Research by Topic
For years, local governments have used Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) programs to help channel urban growth away from farmland, forests, and open space. But new evidence suggests that, when used carefully, TDR programs can also help local governments achieve meaningful reductions in local greenhouse gas emissions. read more »
As the Northwest prepares major highway projects–the replacement I-5 bridge of the Columbia River, the replacement SR 520 bridge across Lake Washington, and Seattle’s deep-bore tunnel–tolling has an increasingly significant role to play in project financing. Yet a review of the literature shows that when it comes to predicting traffic volumes and revenue from newly-tolled roads, official projections are often overly-optimistic. This is especially true of highways with un-tolled alternative routes nearby. read more »
Gasoline consumption in Oregon and Washington increased slightly in 2010, and sales held steady in the first part of 2011. But minor year-to-year fluctuations mask a more important trend: despite steady increases in population, volatile gas prices, and both surges and lulls in the region’s economy, gasoline use has remained essentially flat since 1999. read more »
High gasoline prices, economic jitters, and cultural changes have dampened the Northwest’s appetite for energy—and specifically for gasoline—in the past decade. Still, Cascadians are profligate energy consumers, and in general, the region’s energy use has been stuck in high gear. read more »
Northwest cities heavily regulate the city’s taxi markets—driving up the worth of taxi “medallions”, while capping the number of taxis allowed to operate. The result? Taxis are more expensive and harder to find. view graphic »
A new white paper by economist and University of Montana professor Tom Power shows proposed coal exports from terminals in Washington State would not only cause China to burn more coal, but set back advances in clean energy and efficiency for 30 to 50 years. read more »
WSDOT continues to predict that traffic volumes on SR 520 across Lake Washington will continue to rise, despite a 14 year trend of traffic reductions. view graphic »
Rain may not seem like a likely culprit for many of Puget Sound’s pollution woes. But on it’s journey from sky to stream it picks up a host of toxics from our roofs, roadways, and yards. The end result is a toxic cocktail that spills into our waterways. This report catalogs the challenges polluted stormwater poses for the Puget Sound region, and highlights local Low Impact Development projects that are helping solve the problem. read more »
As a way to inform the debate over Seattle’s deep-bore tunnel, Sightline has prepared a basic comparison of other high-profile tunnels recently constructed in the area. It turns out cost overruns are the rule, not the exception, for big transportation projects in Seattle. read more »
Cost overruns on large tunnel projects in the Seattle are commonplace. The Downtown bus tunnel, Beacon Hill tunnel, and Brightwater sewage tunnels all came in over cost. I-90 Mt Baker expansion seems to be the exception to the rule, but is a poor comparison since much of the geology was already known from previous tunnels. view graphic »
