Linda,

Like Sam's last comments that compared Portland's tram system, I'd urge you to consider all the various ways that Netherlands and Amsterdam differ from Portland before you start urging common solutions.

You point to congestion, CO2 emissions, and environmental degradation as the reasons that they "got there."

Some other far more likely reasons:

altitude (already pointed out, pancake flat.

density (highest in Europe)

marginal tax rates (currently 60%, among the highest in Europe, meaning they have a massively larger public sector)

A bit of sarcasm, meant in a friendly way, but I don't think you're suggesting we flatten the West Hills, ramp up our density to Amsterdam levels, or quadruple our marginal tax rate.

It's great to look at Amsterdam for ways that we can move bicycle traffic more efficiently and safely, but to believe that there is even a remote chance that Portland will ever look like Amsterdam in the next half century is, I believe, not credible.