INTRODUCTION


The Central City Transportation Management Plan (CCTMP) is part of a continuous planning process intended to promote economic vitality, livability and environmental quality in Portland's central core. The plan is an effort by the City and its partners to promote a sustainable future for Central City residents, workers and visitors.

The CCTMP is the latest step in a process that began with the Downtown Plan, which was first adopted in 1972, and continued with the 1988 Central City Plan, the 1991 Portland Future Focus, 1993's Carbon Dioxide Reduction Strategy, 1994's Prosperous Portland document, and the Sustainable City Principles adopted in 1994. The CCTMP, while focusing on the Central City, seeks to achieve city and region-wide benefits for a sustainable community.

Assuring Growth with Livability
The CCTMP and Prosperous Portland share the goals of creating and retaining new jobs and housing units to attract residents and employees into the Central City. These goals support a vision of a compact urban form that limits urban sprawl and the loss of agricultural and forest land at the fringe of the metropolitan area. Encouraging economic growth and housing in the Central City will increase the use of alternative transportation modes that result in less vehicle miles traveled by workers and residents.

Reduction in auto use will improve air quality by reducing emissions of carbon monoxide and ozone air pollutants. Additionally, increasing the use of different transportation modes will reduce renewable resource use, diminishing the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and reducing contributions to the global warming effect. Finally, reliance on transportation modes other than the auto will limit traffic congestion, a factor that significantly reduces a region's livability.

The CCTMP establishes an overall policy framework to support growth in the Central City while managing the parking and transportation system. The actions described in the plan will minimize congestion, increase transit use, walking and bicycling and improve air quality. They are intended to work in tandem with commercial and residential development, to encourage new jobs and residents and enhance the Central City's overall environment and attractiveness.

Air Quality
To successfully address air quality problems requires a shift from localized to regional strategies. A regional approach is critical in dealing with emissions that contribute to increased ozone levels. In addition, carbon monoxide, which was once seen as only a Downtown problem, is now appearing in significant amounts throughout the region.

The goals of the CCTMP, to encourage development of jobs and housing in the Central City, along with the implementation steps described in the plan, are intended to help the region respond to growing air quality problems. Increasing job and housing growth in areas of relative high density will promote transit use and further transit development, helping to reduce the region's overall level of vehicle miles travelled per capita.

The CCTMP creates a strategy for compliance with Federal Clean Air Act air quality standards. The adopted plan has been forwarded to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for review and acceptance as part of the State Implementation Plan for Carbon Monoxide.

The Process
In 1990, City Council authorized the CCTMP to carry out the Central City Plan's transportation policy and to replace the Downtown Parking and Circulation Policy (DPCP). Therefore, the CCTMP includes both transportation policies as well as potential actions for implementation. The CCTMP is incorporated into the City's Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element.

Regulations to implement the CCTMP are adopted by ordinance and incorporated into Title 33, Planning and Zoning. The CCTMP replaces the Downtown Parking and Circulation Policy previously in effect and adds new policies and regulations for the other Central City districts.

The CCTMP was developed in conjunction with Tri-Met, the Association for Portland Progress (APP), the Portland Development Commission (PDC), Metro, and the DEQ, and the plan incorporates policies on development, promotion and expansion of transit service in the Central City, as well as parking and demand management actions. The transit policies and related transit actions are intended for incorporation by Tri-Met as part of their future service development plan for the Central City.


HISTORY

The following paragraphs describe some of the most important planning efforts that led to development of the CCTMP. The plans and policies are described in chronological order based on the date they were first adopted.

Downtown Plan
Much of what Portlanders love most about downtown Portland today grew out of the Downtown Plan—a strategy adopted in 1972 to revitalize the central business district. In the early 1970's, the downtown violated federal carbon monoxide air quality standards one of every three days. The retail businesses were losing shoppers to new suburban malls. Government, business, and citizens joined together to develop strategies to target private and public investment.

The Downtown Plan was adopted by City Council in 1972 and updated in 1980 to address changes related to the scale and design of development. Three key elements form the basis for the Downtown Plan : (1) pedestrian amenities; (2) a mix of densities, activities, and land uses (especially retail and housing); and (3) good access through the management of parking resources and greater reliance on public transportation. The Plan sought the "creation of a pleasurable human environment" to attract residents and business investment to the Downtown.

The General Transportation Goal of the Downtown Plan is:

"To design a balanced transportation system which is supportive of the other Downtown goals and which recognizes that the transportation system should provide more efficient use of both right-of-way and vehicles. This means reducing reliance on the automobile, increasing the number of persons per car and increasing the number of persons moving through concentrated areas on transit facilities."



Specific goals of the Plan are:

A. Promote a mass transit system that will carry 75% of the passenger trips to and through the core and which provides a viable alternative to the private vehicle, i.e., fast, economical, convenient, and comfortable.

B. Give maximum accommodation to walking in the core.

C. Promote use of bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation.

D. Maintain a circulation pattern which responds to the Downtown Plan.

E. Maintain a public parking policy.

F. More efficient use of transportation resources shall be encouraged through the institution of Flex-Time.

The Downtown Plan contains guidelines for pedestrian circulation, vehicle circulation, public transportation, parking, service and loading, and an inter-city bus terminal. The plan's emphasis on transit; including expanded bus service, Fareless Square, the creation of the Transit Mall, and light rail; played a key role in revitalizing the Downtown.

Downtown Parking and Circulation Policy
The Downtown Parking and Circulation Policy (DPCP) implements the Downtown Plan’s Transportation goals and guidelines. The DPCP was first adopted in 1975 with major updates in 1980 and 1986 and amendments in 1988, 1991, and 1992. Major components of the DPCP's policies include the downtown parking lid, maximum parking ratios for new development, and restrictions on surface parking lots.

The DPCP serves as the City's plan for ensuring compliance with the carbon monoxide standards of the Federal Clean Air Act. This policy is currently included in both the SIP for Carbon Monoxide and Ozone.

The 1986 revisions to the DPCP were an interim solution to changes that had occurred since the previous update. With the adoption of the Central City Plan in 1988, additional modifications were needed to address the changing character of the Downtown and of the other districts of the Central City. The most recent amendment to the DPCP added provisions to allow parking to be developed for older and historic buildings.

The DPCP has, in large part, been responsible for the fact that Portland has not violated federal standards in carbon monoxide since 1984. Not coincidentally, Downtown Portland employment has grown from 70,000 jobs in the early 1970's to more than 90,000 jobs today.

Central City Plan
In the mid-1980's, the City of Portland recognized that there was more to "downtown" than the Downtown core—that surrounding neighborhoods had equal potential for commercial, retail, and residential vitality. The Central City Plan was a visionary approach for achieving the goals for the eight districts comprising Portland's Central City area. These districts are: Downtown, Lloyd-Coliseum, Central Eastside, North Macadam, Goose Hollow, Northwest Triangle, North of Burnside, and Lower Albina. (See Map 1: Districts Map )


DISTRICTS MAP


City Council adopted the Central City Plan in March 1988. That plan anticipated growth in the Central City which would include 50,000 jobs and 5,000 new housing units by the year 2010. The Central City Plan is part of the City's Comprehensive Plan, and it updates and incorporates the Downtown Plan. The Downtown Plan remains in effect.

Transportation plays a major role in shaping the Central City and implementing the Central City Plan. The major transportation concepts of the Plan are:

1. Continuing increases in transit service to handle growth including:

a. Light Rail Transit (LRT) corridors as spines for the location of higher density development;
b. An expanded role for transit (LRT and vintage trolley) for shopping and access to special events; and
c. Development of a specialized transit circulation system to serve all the Central City districts.

2. Transit (vintage trolley and water taxi) as an element of increased recreational use of the Central City.

3. Streets (and public rights-of-way) play a major role as public amenities through use as pedestrianways, boulevards, locations for street trees, and public art.

4. Planning and building new local street systems for the North Downtown rail yard and North Macadam areas.

5. Managing parking as a resource to support continued economic growth, improved air quality and traffic flow, and the full breadth of existing and future Central City activities.

Several policies and sub-policies of the Central City Plan influence the CCTMP. The major policies that impact transportation in the Central City are:

"Policy 1: Economic Development
Build upon the Central City as the economic heart of the Columbia Basin, and guide its growth to further the City's prosperity and livability.

Policy 3: Housing
Maintain the Central City's status as Oregon's principal high density housing area by keeping housing production in pace with new job creations.

Policy 4: Transportation
Improve the Central City's accessibility to the rest of the region and its ability to accommodate growth, by extending the light rail system and by maintaining and improving other forms of transit and the street and highway system while preserving and enhancing the City's livability.

Policy 12: Urban Design
Enhance the Central City as a livable, walkable area which focuses on the river and captures the glitter and excitement of city living."

The Central City Plan established the need to examine parking and circulation in the Central City in a comprehensive manner. The CCTMP is intended to address this need.

Issues addressed in the CCTMP are not just confined to the Central City. Air quality, traffic congestion, and livability are issues that affect the region as well as the Central City. The region's population has increased significantly during the past few years and will continue to grow. The Central City is expected to exceed current projections for jobs and housing as it absorbs its share of this growth. Implementation of the CCTMP is essential if this growth is to be accommodated.


ORGANIZATION OF THE CCTMP

The CCTMP is divided into several sections. Besides the "Introduction” and "Planning Process" sections which describe the CCTMP and how it fits into other planning efforts for the City, the CCTMP contains a "Transportation Goal" a number of "Policies and Objectives," "District Strategies," descriptions of street classifications (some of which are unique to the Central City), a set of street classification maps, an "Administration" section, a "Glossary," and several other appendices.

Goal, Policies, and Objectives
The Transportation Goal, Policies, and Objectives are adopted by ordinance by City Council and become part of the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan. The Transportation Element was adopted by the City in 1992 to replace Goal 6 of the Comprehensive Plan and the Arterial Streets Classification Policy and is the adopted Transportation Policy for the entire City.

The Policies are grouped around several subjects, such as air quality, parking, transit, pedestrians, and bicycles. Each policy may have several sub-policies and objectives. Explanations follow many of the policies and objectives to provide further information about the history or derivation of the policy and how it is implemented through zoning regulations.

Most of the policies and objectives apply throughout the Central City, but some are specific to certain districts or sectors. The district lines were established as part of the Central City Plan. The sectors were originally used in the DPCP to separate differing maximum parking ratios. This concept now applies throughout the Central City. Map 2 shows the district and sector boundaries. A group of sectors comprise the "Core." Several policies differentiate between the "Core" and "Outside the Core." These two areas are also shown on Map 2.

The policies will be used to guide future improvements to the transportation system, such as pedestrian or bicycle facilities, in the Central City. The Goal for the CCTMP applies throughout the Central City, while some of the policies and objectives apply to specific districts or sectors of it.

Some portions of the Policies section cannot go into effect until EPA approval because they would conflict with the portions of the DPCP that are being retained in the interim (see the discussion of interim sections in the Administration and Zoning Regulations in the paragraphs below). These policies are shown in a box. Some policies were previously adopted as part of the Transportation Element and are shaded.

District Strategies
Three of the eight districts in the Central City were the subject of special planning efforts as part of the CCTMP. Committees were formed to discuss these issues and suggest strategies. The committees are the Lloyd District Task Force, the Central Eastside


CORE AREA AND PARKING SECTORS MAP


District Working Group, and the Downtown District Planning Forum. Each group produced a report which is summarized in the District Strategies section of the CCTMP. Other districts, such as River District and North Macadam, are being looked at as a part of other planning projects. District strategies and actions will be adopted by City Council resolution to provide direction for implementation over the life of the plan.

The appendices include policies and actions adopted for specific districts through other planning efforts already completed. The new district strategies and actions of the CCTMP are intended to augment, not necessarily replace, previously adopted policies and actions.

Action Items
Action Items follow the Policies and the District Strategies. The actions represent a list of opportunities for carrying out the policies and strategies of the CCTMP. The actions will be adopted by City Council resolution. The actions were recommended by many sources–some were part of technical studies that were done in a previous phase of the CCTMP, some come from the District Reports, and some come from the work of the technical and citizens advisory committees. The reports are listed in an appendix of the CCTMP.

Some of the actions are very specific to a given district; for example, "Improve NE Grand/MLK, Jr. pedestrian crossings near the Oregon Convention Center," and some are
more general; for example, "Prepare a program to ensure safe pedestrian routes to schools." Not all of the actions will be acted upon, but neither will they be ignored. The actions should not be considered as a list of projects that will all be funded, rather they are suggestions for how the Central City can be improved to meet the adopted policies and they will be subject to discussion before being implemented.

Street Classifications and Descriptions
The Street Classifications section classifies the Central City's streets based on their optimal functioning. These classifications dictate what types of automobile, truck, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian use should be emphasized on each street and how future street improvements and public and private development relate to those functions.

The Street Descriptions duplicate, for the most part, the Street Descriptions in the Transportation Element, but some new descriptions are added to address the unique way in which Central City streets are intended to function. For instance, there is a much higher level of transit service in the Central City, and ensuring that it continues to function efficiently is very important. Therefore, two new transit classifications were developed; the Major Transit Priority Street and the Transit Access Street.

Both the Classification Descriptions and Classification Maps are adopted by ordinance by the City.

Administration
The Administration Section is a separate document which gives guidance on how the Office of Transportation shall implement the CCTMP parking policies, as well as specific responsibilities for the management of parking inventories and reserves.

Zoning Code Amendments
The Zoning Code contains the regulations which govern parking in the Central City. The majority of the parking regulations are in the Central City plan district chapter of the Zoning Code. These provisions will be amended to implement the policies of the CCTMP. The amendments to the Zoning Code will be adopted by ordinance.

The Zoning Code amendments will be developed and reviewed following adoption of the policies of the CCTMP.

Introduction # CCTMP Plan & Policy