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Podcast: Cascade CounterPoint
Episode: QP: Portland Public Schools’ Building Costs Are Shaking Up Budgets
Description: Worries about the Cascadia Subduction Zone have persisted for the last 50 years. Oregon school districts have considered the possibility of a major earthquake as they build and renovate existing structures.
In line with this approach, the Portland Public School district has embarked on a decades-long modernization project, most recently the proposed $491 million modernization of Jefferson High School. The extensive renovation plans raise concerns about the necessity and benefits of the large-scale project, especially given the uncertainty of a potential Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.
Oregon code requires schools to meet seismic Category III standards, prioritizing life...