Michael Rodriguez, AICP, is Director of Research for Smart Growth America in joint appointment with the George Washington University Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis. Michael conducts and oversees quantitative and qualitative research through SGA and GWU’s many research initiatives. His expertise is in fiscal and economic impacts of transportation and infrastructure projects, especially with regard to Smart Growth and walkability.
Michael’s is co-author of “Foot Traffic Ahead 2016,” a statistical survey of walkable urbanism in the U.S.; econometric research on the economic and fiscal impacts of catalytic development in Downtown Detroit; and “WalkUP, Wake-Up: NY Metro,” a study of walkability in metropolitan New York and part of the Fourth Regional Plan.
Prior to joining Smart Growth America, Michael had extensive private sector experience in transportation and economics consulting with various nationally leading firms, having written reports on major projects such as California High Speed Rail, pedestrian station access impacts for WMATA, and several successful TIGER grants. He also was key in developing industry-leading software tools for transportation economic analysis.
As a resident of Tysons Corner, Virginia, Michael promotes smart growth in one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and serves on the Citizen’s Advisory Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Transportation Planning Board. He holds a Master of Public Affairs and a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and is pursuing a PhD in Public Policy at the George Washington University.
Amazon's Second HQ Poised for Smart Growth
Amazon's second headquarters is huge, and their bias for walkable places says they are going to do it all over again in a new city. However, maybe they should take the high road and not beg for subsidies.
Amazon's Second HQ Poised for Smart Growth
With a second headquarters, Amazon is poised to expand its preference for walkable places into a new city. However, maybe the company should take the high road and not beg for subsidies.
Is This the Most Useless Crosswalk Ever?
The Transportation Planner posts about an inexplicable crosswalk at a highway interchange located in McLean, VA, a suburb of Washington, DC.
Eminent Domain at Issue on Virginia's Ballot
A controversial Virginia ballot measure to limit eminent domain use has gone without much notice. Michael Rodriguez, a local transportation planner, argues against this measure.
Would Building an Outer Beltway Around D.C. Save the Planet?
Some highway advocates in the suburbs surrounding Washington, DC think that building an outer Beltway through Northern Virginia will be beneficial to the planet. Others disagree.