Planning for 1.8 Million New Residents Around Puget Sound

The state of Washington's 1990 Growth Management Act requires regions to create long-range growth plans. The Puget Sound Region Council is currently working on its latest iteration of the plan.

1 minute read

March 29, 2019, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Highway 520

oksana.perkins / Shutterstock

"If you think the Puget Sound region is crowded now, give it another 30 years," writes Josh Cohen.

"There are currently about 4.1 million people and 2.2 million jobs in the four counties that surround Puget Sound — King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish. The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) predicts that by 2050, those numbers will rise to 5.8 million residents and 3.4 million jobs." 

With that scale of growth expected, the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is working on the Vision 2050 plan, "which updates the metropolitan planning agency’s road map for the next 30 years of growth in the Puget Sound region." The PSRC is the only organization that gathers every city in the region, and it's faced with a tall task to balance jobs and housing needed to meet the demands of population growth across the region.

According to Cohen, a coalition of transportation, environmental and community groups, led by the Transportation Choices Coalition, is pushing the PSRC to center issues of race in the regional planning process, to ensure that balance reaches across demographic lines, not just geographic boundaries.

Earlier this month, the PSRC released Vision 2050's draft environmental impact statement, at about the halfway point in a four-year process.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019 in Crosscut

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of white panel at top of school bus with "100% electric" black text.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation

California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

5 hours ago - California Air Resources Board

Aerial view of Freeway Park cap park over I-5 interstate freeway in Seattle, Washington at night.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

"No Thru Traffic - Open Streets Restaurants" sign in New York City during Covid-19 pandemic.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street

How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.

7 hours ago - Next City