Commuting isn't the only measure of a good community

Michael Mehaffy addresses criticism of Orenco Station, a new urban community in Hillsboro, Oregon. Mehaffy responded to a recent report of Atlantic Cities contributor Eric Jaffe, who focused on research that noted that 64 percent of the Orenco Station residents commute by car, presenting this as a failure.

"But that number is virtually the same – 62 percent – in transit-happy Portland," Mehaffy says. "In two suburban comparison areas, the number is 69 percent and 75 percent.

"Still, one would think this number should be better. Isn't the whole idea to get people to take transit?

"No, it isn't. The idea is to let people live closer to all of their destinations, so that they can get to work, and to other destinations, more easily by any mode. If they work at Intel, just behind Orenco Station, they can't take light rail. But they will likely drive less than a mile to get to work, which is far better from an energy and carbon point of view than trekking across town to pile onto the light rail."

More people walk and bicycle to work in Orenco Station than either Portland or its suburbs (see Transportation comparisons Orenco). As we reported back in 2009, a remarkable 50 percent of Orenco Station residents walk to shopping five or more times a week — up from 17 percent in 2002 and 10 times the figure of the comparison suburb. "What we need to look for, surely, is not instant results, but growing and sustained results," Mehaffy says.

In addition to transportation benefits, there are social benefits (see Social comparisons Orenco), especially the number of residents who participate in community activities — nearly double the figure for the comparison suburb. Commute trips comprise only 20 percent of total trips. They are not the sum total of what makes a good community. Using a broad measure, Orenco Station appears to be doing much better than nearby developments.

For more in-depth coverage on this topic:

• Subscribe to New Urban News to read all of the articles (print+online) on implementation of greener, stronger, cities and towns.

• Get New Urbanism: Best Practices Guide, packed with more than 800 informative photos, plans, tables, and other illustrations, this book is the best single guide to implementing better cities and towns.

• See the September 2011 issue of New Urban News. Topics: Walk Score, sprawl retrofit, livability grants, Katrina Cottages, how to get a transit village built, parking garages, the shrinking Wal-Mart, Complete Streets legislation, an urban capital fund, and much more.

• See the July-August 2011 issue of New Urban News. Downtown makeover, agrarian urbanism, bike sharing, bike-ped issues, TIGER III livability grants, unlocking remnant land value, selling the neighborhood, Landscape Urbanism vs. New Urbanism, new urban resort, granny flats, The Great Reset.

• See the June 2011 issue of New Urban News. Mid-rise living, elevated walkways, Jane Jacobs and observational urbanism, affordable transit-oriented development, the coming housing calamity, rental and TOD to dominate market, New Town in bankruptcy, regional approach for high-speed rail, the civic costs of sprawl, redevelopment of mall

• See the April-May 2011 issue of New Urban News. Transit-oriented development, “Cycle tracks,” gentrification versus revitalization, HUD grants, economic silver linings, light rail development, pocket neighborhoods, Close-in Maryland housing less expensive, transit outperforms green buildings, Charter Awards, shift to smaller stores