Why Is This Important?
Portland's 2035 Transportation System Plan sets a goal that 30% of commuters or fewer would drive alone to work by 2035 ( policy 9.49.f ). It promotes a future where 70% or more commuters walk, bike, take transit, carpool, or use other modes to get to work. It set this goal as a way of reducing the negative effects of an overly auto-oriented city. When more people drive more places, traffic fatalities and injuries go up. Congestion gets worse, as does wear and tear on the roadway and the costs associated with maintaining those roads. Carbon emissions and local particulate matter increase. And as the city becomes more auto-oriented, it becomes harder to navigate for people who don't have, or don't want, a vehicle. For these reasons, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) aims for a transportation system where more people have the option to use non-auto modes and fewer people drive alone. One indicator of this is commute mode choice, which PBOT chose as a metric because of our access to regular and consistent data on this subject from the US Census.