Original research and commentary on what matters for city success. https://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mw77sdfflv2xODOT admits its climate strategy is failing, tries to shift blame For years, its been obvious that the Oregon Department of Transportation's greenhouse gas reduction strategy--which hinges on a 20 percent reduction in per capita... https://cityobservatory.org/climate_fail_and_blame/23 Sep 2026 17:01 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mw77sdfflv2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mw4m7qrm7k2gOregon isn’t on track to meet transportation emissions goals, forecast shows • Oregon Capital Chronicle https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/09/16/oregon-isnt-on-track-to-meet-transportation-emissions-goals-forecast-shows/22 Sep 2026 16:06 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mw4m7qrm7k2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvzzfzqtgc2mODOT finally admits its not on track to meet climate goals, but falsely blames others, not its own failing policies, including wasting billions to expand highways. https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/09/16/oregon-isnt-on-track-to-meet-transportation-emissions-goals-forecast-shows/ https://cityobservatory.org/wrong-way-odot-is-driving-in-the-wrong-direction-for-climate/21 Sep 2026 15:24 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvzzfzqtgc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvv5skbuic2wOregon is worst for funding road maintenance, and has 2 of the 3 most expensive highway expansion projects in the nation. Hardly a coincidence. https://cityobservatory.org/bankrupt-a-3-5-billion-rose-quarter-freeway-widening-project/ https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2026/09/18/oregon-has-one-of-the-nations-largest-funding-gaps-to-meet-road-maintenance-needs/19 Sep 2026 16:59 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvv5skbuic2whttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvuxkgpnm22rAt its core, AI is about theft. https://www.404media.co/doom-loop-openai-and-microsoft-admits-llms-are-destroying-the-web-and-built-on-theft/19 Sep 2026 15:07 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvuxkgpnm22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvsvpzbuhs2fCarmageddon does a no-show in Portland. Closing the I-5 freeway increased AM peak hour travel times about five minutes compared to normal conditions. https://cityobservatory.org/wheres-my-carmaggedon/18 Sep 2026 19:29 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvsvpzbuhs2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvqnnq5usb2b Testimony of Joe Cortright Oregon Senate Committee on Commerce and General Government   September 8, 2026   Thank you, Chair Meek. Vice-Chair Drazen, and members.  I really appreciate you... https://cityobservatory.org/18445-2/17 Sep 2026 21:59 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvqnnq5usb2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvpxedctm226Where's my Carmaggedon, Day 4. Thursday morning commute from Vancouver to Portland is 31 minutes, about 5 minutes longer than the pre-shutdown travel time, according to Google Maps. That's well within the typical range of morning commute times (20-40 minutes). https://cityobservatory.org/carmageddoniscoming/17 Sep 2026 15:20 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvpxedctm226https://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvkw7zzgfs26Today's "Carmaggedon" report: It takes about 33 minutes to go from Vancouver City Hall to Portland City Hall, about 7 minutes longer than on a typical pre-closure weekday, and well within the usual 20-40 minute range reported by Google Maps. (Today is on left; Typical "pre-closure" on right)15 Sep 2026 15:17 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvkw7zzgfs26https://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mviqhghnac2mZoom-Zoom: Live traffic cameras run by KATU set to show "MONDAY GRIDLOCK" actually show traffic moving smoothly on I-5. (11:25AM, 14 Sept). Where's my carmaggedon? https://katu.com/news/survive-i-5/watch-i-5-south-closure-hits-portland-commute-on-monday14 Sep 2026 18:28 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mviqhghnac2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvijffvcws2mCarmaggedon? Here are two snapshots of weekday morming commute travel speeds on Portland freeways, one is from before the Rose Quarter shutdown, one is from after. Can you tell which is which?14 Sep 2026 16:22 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvijffvcws2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/cityobservatory.bsky.social/post/3mvifq3mjyc2mWhere's my carmageddon? Current traffic at 8:10AM in Portland looks very similar to any other weekday. 28 minutes from Vancouver City Hall to Portland City Hall. https://cityobservatory.org/carmageddoniscoming/14 Sep 2026 15:16 +0000at://did:plc:4ksvlpg63bwylow45kusb2ts/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvifq3mjyc2m