The
they examined the nation's 50 largest urban
Boise and other low-cost regions to site new
areas to see which was closest to the vision
facilities. At its peak, in December 2000, the
opportunities for
they had for Portland.
Portland area had just under a million jobs. By
manipulating the
It turned out that one region almost pre-
January, 2004, employment had fallen nearly 8
system were so
cisely matched that vision. The nation's dens-
percent to less than 920,000 jobs. Since then,
est urban area was also the major urban area
employment has recovered but today stands
obvious that, if
only slightly above the 2000 peak.110
with the fewest number of miles of freeway
Neil Goldschmidt
per capita. That same area also happened to
be spending billions of dollars building new
had not started
Conclusions and
rail transit lines. Which urban area was that?
the light-rail
Recommendations
Why, Los Angeles.
mafia, someone
Despite the popular belief that Los
Angeles is the epitome of urban sprawl, it is
Portland planning did not start out as a real
else would have.
actually the densest urban area in America--
estate scheme aimed at enriching Neil
about one third denser than the New York
Goldschmidt and his friends and clients, but it
urban area (which includes southwestern
ended up that way. Portland's planning
Connecticut and northeastern New Jersey).
process was conceived by ideologues who dis-
The Los Angeles urban area (which includes
liked the automobile and wanted to preserve
Pasadena and much of Orange County) also
all of Oregon's abundant open space no matter
has only about 53 freeway miles per million
what the cost. It was endorsed by politicians
residents, compared with a national urban
who refused to believe, or simply ignored, pre-
area average of 108 miles. Los Angeles is con-
dictions that it would hugely increase conges-
gested because it packs so many people into a
tion and housing costs. And it was manipulat-
small area and doesn't have enough roads for
ed by a cabal of politically connected business-
them to drive on. It is polluted because cars
es seeking to divert the flow of tax dollars into
pollute the most in stop-and-go traffic.
their own pockets. The opportunities for such
"In public discussions we gather the gen-
manipulation were so obvious that, if Neil
eral impression that Los Angeles represents a
Goldschmidt had not started the light-rail
future to be avoided," wrote Metro in 1994.
mafia, it would have been someone else; and if
Yet "with respect to density and road per
it were not for Goldschmidt's statutory rape,
capita mileage it displays an investment pat-
many Portland-area residents never would
tern we desire to replicate" in Portland.
have learned about this cabal.
Rather than see this as a sign that there
The results have been a disaster for the
might be something wrong with their plan,
average Portland-area resident. The light-rail
planners merely attributed this to a differ-
and streetcar lines, vibrant downtown streets,
ence between "perception and reality."111
and scenic vistas outside the urban-growth
boundary may seem attractive to visitors. But
Portland and Oregon can take several
residents have to live in unaffordable hous-
steps to remedy Portland's problems before
ing, creep along in traffic congestion, and pay
they get any worse:
higher taxes or suffer reduced urban services
· Portland-area
so that the region's political leaders can fund
voters should dissolve
their rail transit and transit-oriented devel-
Metro, the regional planning agency,
opment schemes.
and return planning functions to local
Portlanders always hoped that planning
governments.
· The state legislature should repeal the
would save their region from becoming like
Los Angeles, the nation's most congested,
land-use planning laws that are driving
most polluted urban area. When Portland
up housing prices and immobilizing
planners were in the midst of writing their
the region's transportation systems.
· As an intermediate step, the state should
plan for densifying and railifying the region,
17