This presentation shows how a small band of neighborhood activists killed a destructive highway project planned to run through the heart of Portland, OR, neighborhoods in the 1970's.

1. Killing Portland Oregon’s Proposed Western Bypass Freeway, 1989-1995 Molly O’Reilly America Walks

2. A Tiny Group – A Big Victory

3. Tiny Group – Big Victory How does a very small group of citizens defeat the Oregon Department of Transportation? We had good luck! We worked hard and smart!

4. A Strategy with Many Fronts We listened and learned What concerns people? What did bureaucracies want, and say? Strengths and vulnerabilities of the Bypass proposal? Language: transpo-speak vs. citizen-speak Where and how can we affect the outcome?

5. We Were Everywhere Reinterpreted ODOT’s numbers The study didn’t really say the Bypass would accomplish very much, long term Joined every committee Citizens Advisory Committee, METRO, etc. Reframed the issue Broadened question to include our answers

8. We took our story to community meetings Visual Preference Surveys Congestion would expand to the metro perimeter Solutions? New light rail lines, TODs “If Freeways were the answer, Los Angeles would be paradise”

10. Congestion and Vehicle Use: LUTRAQvs. The Western Bypass.

11. Moving the Process Demanded one EIS for a 3-stage project Served on the ODOT Citizens Advisory Committee Served on METRO’s Transportation Policy Alternatives Committee (TPAC) Became neighborhood association officers Monitored City, County meetings

12. Being Effective Show up prepared Read all materials Identify areas where your issue can be inserted/deleted Be nimble; opportunities pop up! Reframe and put your reframing forward Build partnerships, the broader and unlikelier the better Use volunteer strengths and interests

13. Well? We split the alliance. We gave powerful Bypass opponents options to work for, and political cover to oppose the project. We did the grunt-work to take the Bypass out of the METRO Transportation Plan. We declared victory; no bypass built.

14. Contact Information Molly O’Reilly America Walks moreilly@americawalks.org 208-255-7336