Rex for Metro

Since when does telling the truth about carbon emissions earn you a “Rogue”?

Metro was recently named Willamette Week’s Rogue of the Week for our forecast that, if we do nothing different, the region will endure a 47% increase in carbon emissions in 25 years. Yes, that’s a disturbing number, but what’s almost as disturbing is Willamette Week shouting us down instead of joining us in trumpeting this important call to action.

Three years ago I launched the most comprehensive update of the Regional Transportation Plan ever. I had three objectives: first was to demand fiscal realism — no more long wish lists of projects that promised everything but couldn’t be delivered because we would never have the money. Two, that we face up to the massive changes occurring in the real world, including peak oil, global warming and continued population growth. And third, that we do all this in a way to protect our environment, our families and our quality of life.

Three years later and the rubber is meeting the road. We are faced with hard choices and it’s not easy to change the patterns of the last 50 years.

So yes, if we do nothing different, we will have a 47% increase in carbon emissions in 25 years rather than meeting our target of a 30% reduction. Some of this is the fact that our transportation models can’t predict how our vehicles will be powered, changes in the price of gasoline nor how changes in land use will affect our travel choices. But the bottom line is clear: the status quo just isn’t good enough.

Think of it this way: your doctor just ran you through a bunch of new tests and she tells you that your cholesterol is way too high and you need to lose weight, stop smoking and get more exercise. Think of Metro as the doctor and our communities as the patient. The new RTP is asking new questions. In addition to carbon emissions, we are asking about housing affordability, job creation, walking and bicycling numbers and affect on health and the environment.

That said, by adopting the Regional Transportation Plan we will set in motion major changes in how cities, counties and the state spend their funds. We will get more bike lanes, more sidewalks, more transit, more compact, walking friendly communities. And this will help us keep the urban growth boundary tight, as well.

Here is what will occur in just the next 3 years (January 2010-2012), IF we adopt this plan now:

• Local transportation system plans (TSP) – TSP updates will begin in late-2010 to be consistent with the new RTP policies and targets, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
• Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program – Metro Council and JPACT/MPAC revise the Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) criteria to help the region select transportation investments that meet all the RTP performance targets including minimizing global warming. Multi-modal transportation investments within designated centers, corridors and employment areas should be the focus of investments.
• Corridor refinement plans – Investments identified through corridor refinement plan studies will be evaluated and prioritized on their ability to best leverage the region’s desired outcomes, including minimizing contributions to global warming.
• Local land use commitments and regional capacity ordinance work – In December 2010, adopt a regional capacity ordinance that commits communities and the region to specific land use actions that minimize contributions to global warming.

Far from doing nothing, Metro is out in front, demanding that our partners–the cities, the counties and ODOT, the agencies that build and operate our transportation system–change their plans in major ways to meet this great challenge.

Finally, Metro’s groundbreaking work on measuring carbon emissions, even if crude, is something that we should be proud of, even if it means major effort will be needed. Our children, grandchildren and those of everyone on the earth demand action. Knowing what we need to do is the first step to solving the crisis.