that has swallowed a large chunk of southern Louisiana. While the sun shines down on Portland for the sliver of the summer that remains, a federal emergency has been declared for the epic flooding that continues to devastate Baton Rouge. Historic…
Earlier this year, insurance company Allstate crowned Portland drivers as some of the worst in the country. Out of 200 major cities featured in America’s Best Drivers, a yearly report compiled from analyzing insurance claims, Portland ranked #183 on a scale for the “Safest Driving City in 2015.” The report looked at the average years between…
Traffic deaths have been steadily declining since the 1970s when cars became safer, drunk driving was no longer shrugged off, and seatbelt laws began making the rounds. But in 2015, Oregon set a new record, and not in a good way. The state watched its rate of motor vehicle deaths shoot up 27% since 2014,…
If it feels like you’re seeing a million more trucks during your commute and around-the-clock traffic jams, it’s not your imagination fooling you. While we may be exaggerating, the reality is that you are experiencing the ripple effects of a big change in the transportation of goods throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Port of Portland…
As of July 2015, Oregon may officially be the “greenest” state in the US. Known for farming, a strong environmental awareness, and lush forests, the legalization of marijuana has allowed growers to quit the black market and contribute to a thriving economy. Oregon was the very first state to decriminalize marijuana in small amounts in…
“One death on our city streets is too many,” reads Vision Zero’s tagline. In a noble attempt to tackle the recent surge in traffic-related deaths, the City of Portland launched a special initiative. Vision Zero was officially adopted in June 2015 with the goal of eliminating serious injuries and deaths caused by traffic accidents. The…