Portland / Vancouver I-5 Transportation and Trade Partnership
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Summary of the Land Use Committee's Findings:

Without Investment:

  1. Regional population and employment growth will be more spread out.
  2. Clark County will have more jobs and lower percentage of commuters crossing the Columbia.
  3. I-5 remains congested.
  4. Columbia Corridor's congestion and reduced travel reliability have adverse economic effects.
  5. Industrial areas near interchanges at risk of being developed for commercial uses:
    a. Availability of industrial land threatened
    b. Increased congestion

With Investment:

  1. Travel-time savings attract employment growth toward desired locations along the I-5 corridor.
  2. New job opportunities for north and northeast Portland residents.
  3. Increased demand for housing in Clark County due to: a. Better access to Oregon jobs, and b. More Clark County jobs.
  4. Increased pressure to expand Clark County's Urban Growth Area:
    a. Without expansion, housing prices will rise
    b. With expansion, housing growth will exceed job growth
    c. More housing growth: more commuting to Oregon.
  5. Desirable mixed use and compact housing around transit stations if local governments implement necessary regulatory changes (such as zoning changes).
  6. Risk of undesirable conversion of industrial areas around interchanges; greater risk if governments don't implement necessary regulatory changes.
  7. More jobs may be attracted to the region
  8. Region will function more as one economy.

Land Use Impacts of Investment Options

  1. Overall Impacts
    a. Growth: Induced by Travel-time Savings
    b. Land Use Impacts also Depend on Zoning, Utilities, Local Policies and Incentives
  2. Highways vs. Transit
    a. Highways serve passenger and freight.
    b. Transit serves passenger only.
    c. Highways attract more employment than transit.
    d. Highway effects are dispersed.
    e. Transit impacts are more localized.
  3. New Corridors (e.g., the West Arterial)
    a. Provide accessibility to new areas and induce growth there
  4. Express Bus vs. Light Rail
    a. Key factor is ridership: more riders = greater the benefits to adjacent property
    b. Express Bus will induce development at either end of the trip
    c. Light Rail will induce development at multiple locations
  5. 3 Lanes vs. 4 Lanes Options
    a. 4 Lanes: greater land use effects than with 3 lanes:
    • More employment attracted to corridor
    • Greater pressure on Clark County housing
    b. 3 Lanes: greater land use effects than "Baseline 2020" or "Do Nothing" alternatives"
    c. Both will have less travel-time savings when additional induced traffic is considered

Maps:
Map of Baseline
Express Bus - Short/3 Lanes
Express Bus - Long/4 Lanes
Light Rail Loop/3 lanes
Light Rail Loop/4 lanes