Clark Williams-Derry shares news of what he calls "far and away the most responsible official traffic forecast I’ve seen from any government agency, ever."
The forecast in question is a transportation revenue forecast [pdf] recently published by the Washington State Office of Financial Management.
"Their forecast from last September, in pink, assumed that traffic would grow endlessly, much as it did during the 1950s through 1990s," writes Williams-Derry. "But the new forecast, in blue, assumes that the modest traffic growth of the past decade will continue, and will then be followed by a slight decline."
As for why the forecast is significant, Williams-Derry explains: "When you find yourself in a hole, the first step is to stop digging. And that’s exactly what this new forecast does: it helps transportation policymakers stop digging all of us deeper into highway-fueled debt."
FULL STORY: Washington State Traffic Forecast Finally Recognizes Reality
Portland Raises Parking Fees to Pay for Street Maintenance
The city is struggling to bridge a massive budget gap at the Bureau of Transportation, which largely depleted its reserves during the Civd-19 pandemic.
Judge Halts Trump Order Tying State Transportation Grants to Immigration Actions
Ruling applies to Colorado, which was among 20 plaintiff states.
Duffy Threatens to Cut DOT Funds to “Sanctuary Cities”
“Follow the law or forfeit the funding” says US Secretary of Transportation.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents
The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.
Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie