About Metro
Metro: Shaping the Future of Greater Portland Region
Metro is a regional government agency that serves the greater Portland region in Oregon. The agency was established in 1992 to manage growth and development, protect natural resources, and enhance the quality of life for residents. Metro's mission is to create a thriving and sustainable region where people can live, work, and play.
The greater Portland region is one of the fastest-growing areas in the United States. With a population of over 2 million people, it encompasses three counties: Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington. The area includes urban centers like Portland and Beaverton as well as rural communities like Estacada and Banks.
Metro's role is to provide leadership on issues that affect the entire region. This includes land use planning, transportation infrastructure, waste management, parks and natural areas preservation, affordable housing development among others.
One of Metro's primary responsibilities is managing growth through land use planning. The agency works with local governments to develop plans that guide development while protecting natural resources such as forests or wetlands. These plans help ensure that new developments are located near existing infrastructure such as roads or public transit systems.
Another key area for Metro is transportation infrastructure planning which involves developing strategies for improving mobility throughout the region while reducing congestion on major highways or arterials. This includes investing in public transit systems like buses or light rail trains which help reduce traffic congestion while providing affordable transportation options for residents.
In addition to managing growth and transportation infrastructure planning Metro also plays an important role in preserving parks and natural areas throughout the region. The agency manages over 17 thousand acres of parks including popular destinations like Forest Park which covers more than 5 thousand acres within city limits making it one of America’s largest urban forest reserves.
Metro also provides services aimed at enhancing quality-of-life for residents including recycling programs designed to reduce waste sent to landfills by promoting composting or recycling materials such as paper plastic glass metals etc., this helps preserve our environment by reducing pollution levels caused by landfill sites across our cities.
Furthermore,Metro has been working hard towards creating affordable housing opportunities within its jurisdictional boundaries so everyone can have access regardless their income level; this has been achieved through partnerships with developers who build homes at lower costs than market rates thus making them accessible even those who cannot afford high-end properties.
Overall,Metro plays an essential role in shaping Greater Portland Region’s future by providing leadership on issues affecting all aspects from economic development opportunities down environmental conservation efforts; they strive towards creating sustainable communities where everyone can thrive without compromising their quality-of-life standards.Most importantly,Metro continues working tirelessly towards achieving these goals through partnerships with other stakeholders including local governments businesses non-profit organizations among others ensuring they remain relevant today tomorrow!
oregonmetro.gov