Sustainable City Year Program – Â鶹ĘÓƵ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:10:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cropped-favicon_logo-32x32.jpg Sustainable City Year Program – Â鶹ĘÓƵ 32 32 Connecting Communities: Recommendations for Micromobility and Transit Integration /projects/connecting-communities-recommendations-for-micromobility-and-transit-integration/ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:10:53 +0000 /?post_type=projects&p=20886 Read More... from Connecting Communities: Recommendations for Micromobility and Transit Integration

]]> To improve the connection between active and public transportation in Lane County, the Bicycle Transportation class partnered with Lane Transit District (LTD) and Cascadia Mobility to produce comprehensive street redesigns, GIS mapping and implementation recommendations, and community outreach findings. Through the lens of street design, geographic mapping, policymaking, and community engagement, students provided a basis for LTD to transform the transportation system in Eugene-Springfield and the broader Lane County area by connecting multimodal transportation options.

Students assessed current infrastructure gaps, community beliefs and needs, and the politics of redesigning streets to accommodate multimodal transportation in the region. By impacting the physical, cultural, and systemic environments, students believe LTD could further connect their service to bike infrastructure. For example, mapping studies identified gaps in bikeshare service while community engagement recorded community members’ feelings and needs surrounding bikeshare and infrastructure. Students also used policy studies alongside street redesigns to identify areas with the greatest street improvement needs, generating proposals to encourage future infrastructure improvements. In addition, one group looked at the existing transit system through an equity and access lens and advocated for prioritizing marginalized neighborhoods in transportation planning and addressing network barriers for people with disabilities.

]]> Willamette Activity Center: Operational and Expense Framework /projects/willamette-activity-center-operational-and-expense-framework/ Fri, 12 Dec 2025 18:07:09 +0000 /?post_type=projects&p=20882 Read More... from Willamette Activity Center: Operational and Expense Framework

]]> In Fall 2024, the City of Oakridge partnered with the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) and the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE) to reimagine the future of the Willamette Activity Center (WAC). This collaborative initiative emerged in response to the WAC’s closure in 2022 due to deferred maintenance issues, including a failing roof and outdated electrical systems. Once a cornerstone of community life, the WAC is now poised for a new chapter as a designated Resilience Hub, one of six regional hubs in Lane County’s disaster response network.

To support this transition, a Capstone team of graduate students from the University of Oregon was tasked with a six-month applied research project to inform the WAC’s long-term reopening and financial sustainability. The team’s deliverables included:
– A User Needs Assessment based on stakeholder interviews
– An Operational Expense Model and Budget informed by case studies and site visits
– A Fundraising Strategy designed to support phased redevelopment and ensure future viability

The WAC, originally constructed as an elementary school, spans approximately 26,610 sq. ft. and consists of a gymnasium, multiple classrooms, offices, a courtroom/conference room, and shared common spaces. These spaces historically hosted social service providers such as the Oakridge Food Box, Women’s Space, and Senior and Disabled Services; government agencies such as the Lane County Circuit Court, Department of Motor Vehicles, and City of Oakridge Council meeting; and youth services such as Head Start and Latch Key. Notably, the WAC Fundraising Group and the City of Oakridge have been awarded $6.4million in federal, state, and philanthropic funding to support current and future renovation phases, with goals to reopen the facility in 2028.

]]> Pacific Grove Handicap Ramp Assessment /projects/pacific-grove-handicap-ramp-assessment/ /projects/pacific-grove-handicap-ramp-assessment/#respond Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:40:31 +0000 https://commons.epicn.org/projects/pacific-grove-handicap-ramp-assessment/ Read More... from Pacific Grove Handicap Ramp Assessment

]]> The city of Pacific Grove requested that a particular area of their city be mapped showing where handicap ramps, specifically sidewalk-to-street ramps, are located. The purpose of mapping the locations of these handicap ramps is to determine where other handicap ramps might be needed or improved upon. It is important that the city of Pacific Grove make sure that there are handicap ramps in locations around their city so that those people who use wheelchairs, walkers, motorized scooters and even people who use strollers for their children are able to get around. Without these sidewalk-to-street ramps, accessibility would be severely decreased while also acting as a hazard to those who have need of the ramps to get around.

]]> /projects/pacific-grove-handicap-ramp-assessment/feed/ 0 Planning for a New Mobility Future /projects/planning-for-a-new-mobility-future/ /projects/planning-for-a-new-mobility-future/#respond Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:38:43 +0000 https://portal.epicn.org/case-stories/planning-for-a-new-mobility-future/ Read More... from Planning for a New Mobility Future

]]> With advances in technology, new forms of mobility are emerging and entering our cities. These new modes are driving the need for plans and policies that direct how they will operate in cities, where they can operate and park, and who can use them. The cities of Eugene and Gresham would like to prepare for these new modes of mobility.

Transportation Planning students were tasked with gathering data on current parking and micro-mobility usage and infrastructure, analyzing these data, and issuing recommendations to address new mobility. Students also researched how other U.S. cities are addressing issues such as high parking occupancy, bicycle infrastructure, the emergence of transportation network companies (TNCs) like Lyft and Uber (also known as ride-hailing services), and new forms of micro-mobility such as e-scooters. Taking into consideration research from other U.S. cities and the goals of Eugene and Gresham, students recommended the following policy approaches.

]]> Under the direction of Professor Marc Schlossberg, 42 students in the University of Oregon Department of Planning, Public Policy, and Management’s Bicycle Transportation course reviewed and examined critical elements of an urban bikeway system and proposed projects that would encourage and increase bicycle ridership and safety in Medford. This course was offered to upper-level undergraduates and graduate students from a variety of academic disciplines.
Course projects were generally chosen by surveying elements of Medford’s environment including:
• Existing and proposed bike lanes
• Automobile traffic volumes on all roads
• Residential population density in Medford
• Connecting neighborhoods, schools, parks, and destinations.
One of the city’s primary goals was to think about ways to build upon and highlight the amenity of the Bear Creek Greenway. The Bear Creek Greenway provides Medford an excellent source for bicycling and walking, but routes connecting to and from the greenway into neighborhoods, business districts, or recreation areas around Medford are lacking.
Students focused on various areas surrounding the Bear Creek Greenway and researched potential recommendations for enhancing its use and connections between destinations. Projects developed for this course considered current bicycle parking capacity, average daily traffic (ADT) counts, neighborhood demographics, local economy, and nearby destinations. Students collaborated with city staff to identify locations where the Greenway intersects key Medford streets.
This report outlines ways to better utilize this asset. Some students introduce the concept of a neighborhood greenway and different strategies developed to better connect schools and neighborhoods safely. Some present a set of approaches that enable bicycle riders to share the road safely with automobile traffic. Other students focus on non-design bicycle and active transportation related projects including education campaigns, wayfinding and branding, and other forms of encouragement, or programs that can increase community
awareness and participation in cycling. Recommendations vary from easily implemented changes that complement existing infrastructure, to more challenging road redesigns and treatments. Consistent across course projects, however, was a focus on connectivity throughout Medford that can provide citizens of all ages and abilities with bicycle access to this source of untapped
potential from both arterial and neighborhood streets.

]]> Tigard, a suburb of Portland, Oregon, is interested in a new urban design vision as a new MAX light rail line is proposed to extend through the city. TriMet and the city of Tigard partnered with a University of Oregon graduate architecture seminar and design studio to envision a new plan and identity for the city. The city of Tigard sees this new transit line as an opportunity on many levels. Tigard aims to be the “most walkable city in the Pacific Northwest,” which could include a shift from its current identity as a transit line transfer point into a destination for visitors and commuters. With a new light rail line making travel to downtown Portland and surrounding
suburbs easier, the city of Tigard sees opportunity for growth and development, and the potential to redefine some of its city goals.
Student teams of three to four members tackled these issues and presented proposals for a new town center in Tigard. Though each team proposed unique schemes, there are similar issues and goals. Some key focus areas include:
• Creating a public “place” and identity where the MAX light rail stops in Tigard
• Creating a connection to the existing town
• Celebrating Fanno Creek, a natural area and trail system located west of downtown
• Re-designing Hall Boulevard to become safer and more accessible for pedestrians
• Redefining the city grid and creating more manageable block sizes
The following proposals have various approaches to urban design and the future vision for the city of Tigard, but all make an effort toward sustainable urban design. Through effective street design, stormwater management, pedestrian-focused public spaces, mixed-use development strategies, and more, these proposals aim to develop Tigard into a place where people want to live, develop, and enjoy public spaces.

]]> Tigard, a suburb of Portland, Oregon, is interested in a new urban design vision as a new MAX light rail line is proposed to extend through the city. TriMet and the city of Tigard partnered with a University of Oregon graduate architecture seminar and design studio to envision a new plan and identity for the city. The city of Tigard sees this new transit line as an opportunity on many levels. Tigard aims to be the “most walkable city in the Pacific Northwest,” which could include a shift from its current identity as a transit line transfer point into a destination for visitors and commuters. With a new light rail line making travel to downtown Portland and surrounding
suburbs easier, the city of Tigard sees opportunity for growth and development, and the potential to redefine some of its city goals.
Student teams of three to four members tackled these issues and presented proposals for a new town center in Tigard. Though each team proposed unique schemes, there are similar issues and goals. Some key focus areas include:
• Creating a public “place” and identity where the MAX light rail stops in Tigard
• Creating a connection to the existing town
• Celebrating Fanno Creek, a natural area and trail system located west of downtown
• Re-designing Hall Boulevard to become safer and more accessible for pedestrians
• Redefining the city grid and creating more manageable block sizes
The following proposals have various approaches to urban design and the future vision for the city of Tigard, but all make an effort toward sustainable urban design. Through effective street design, stormwater management, pedestrian-focused public spaces, mixed-use development strategies, and more, these proposals aim to develop Tigard into a place where people want to live, develop, and enjoy public spaces.

]]> This studio project was organized around the plans for a new TriMet light rail line to Tigard, Tualatin, and Washington County. Though this Southwest Corridor project is still in the early phases of planning and design, the studio collaborated with TriMet planners and the City of Tigard to visualize the future of a site that is likely to become a major station area. In addition, the site is seen as a critical location for a Park and Ride structure as this point marks where traffic into Portland drastically increases. The merge from Pacific Highway (99W) onto Interstate 5 (I-5) lies one-half mile east of the site, and the intersection of the two sees daily congestion and long waiting traffic.
This site provides opportunities beyond transit. Older development near the site has potential to be acquired by the project for use as Park & Ride, LRT station, and for potential development of parking and transportation-related uses. Other adjacent sites can be critical
purchases for developers given the benefits of the transit station. The City of Tigard supports plans for these future developments that include sustainable transit-oriented design, and restoration of environmental assets, such as Red Rock Creek, as opposed to box commercial development that maintains an auto-oriented focus. Students were tasked with considering the area surrounding the future station site as well as places that may be developed in later phases.
The class divided into groups of various sizes, each focusing on a different approach to the transit-oriented development (TOD) proposed around the new TriMet station. Most teams developed 80- and 40-scale designs to create a cohesive master plan across the site before taking a more individual approach on an area with a smaller extent and more detail. Groups included:
• “Stormwater Impacts”, Chrissy Stillman
This design focuses on Red Rock Creek as its own entity. Chrissy calculated on and off-site storm water entering the creek, its ephemeral flooding zones, and the impacts of more hardscape in the area. Much of her design strategies for reducing the
“flashiness” of the creek occurred east of the study area toward I-5.
• “68th and Rock Creek Parking Structure”, Kailee Bell
This design focuses on the opportunity of an off-site parking structure west of SW 68th Parkway that could provide rooftop amenities and access to a multimodal path along the bridged rail line leading into the station. This alternative solution frees up space
for transit-oriented development in the site south of the station by providing at least half the required parking within a reasonable off-site distance.
• “Place over Parking”, Thomas Copper and Nick Sund
This design focuses on the maximum integration of parking in a high-density transit-oriented development site adjacent to the light rail station. This team focused on TOD1, the second thing likely to be built by developers after the station.
• “Positively Tigard” Adam DeHeer and Yumna Imtiaz
This team focused on a design of the station and the transit-oriented development with an approach of impact mitigation and sustainability. This group focused on the station plaza and TOD1 and worked closely with Chrissy Stillman for assessing storm
water impact of their design proposal.
• “Tigard Terraces”, Brianna Heese, Emma Stone, Bocong Li, and Tori Murphy
This team focused on the topography of the site to integrate a medium density transit-oriented development. The team proposed designs for the station plaza, TOD1, Red Rock Creek, and TOD2 to meet the long-term phasing goals of TriMet and Tigard.
Students generally found the site challenging in terms of balancing programmatic requirements with creating livable and enjoyable spaces. The student designs offer the best attempts to combine the two goals and do so in many ways. The required amount of parking was a challenge, and most students found that the best way to create a functioning transit-oriented development was either to invest in a parking structure below development or to site the parking across SW 68th Parkway. Additionally, if Tigard and TriMet desire sustainable and ecological designs, many teams suggest partnering with developers now and planning for elements to be incorporated. Finally, Red Rock Creek presents a potential flood problem for nearby development. Teams recommend multiple ways to reduce the flashiness of the creek, such as capturing stormwater on site for any new development.

]]> This report summarizes the student design proposals for redeveloping three sites in downtown Albany, Oregon. University of Oregon Architecture students were tasked with iden fying op ons to increase ac vity within the respec ve sites in the downtown region.
The projects were divided into three separate proposals; these three integrated architectural components consis ng of the categories “eat, shop, and play” worked together to increase downtown ac vity.
Students conducted site analyses for the respec ve project loca ons, developingdesign proposals with assistance from city o cials, and architectural and business professionals. Students presented to the City of Albany sta and elected o cials during both beginning and nal phases of their design concepts. Architecture students at the University of Oregon completed design proposals for redeveloping the City of Albany’s downtown. The class, led by architectural professional and adjunct professor Joseph Moore, ar culate solu ons that increase ac vity and vitality in downtown Albany.Working within the goals of the Albany Retail Re nement Plan, students approached downtown revitaliza on through the lens of equity. Three sites iden ed for redevelopment cover three unique programs that focus around the concepts of food equity, economic equity, and social equity. Each student designed for one of these three sites. This report is a summary of students’ work and recommenda ons.

]]> This report formally documents the ideas and proposals made to the city of Tualatin by the
University of Oregon’s Sustainable Transportation class in the Planning, Public Policy, and
Management program. The class met with city officials and community members to hear
suggested improvements, performed site visits to see what could be done, and then cultivated
work in response to the goals of the city and its residents. These goals were as follows:
Increase accessibility for employers and employees; Reduce congestion felt by the entire city and its neighbors; Design (or redesign) transportation systems to accommodate an aging population and children.
The work produced by the class was broken into three themes:
Theme 1: Walking
The class proposed ways to optimize the pedestrian safety and experience. This included
proposals such as physical barriers between vehicles, redirecting traffic to avoid high-volume
pedestrian crossings, and thematic signage to aid wayfinding.
Theme 2: Biking
The class proposed ways to prioritize bicycle infrastructure and cyclist safety. This included the
implementation of a bicycle boulevard, increased visibility in high-volume automobile corridors,
and the redesign of some streets to allow for more comfortable bicycling along vehicles.
Theme 3: Transit
The class proposed ways to prioritize transit use in Tualatin and improve connections between
existing transit stations. This included a proposed bus rapid transit route, transit stops
throughout the city, and the redesign of some streets to allow for prioritized transit access.

Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.

Sustainable City Year Program Contact Info
Megan Banks
Sustainable City Year Program Manager
mbanks@uoregon.edu
(541) 346-6395

University Faculty Contact
Marc Schlossberg
Planning, Public Policy and Management

schlossb@uoregon.edu

Local Government / Community Contact
Zoe Monahan

Management Analyst

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