The Puget Sound Regional Council, an 81-member metropolitan planning organization, has selected INDEX as its visioning support tool for updating the Seattle region's long-range transportation plan. According to PSRC Principal Planner Ben Bakkenta, "INDEX allows us to understand the potential effects of our smart growth strategies. We can create alternative visions and clearly communicate the implications of our choices."

For the 3,200 sq. mi. region, INDEX will be used in tandem with the University of Washington's UrbanSim model, a dynamic forecasting tool whose output will be analyzed by INDEX indicators. INDEX's interactive "paint the town" functionality will also enable rapid creation of alternative growth scenarios by participants in the regional process, including access to a web version.

Seattle joins similar regional processes being supported by INDEX tools in Salt Lake City, Grand Rapids, Kansas City, and Atlanta. INDEX is a suite of GIS tools for creating and evaluating regional, community, and neighborhood plans, including Paint the Region and PlanBuilder.

Related Link: Puget Sound Regional Council

For more information contact:

Eliot Allen
Criterion Planners
725 NW Flanders St, Suite 303
Portland
OR 97209
US

Phone: 503 224 8606
Fax: 503 224 8702
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.crit.com