OAR 660-012-0000: Purpose

(1) This division implements Statewide Planning Goal 12 (Transportation) to provide and encourage a safe, convenient, and economic transportation system. This division also implements provisions of other statewide planning goals related to transportation planning in order to plan and develop transportation facilities and services in close coordination with urban and rural development. The purpose of this division is to direct transportation planning in coordination with land use planning to: (a) Provide for safe transportation for all Oregonians; (b) Promote the development of transportation systems adequate to serve statewide, regional, and local transportation needs; (c) Provide a transportation system that serves the mobility and access needs of those who cannot drive and other underserved populations; (d) Provide for affordable, accessible and convenient transit, pedestrian, and bicycle access and circulation, with improved connectivity to destinations people want to reach, such as education facilities, workplaces, services, shopping, places of worship, parks, open spaces, and community centers; (e) Reduce pollution from transportation to meet statewide statutory and executive goals to reduce climate pollution; (f) Recognize and remedy impacts of past practices that have harmed underserved populations, such as redlining, displacement, exclusionary zoning, inaccessible design, and roadway and other public infrastructure siting; (g) Engage underserved populations in decision-making and prioritize investments serving those communities; (h) Facilitate the safe flow of freight, goods, and services within regions and throughout the state through a variety of modes including road, air, rail, and marine transportation; (i) Protect the functions of existing and planned transportation facilities, corridors, and sites; (j) Provide for the construction and implementation of transportation facilities, improvements, and services necessary to support acknowledged comprehensive plans; (k) Identify how transportation facilities are provided on rural lands consistent with the statewide planning goals; (l) Protect and restore safe passage for fish and wildlife, flood waters, and other natural system functions at roadway crossings of waterbodies and other native habitat corridors; (m) Require coordination among affected local governments and transportation service providers and consistency between state, regional, and local transportation plans; and (n) Encourage changes to comprehensive plans to be supported by adequate planned transportation facilities for all modes. (2) In meeting the purposes described in section (1), coordinated land use and transportation plans should ensure the transportation system supports a pattern of travel and land use in urban areas that will avoid common air pollution, climate pollution, inequity, wasteful spending, and health and livability problems, through measures designed to increase transportation options and make more efficient use of the existing transportation system. (3) The extent of planning required by this division and the outcome of individual transportation plans will vary depending on community size, needs and circumstances. Generally, larger and faster growing communities and regions will need to prepare more comprehensive and detailed plans, while smaller communities and rural areas will have more general plans. For all communities, the mix of planned transportation facilities and services should be sufficient to promote economic, sustainable, and environmentally sound mobility and accessibility for all Oregonians. Coordinating land use and transportation planning will also complement efforts to meet other state and local objectives, including containing urban development, reducing the cost of public services, protecting farm and forest land, reducing air, water, and noise pollution, conserving energy, and reducing climate pollution. (a) In all urban areas, coordinated land use and transportation plans are intended to provide safe transportation and to enhance, promote and facilitate safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle travel by planning a well-connected network of streets, sidewalks, paths, and trails, and supporting improvements for non-driving travel modes. (b) In urban areas with a population greater than 25,000 persons, coordinated land use and transportation plans are intended to improve livability and accessibility by promoting the provision of transit service and more efficient performance of existing transportation facilities through transportation system management and demand management measures. (c) Within metropolitan areas, coordinated land use and transportation plans are intended to improve livability and accessibility by promoting changes in the transportation system and land use patterns. A key outcome of this effort is a reduction in dependence on single occupant automobile use, particularly during peak periods. To accomplish this outcome, this division promotes increased planning for non-driving modes and street connectivity and encourages land use patterns throughout urban areas that make it more convenient for people to walk, bicycle, use transit, use automobile travel more efficiently, and drive less to meet their daily needs. The result of applying these portions of the division will vary within metropolitan areas. Some parts of urban areas, such as downtowns, pedestrian districts, transit-oriented developments, climate-friendly areas, areas along priority transit corridors, and other mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly centers, will be highly convenient for a variety of modes, including walking, bicycling and transit, while others will be more auto-oriented while still providing safe and convenient access and circulation by other modes. In all instances, infrastructure shall be designed and constructed to deliver safety and convenience for all Oregonians. (4) This division sets requirements for coordination among affected levels of government and transportation service providers for preparation, adoption, refinement, implementation, and amendment of transportation system plans. Transportation system plans adopted pursuant to this division fulfill the requirements for public facilities required under ORS 197.712(2)(e), Goal 11 and OAR chapter 660, division 11, as they relate to transportation facilities. The rules in this division are not intended to make local government determinations “land use decisions” under ORS 197.015(10). The rules recognize, however, that under existing statutory and case law, many determinations relating to the adoption and implementation of transportation plans will be land use decisions.