Transportation
The Future of Portland Transit Hangs in the Balance
The Oregonian podcast Beat Check recently shared an episode titled "A Perilous Moment for Portland Mass Transit" in
A journal about cities, places, and the human experience of inhabiting them.
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Housing
Portland Auditor Releases Progress Report for Residential Infill Project
In 2017, after about a decade in the affordable housing and community development industry, my career took a turn and
Urbanism
The Myth of the Walkable Corner Store
For decades, planners have envisioned small, pedestrian-friendly commercial hubs within residential neighborhoods. A local café, a small grocery store, or
Urbanism
Unraveling Urbanism: Housing, Advocacy, and the Battle for Better Cities
Land use planning has always faced scrutiny, but in recent years, the conversation has grown louder and more polarized. Social
Urbanism
Death and Life: Rereading Jane Jacobs and the Legacy of Good Intentions
I recently finished rereading Jane Jacobs’ The Death and Life of Great American Cities. It wasn’t my first encounter
Urbanism
Despite Our Best Intentions with Street Frontages
Automobiles are undeniably a significant part of American life. Consequently, accommodating them with roadways and parking lots has come to
Public Finance
The Coming War on Impact Fees
The Supreme Court ruled Friday that developers and home builders in California may challenge the fees commonly imposed by cities
Recommended Books
Steve Solomon and Marina McShane
Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades
A complete guide to organic vegetable, herb, and flower gardening covering soil, seeds, compost, watering, and small plot planning. Though written for the Pacific Northwest, its practical approach to soil building, efficient watering, and crop by crop growing advice translates well to other regions.
Wes Marshall
Killed by a Traffic Engineer
In Killed by a Traffic Engineer, civil engineering professor Wes Marshall shines a spotlight on how little science there is behind the way that our streets are engineered, which leaves safety as an afterthought.
John Massengale and Victor Dover
Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns
Written by two accomplished architects and urban designers, this user-friendly street design manual shows both how to design new streets and enhance existing ones.
Robert Caro
The Power Broker
Robert Caro’s The Power Broker traces how Robert Moses reshaped New York through unelected power—building bridges, highways, and parks that transformed the city while destroying neighborhoods. A Pulitzer-winning portrait of ambition, control, and the cost of progress.
Field Notes
Field Notes
Rhododendron and Mt. Hood
I finally went skiing on Mt. Hood after living in Oregon for over a decade! In the worst year for
Field Notes
Alaska
A short but memorable trip to Alaska. This has been a bucket list item I’ve been picking off for 25+ years of road trips and other domestic travel. Following this, I’ve officially visited all 50 states.
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