Well, the SF/San Jose metro region is barely growing anymore. The population growth rate from 2000 to 2006 was less than 2%. The Portland region’s growth rate in that same time period was over 10%, which puts it among the faster-growing regions of the US. I think Measure 36 and its associated land use reforms will help over time.
I was at a Propeller club meeting where the keynote speaker was the transportation planning commisioner (the bicycle guy)for Portland. The subject was how to get cargo out of the port and through all the congestion on the freeways. I asked about adding parkways going from the port area to meet with the freeways out of town.
The guys reply was classic. They didn’t want to build them because other drivers will find them and then use them.