Of all those bikes and based on your needs, I'd take the Portland. Then again, I absolutely love disc brakes, perfectly suited to wet Seattle winters where I live. Disc brakes lose their comparative advantage in drier climates.

My wife loves her Volpe and the Cross-Check is an excellent choice for you as well.

If you don't plan to tour or load the bike up with front panniers, then I would stay away from the two touring bikes you mentioned, the Trek 520 and the Surly LHT. These bikes are going to have more of a "dead" ride due to heavier tubing and more relaxed geometry & gearing, whereas the cyclocross and sport touring bikes are going to make for a more nimble commuter.