2014 National Convening Skills Presenations Portland Plan | Page 62
THE PORTLAND PLAN
Economic Prosperity and Affordability
Element 3
Trade and Freight Hub
Invest in transportation systems and services to retain and expand
our competitive market access as a West Coast trade gateway and
distribution hub.
Most U.S. exports are
merchandise and most
export tonnage is shipped
through ports. Portland
is Oregon’s largest freight
distribution hub (harbor,
airport, rail, pipeline and
highway) and the West
Coast’s fourth largest freight
gateway.
Portland’s freight hub industrial districts, like the port and airport, support
large heavy manufacturing and distribution sectors and about 80,000
industrial jobs. These jobs are a core part of the city’s living-wage job base.
Strategic freight investments are needed to hold or grow Portland’s
competitive position in the rapidly growing and changing international
marketplace. Looking forward to 2035, regional freight tonnage is forecast to
nearly double. However, investments in freight infrastructure are challenged
by our medium-sized regional market, tightening transportation budgets
and increasing urban congestion. As a result, freight gateway market leakage
(i.e., market share lost to other ports like Seattle) includes 72 percent of Asiabound export container cargo. Gaining even a portion of that market share
would mean more local jobs and revenue.
Given geograph ic and competitive challenges, Portland’s celebrated role as
a leading exporter is fragile. Portland’s success could be undermined if we
do not give adequate attention to strengthening our freight transportation
network, which connects us to global markets. The transportation system is
burdened with many obsolete, end-of-life assets (the functional condition of
many roadways and bridges, for example), and maintaining in a cutting-edge
built environment is a critical aspect of sustaining the region’s freight and
trade dependent economy.
Only 12 U.S. cities have direct air service to both Europe and Asia, and
Portland is the smallest among them. The region must continue to support
these direct services or risk seeing them disappear.
Portland’s freight infrastructure is also increasingly valued as a sustainability
asset. Multimodal freight hub infrastructure and freight mobility in a dense
urban setting contribute to local energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
Flexible street corridor design for truck access and active transportation
can help increase urban density, lower transportation costs and use limited
infrastructure capacity more efficiently. As cities urbanize, the transportation
system focuses less on single-occupancy vehicles and more on freight, transit
and active transportation.
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Guiding Policies
Prioritize freight movement over
single-occupancy vehicle travel on
P-13 truck routes. Increase the freight
movement share of our limited
transportation system capacity.
Leverage more regional, state,
port and private resources to
P-14 make strategic investments in
Portland’s multi-modal freight hub
infrastructure (truck, rail, airport and
harbor facilities).
Build on Portland’s 2006 Freight
Master Plan to better integrate
P-15 freight mobility, including the “last
mile” aspects of freight delivery,
into land use, neighborhood,
environmental and sustainability
planning.
Apply best practices that help
reduce energy consumption related
P-16 to freight movement, and help
carriers and shippers achieve optimal
efficiency.
Connect MWESB contracting
opportunities with trade gateway
P-17 infrastructure projects.
Increase the use of transit,
bikes, walking, carpooling and
P-18 telecommuting to reduce both wear
and demand on the transportation
system and to free up capacity for
freight mobility. In addition, prioritize
investment in a modernized,
complete and comprehensive freight
transportation network, including
replacement of obsolete end-oflife assets in the freight network
(bridges, overpasses, etc.).
April 2012 | www.pdxplan.com