Portland, Oregon has a reputation as one of the most sustainable and progressive cities in the US. We have an expanding network of light rail and a streetcar system, we commute by bike, and we are proud of our openly gay mayor (less proud now that he's admitted to an affair with an 18-year old in the lead up to the campaign, but still). Our regional Metro government structure has for years managed growth in the area by instituting an urban growth boundary. We've revitalized the downtown and inner neighborhoods such that a greater percentage of our working population lives "close-in" (as the local real estate term puts it). Our City Council passes laws like the banning of plastic shopping bags, and our state government is talking about turning Oregon into the center for green power industry.
Yet, all of that could be undone with one stroke, and it's called the Columbia River Crossing.
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