Case Study:

Portland, Oregon

Context

Regional Setting

The Portland, Oregon - Vancouver, Washington metropolitan region has enjoyed a strong and growing economy over the past decade. Growth in the manufacturing sector, especially high-technology manufacturing, has dramatically shifted the regional economy from one primarily dependent on the natural resources sector to one that is more diverse and robust. Employment has grown consistently over the past eight years at an average rate of 3.3 percent per year. Metropolitan population has also increased proportionately and is currently 1.8 million.

Trade comprises a significant share of the regional economy, and much of the region's growth is due to its strategic location along primary traffic corridors (railway, highway, and waterway) and the availability of deep-water ports. The Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area today plays a leading role among regional distribution and transshipment centers for international commerce. Portland's ratio of wholesale to retail sales is two and one-half times that of the nation as a whole, and the region ranks 13^th among U.S. cities based on the value of exports (Parsons Brinckerhoff, 2000). While these facts illustrate the importance of freight traffic to the region, the recent shift towards high-technology goods - which are valuable, light, and time-sensitive - has dramatically increased the importance of air freight and just-in-time delivery. As a result, the effect of traffic congestion on goods movement is of growing concern.

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