The Montreal Gazette reports that Dr. David Hanna of the University of Quebec in Montreal recently presented a detailed case for future public transit and urban planning in Montreal, using Portland, Oregon as a model.
Dr. Hanna cites three steps to Portland’s smart growth success:
- - the demolition of a six lane highway that separated the City Centre from the Willamette river and the subsequent Waterfront Park creation in 1973;
- - the conversion of Federal roads funding to funds dedicated to building the LRT system in 1986; and,
- - 1997′s Regional Plan which focussed on urban density restrictions and public transit
Hanna’s presentation (only available in French) extrapolates Portland’s successes to Montreal’s STM metro system and the banlieuses it serves.
