One reason the plan matters is because transportation is connected to many other aspects of life. Access to safe, reliable and convenient transportation also affects our access to jobs, education, healthcare, childcare, food, housing, leisure activities and more. Because it's connected to so much, our transportation system has major implications for social equity, economic health and our ability to bounce back from natural disasters. And it has a huge impact on climate change. Today, 40% of Oregon's total greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation.
On a more personal level, transportation is about movement — something we all can relate to. Almost everyone can think of a meaningful transportation experience in their lives, whether that's the first time riding a bike, or meeting someone new on the bus, or seeing the world a little differently from a window of an airplane.
In other words, transportation shapes our lives, and this plan shapes transportation. Updating the plan gives us a chance to create a more sustainable and equitable transportation system that gets all Oregonians where they're going safely and efficiently — and maybe even a little more joyfully. Planning for a better transportation future is a complex challenge that's going to take collaboration, compromise and creativity on local and statewide levels.