#1 INNOVATIVE BUS RAPID TRANSIT IN EUGENE
Eugene, Oregon, located two hours south of Portland, is only the second U.S. city to build a bus rapid transit system based on the one in Curitiba, Brazil. This corridor and its EmX Green Line connect Eugene to nearby Springfield, creating one of North America's premier small-city examples of a bus rapid-transit system. This tour will include a ride on the EmX and feature some of the significant public and private investments along the corridor.

Cost: $45 (lunch included)

#2 SUBURB-TO-SUBURB COMMUTER RAIL COLLABORATION
True collaboration benefits everyone. Just look at the WES (Westside Express Service) Commuter Rail. This project — which connects the suburbs of Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville — involved two transit agencies, federal agencies, state and federal legislators, a state agency, a county, four cities and diverse stakeholders such as educators, police, firefighters and business leaders and the Portland & Western Railroad. Traveling by light rail and the WES, you will discover how these diverse partners worked together to create Oregon's first (and the nation's first all-suburban) commuter rail project.

Cost: $45

#3 PREPARING LAKE OSWEGO FOR RAPID STREETCAR
The city of Lake Oswego may soon be the terminus of the Portland region's first rapid streetcar, but there are some daunting considerations to expansion: the city is built around a pristine man-made lake and the City and private property owners are both key stakeholders. Long before the proposed transit, however, this community had already made significant efforts to create a downtown environment that would provide easy transit access for residents and visitors. This tour will — via streetcar and trolley — showcase these built efforts and illustrate further exciting plans that are under way.

Cost: $45

#4 THE WEAVE: URBAN TRANSFORMATION WITH LIGHT RAIL
Not "just transit." The Portland Transit Mall is a collaborative effort of urban designers, architects, artists, engineers and transit planners to transform an urban corridor in downtown Portland. Project leaders envisioned a vibrant corridor to accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers and transit riders, punctuated by urban spaces that enhance the corridor's architectural frontage. Ride TriMet's new Green Line light rail and learn about the strong support from the downtown business community, as well as the incorporation of public art, innovative safety improvements and real-time transit information.

Cost: $45

#5 SOWA: A HIGH-DENSITY STREETCAR NEIGHBORHOOD
South Waterfront is Portland's big leap towards high-rise, high-density urban living. Oregon Health Sciences University, progressive developers and the City partnered to build a transit-friendly neighborhood served by an aerial tram, streetcar expansion, bikeways, walking trails and a soon-to-be-built transit bridge. Many are asking, "Is Portland ready for this new step?" The tour — via streetcar and aerial tram — highlights many of the district's innovative concepts, how developers and local agencies are responding to the current economic recession, and transit's role in determining the district's eventual success.

Cost: $45

#6 PORTLAND'S LOST FREEWAYS BY FOOT
In 1955, the Oregon Department of Transportation proposed 14 new freeways in the Portland area. The most infamous, the Mount Hood Freeway, would have bisected southeast Portland and destroyed one percent of the city's housing stock. It was a proud moment in Portland history when a citizen-led revolt halted the proposed construction and its funds were transferred to other transportation projects, including the creation of the Portland area's first light rail line. This tour explores Portland's waterfront — a green space that is shaped by built freeways, removed freeways and by freeways that almost were. This tour is offered both as a walking tour and as a bicycle tour at #7.

Cost: $45

#7 PORTLAND'S LOST FREEWAYS BY BICYCLE
Same tour as above, via bicycle. Approximate distance: 10 easy miles.

Cost: $60 (includes bicycle rental)

#8 TRANSIT DOUBLE FEATURE: STREETCARS AND LIGHT RAIL
The Portland area's newest light rail line leads to the front door of the only streetcar manufacturer in the U.S. — making this tour a "must-see" double feature. Ride TriMet's Green Line south along I-205, a freeway built long ago with future light rail expansion in mind. Stops will illustrate some of TriMet's latest station designs and discuss some recent challenging development strategies. A factory tour of United Streetcar will provide a fascinating look at how this heralded form of livability and sustainability also helps bolster new manufacturing jobs and new economies.

Cost: $45 (lunch included)

THE FOOTHILLS DISTRICT (LAKE OSWEGO)
Lake Oswego, one of the region’s town centers, has recently seen much success in redeveloping its downtown business district onto its lakefront. This charrette will seek to extend that success to the edge of the Willamette River. You will tackle issues related to redeveloping an industrial district that is planned to include an extension of the streetcar line from Portland. This 120-acre Foothills Area in the city of Lake Oswego contains the last remaining industrial area that is ripe for redevelopment along this portion of the river. The goal is to develop the entire area into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood that provides a variety of new housing opportunities and supports Lake Oswego’s downtown. Daunting design challenges and constraints include: limited access for bikes, pedestrians and cars; a large floodplain; significant topographical issues; and the presence of a wastewater treatment plant.

Cost: $45

HOLLYWOOD TOWN CENTER (PORTLAND)
Help shape ideas for creating an urban park/plaza that will serve as the heart and soul of the Hollywood District – a growing, vibrant area adjacent to the downtown core and heavily dependent on transit. Developed between the 1920s and 1960s, the Hollywood District boasts several recent major infill projects such as: a new grocery store with housing above, a gym, an office complex, and a large regional health system headquarters. Despite these many significant improvements, the area woefully lacks a large-scale, thriving urban park or plaza to support community activities. During the charrette, you will visit and evaluate several potential sites using community-identified criteria and will develop alternative design scenarios for this missing cornerstone of the Hollywood District success story.

Cost: $45

MILL DISTRICT (VANCOUVER, WASH.)
Vancouver, Wash., is a major suburb of the Portland region and has emerged as a key presence in the region’s commitment to livability, sustainability, economic success and social equity. The city’s historic downtown has created more than $300 million in private development during the past decade. A light rail line is proposed to cross the Columbia River that serves as the gateway to Vancouver and the state of Washington. Help identify transit-oriented development opportunities that will spark livable, sustainable, vibrant and economically successful development in the city’s historic Mill District. Visualize ideas for transit-oriented development potential along the future light rail line.

Cost: $45

#9 HANDCRAFTING PORTLAND’S 20-MINUTE NEIGHBORHOODS
Portland is home to one of North America’s largest expanses of neighborhoods built by first-generation streetcar. An abundance of trees line these pedestrian-oriented, vibrant commercial centers. The neighborhoods provide local residents with everyday needs, all within a 20-minute trip. While the original streetcar has long been removed, these areas continue to thrive due to regular bus service and bicycling facilities. Portland’s entrepreneurial culture is infusing new energy into these commercial areas, and developers and architects are responding with projects that respect existing neighborhood character and create unique identities. You’ll explore the districts by foot and via transit.

Cost: $45

#10 INCORPORATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND CO-HOUSING
There is no one-size-fits-all prescription for affordable housing. Since affordable transportation alternatives are a significant component of affordable housing, the Portland region has attempted to encourage these developments in areas where walking, transit and bicycling provide residents with real economic alternatives to owning a car. See some of Portland’s recently-built housing developments — by transit and on foot — and discuss innovative approaches and partnerships that have created accessible transit to help shape community housing.

Cost: $45

MPO/Transit Peer Exchange
Transit agencies and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are critical to the success of tomorrow's livable communities. Together they can support the planning and implementation of successful TOD with station area plans, capital improvements that support station access, funding for infrastructure, and parking strategies. FTA, AMPO and APTA are working together to develop new partnerships, tools and resources for shaping positive, long-lasting livability changes. From barriers to best practices, this discussion between MPOs and transit agencies promises to be lively.

#11 PORTLAND’S MATURING STREETCAR NEIGHBORHOOD
It's been 10 years since the development of Portland’s renaissance streetcar neighborhood. Once a muddy rail yard with scattered industrial buildings, today the Pearl District is a national model for success. Creative partnerships between multiple city agencies and innovative developers created this 21st-century streetcar neighborhood. The tour shares Portland’s lessons for integrating streetcars into the urban fabric and will explore the significant role of green architecture, parks, pedestrian-only streets, public art and adaptive re-use of existing buildings when creating such neighborhoods. (Also offered on October 21 as #19.)

Cost: $45

#12 BIKEWAYS AND GREEN STREETS PDX
As one of the nation's Platinum bicycle-friendly cities, Portland is home to the best on-street bicycle network in the U.S., affirmed by the fact that more than six percent of Portlanders commute by bicycle. While innovative on-street bicycling facilities — such as cycle tracks, bike boxes, bike boulevards and bike-only traffic signals — have contributed to creating an effective network, Portland has identified many other tangible benefits by promoting this transportation mode. Bicycling is helping create a new, locally-based economy. It is also helping spur urban redevelopment, safer pedestrian environments, greener streets and increased transit ridership. Portland’s bike network now shares the podium with transit in its ability to transform Portland’s streets into people-friendly places. Approximate distance: 10 easy miles.

Cost: $60 (includes bicycle rental)

New Starts Symposium
Converting your vision for a New Starts project — or even extending an existing line — into reality can be filled with challenges and opportunities. Learn directly from professionals who have overcome the challenges in bringing rail transit and bus rapid transit to their communities. In addition, Federal Transit Administration representatives will share insights into their program objectives and explain how communities have successfully blended local and federal considerations to fast-track federal review. Hear straight talk about how to avoid common pitfalls and successfully follow in their tracks. Experts will discuss how you can make the difference between failure and success by articulating your vision, getting ample local and private financing and understanding federal priorities throughout the project development approval process.

Cost: $45

Welcome Reception
Wind up your first day of the conference by joining the Rail~Volution Local Host Committee and an array of local sponsors for a dazzling welcome in the heart of Portland's ultimate transit-oriented neighborhood, the Pearl District. Connect with livability enthusiasts from around the country in this soaring glass-walled pavilion called Pure Space. Glimpse this chic neighborhood that embraces streetcars, buses, walking, biking and pedi-cabs in a strong commitment to car-free living. To get to the event, you'll ride the streetcar that kicked off America's streetcar renaissance.

NAPTA Advocates Meeting
Sit in with this introductory breakfast gathering to discuss communications and advocacy strategies that support local, state and federal public transportation activities. See www.napta.net.

DETAILS TO COME

DETAILS TO COME

Rev up your knowledge of the critical tenets and fundamental principles of livable communities by engaging in Rail~Volution 101. Learn the secrets of creating mixed-use, higher-density communities. Get an inside look at how transit-oriented design can serve as the catalyst for lifting communities into positive solutions for energy and environmental challenges. Engage in topics such as creating green design, reducing trip and energy usage (and carbon footprints), and promoting long-term sustainable economic growth in our neighborhoods, cities and regions.

AIA, ASLA, APA — Together at the Center
So much of Rail~Volution celebrates collaboration across disciplines and this event is no different. Leaders from three professional organizations at the center of the movement — the American Institute of Architects, American Society of Landscape Architects and American Planning Association — will approach the challenges of defining, creating and enlivening livable cities from their organizations' perspectives.

TOD Managers Forum
Representatives from cities, transit agencies and the private sector will gather to discuss recent projects, innovative approaches, government funding sources, development agreements, public entitlement processes, and the “art of the deal.” In this networking opportunity, participants can talk with their peers from around the country — other TOD managers — about recent accomplishments, challenges and strategies in their communities.

ADDITIONAL EVENTS
More to come....

DETAILS TO COME

#13 CREATING A SUSTAINABLE SUBURB WITH TRANSIT
The MAX Blue Line was TriMet's first light rail project, connecting suburban Gresham to downtown Portland in 1986. Since then, the City of Gresham, regional planning and transit agencies and private developers have partnered on multiple transit-oriented projects to promote ridership, create civic and recreational spaces and provide opportunities for new economic development. Hop aboard the Blue Line to see recently planned and completed projects that illustrate the new energy that is going into the next generation of planning around light rail in suburban Portland.

Cost: $45

#14 BRIDGING THE DIVIDE: VANCOUVER, WASH.
Separated from much of the Portland metropolitan region by a state line and the mighty Columbia River and bisected by an interstate that separates its downtown from its namesake historic fort, Vancouver is a city that faces a variety of unique development challenges. Washington's fourth largest city, Vancouver aims to create a distinct identity while better connecting itself to its metropolitan region to the south. The city will be forever transformed by the proposed Columbia River Crossing bridge, envisioned to bring light rail and improved bicycle/pedestrian access to its downtown. As design decisions are debated, developers take a cautious approach to downtown investment while the city seeks its new destiny. Participants will travel by light rail and bus.

Cost: $45

DETAILS TO COME

The New Rail~Volutionaries Reception and TOD Filmfest
Mix and mingle with local transit, bike, pedestrian, housing and community advocates and professionals, as well as the next generation of "Rail~Volutionaries." This TOD Filmfest of short subjects at the historic Bagdad Theatre and Pub in the heart of Portland's Hawthorne District, is sure to attract a crowd. An honest and entertaining look at how we got here, for the people who will take TOD into the future.

Reception:  6:30pm–7:30pm
TOD Filmfest:  7:30pm–9:00pm

Cost: $20 (includes refreshments)

Community Streetcar Coalition Meeting
The Community Streetcar Coalition is a partnership of cities, transit authorities and architectural and engineering firms that supports development of the Small Starts program with the Federal Transit Administration. You're invited to learn about the coalition and discuss current issues facing streetcar projects and administration of the program by the FTA.

DETAILS TO COME

#15 LAWRENCE HALPRIN'S STAMP ON PORTLAND LIVABILITY
Renowned landscape architect Lawrence Halprin's designs reinvented American public space, ushering in a new form of urban ecology with modernist fountains, plazas and green spaces. The tour begins in Portland's Auditorium District, where a sequence of four fountains designed by the landscape architect almost 50 years ago weaves through three city blocks. These beloved public spaces began Portland's love affair with outdoor civic space. We will see how later projects, such as Pioneer Courthouse Square in Downtown, Jamison Square in the Pearl District and Caruthers Park in South Waterfront, all affirm what he started in the 1960s: Nature in public spaces and walkways “nourishes the soul” and defines Portland's character as a green city. This tour will weave through all these areas by foot and via transit.

Cost: $45

#16 EVERYDAY URBANISM A LA CARTE
Portland's newest green experiment couples its burgeoning food culture with cast-off real estate. Portland's food culture is exploding, redefining the next green wave. Food carts, public markets and indigenous micro-businesses are dotting abandoned parking lots and vacant alleys. Community gardens are reclaiming empty public spaces. The tour will showcase how the locavore movement and other micro-activity are advancing new economic models for Portland and making connections between food and neighborhood.

Cost: $45

DETAILS TO COME

DETAILS TO COME

DETAILS TO COME

Rail~Volution's popular TOD Marketplace is the epicenter of engaging, animated dialogue –where developers, investors, transit agencies, cities and property owners gather to talk about the Art of the Deal and eliciting community support in a tenuous economy. A panel of national developers will provide perspectives about where they think the real estate market is headed and will critique plans created during the three charrette sessions. Also on tap, displays of potential property development offerings.

#17 SMALL FOOTPRINT BY DESIGN
Green buildings, green streets and green urban spaces define the city's fabric and also address climate change goals. Portland and its metropolitan region have been at the forefront of creating policies and programs that have promoted cleaner, healthier and safer environments for decades. This history has encouraged green innovation in the private sector, spawned local university research and resulted in a new and vibrant green economy. A test garden for the green building industry, Portland's buildings, streets, parks and infrastructure exhibit new eco-friendly building materials, systems and techniques that provide model green solutions for much of the world. The tour will provide an insider's glimpse at many of the places that help make Portland green.

Cost: $45

#18 PORTLAND 'GO BY BIKE'
Experience the true essence of Portland in its exceptional role as America's first major Platinum-designated bike-friendly city. See, hear and feel the spirit of a genuine urban biking community. On this special tour, you will enjoy Portland's bicycle-friendly streets and buffered bicycle lanes, green streets and trails. Learn about agency efforts and creative collaborations between public and private entities to encourage bicycling. Explore the techniques and challenges to better integrate bicycling with on-street rail lines. This tour provides an enriching opportunity to network with other “bicyclistas” while also exploring the unique bike culture that contributes to Portland's vibrant, local economy. Approximate Distance: 10 easy miles. (Also offered on October 21 as #21)

Cost: $60 (includes bicycle rental)

DETAILS TO COME

Trade Show Reception
Meet the firms who are making a difference in the livability and sustainability movement. Companies will display information throughout the conference. Meet representatives from those firms at their booths and exhibits during this reception.

DETAILS TO COME

DETAILS TO COME

DETAILS TO COME

#19 PORTLAND'S MATURING STREETCAR NEIGHBORHOOD
Encore mobile workshop; see description for #11.

Cost: $45

#20 SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES OF SUBURBAN TOD
Orenco Station is a greenfield development that is a crown jewel of Portland area transit-oriented development. But it's sometimes considered a little too perfect. The Beaverton Round is an ambitious, yet now infamous, TOD currently being resurrected from bankruptcy. Downtown Hillsboro is a great suburban success story about how light rail transit can create fundamental urban transformations in a formerly transit-challenged environment. Traveling by light rail, participants will learn about these three renowned TOD successes, the candid truth about the many challenges they have faced and how these important lessons are affecting the region's future TOD development.

Cost: $45

#21 PORTLAND 'GO BY BIKE'
Encore mobile workshop; see description for #18.

Cost: $60 (includes bicycle rental)

This is your chance to delve into the specifics of Portland's vaunted livability. We will explore in greater depth the past, present and future considerations of rail transportation. Show up and choose one of five concurrent sessions:

• Portland Regional Partnerships — The critical element in shaping land use and creating successful transit projects.
• Transit Mall — A tour and detailed briefing on Portland's downtown success story.
• Metro Regional Programs — Designating rural and urban reserves, high-capacity transit and regional TOD.
• Bicycles — Plans, programs and projects.
• Sustainability Programs — Climate Action Plan, Ecodistricts and Green Roofs/Green Streets.