National Institute for Transportation and Communities

Oregon is recognized as a national leader in improving transportation options and limiting urban sprawl. In the 42 years since Senate Bill 100 launched Oregon's land use planning program, these efforts have gone by different names: "reducing reliance on the automobile," "reducing vehicles miles traveled," "reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation," "compact, mixed-use, transit-oriented development," "smart growth," "sustainability," and "livability," to name a few. Despite these ... Read More

City officials and business leaders looking to increase economic performance and attract new residents recognize the benefits of having a strong local retail environment. Money spent at a local retail is more likely to stay in the community (Civic Economics, 2008; Patel and Martin, 2011) and sell goods that are sourced locally (Clark & Banga, 2010). A commissioned study in Grand Rapids, Michigan, found that locally owned restaurants spent 56% their revenues locally, compared to only 37% in th... Read More