Even natural attractions outside of urban areas have parking shortages and congestion problems.
Jamie Hale reports on a pilot project in Oregon that will hopefully to address the congestion and parking shortages on the Columbia Gorge near Multnomah Falls. Driving to Multnomah Falls, writes Hale, "has long been a pain in northwest travelers' necks, who on busy weekends can be found duking it out for a parking spot at the most popular destination in Oregon."
As a solution, the Oregon Department of Transportation and the U.S. Forest Service have launched a new bus service that will connect Portland with the Columbia River Gorge including Multnomah Falls.
"The bus service will be a two-year pilot program, attempting to alleviate some of the congestion at Multnomah Falls which often backs up onto the left lane of Interstate 84," reports Hale. "The parking lot at the falls closed 181 times due to overcrowding over the last 22 months, according to the department. Of those, 129 closures came on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays." The Columbia River Gorge Express, as the shuttle bus is called, began service on Friday, may 27, 2016.
FULL STORY: New bus service links Portland to Multnomah Falls, aimed at reducing congestion
Oregon DOT's Columbia River Gorge Bus Service a Smashing Success
The first season of a two-year pilot project for the Columbia Gorge Express has been a huge hit.
Oregon Youth Activists Protest Highway Expansion
A group of young climate activists are demanding an end to traffic-inducing road expansion projects and a renewed commitment to sustainable, transit-oriented transportation.
Study: Wider Highways Won't Reduce Congestion
Widening highways won't reduce congestion—that's the conclusion of a report paid for by the state agency proposing several highway widening projects in Oregon.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Bourbon Street Could Be a Model for Pedestrian Spaces
The conversation around pedestrianizing public streets isn’t new — think Times Square. Could one of America’s oldest streets lead the way in a revival of the pedestrian mall?
Multiple Lawsuits Aim to Save NYC Congestion Pricing
Environmental and transit advocacy groups, along with the MTA, are suing USDOT over its recent crusade to end the cordon pricing program.
Massachusetts Gov. Makes Case for Road Funding Reforms
A package of proposed bills would change the state’s road funding formula to ensure more money flows to rural areas with limited resources.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research