Sightline Institute » Land Use & Transportation

Graph: SR-520 Traffic: Actual vs. WSDOT Forecasts

Serena Larkin — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 21:40:19 +0000

Washington State Department of Transportation projections continue to outstrip actual traffic trends year after year. There are many reasons for this trend: high gas prices, economic uncertainties, demographic shifts, and (perhaps) an increase in people’s preferences for car-lite lifestyles. Regardless of the reasons, though, it may be time for transportation planners to begin adjusting their expectations. view graphic »

Infographic: 2012 Gasoline Consumption Report

Eric Hess — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:37:42 +0000

Gasoline prices are high and volatile. Northwesterners are beginning to change their driving habits to adapt. Sightline's report, Shifting into Reverse, shows that per capita vehicle travel has dropped significantly. view graphic »

Per Capita Gasoline Use in Oregon and Washington

Eric Hess — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:33:41 +0000

Gasoline prices are high and volatile. Northwesterners are beginning to change their driving habits to adapt. Sightline's report, Shifting into Reverse, shows that per capita gasoline consumption is at it's lowest level in about 50 years. view graphic »

Per Capita VMT in Oregon and Washington

Eric Hess — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:30:34 +0000

Shifting into Reverse

Eric Hess — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:24:04 +0000

High prices are taking a bite out of northwesterners’ appetite for gasoline. After decades of steady growth following by years of level consumption, residents of Oregon and Washington are now using less gas. High, volatile prices; social and technological trends; and changing driving behavior are behind the trend.

Shifting into Reverse

From the report:

In 2011, per capita gasoline use in Oregon and Washington fell to i’s lowest level in nearly 50 years. Washington residents now consumer 7.3 gallons per week, while Oregonians use 7.1 gallons per week.
Personal vehicle travel on state-owned roads has fallen 13 percent over the past decade—a real shift in our relationship with our cars. Young Americans saw the biggest decrease.
Gains in vehicle efficiency played only a small role in the decline in gas consumption. Despite higher fuel economy standards, the real-world MPG of the US fleet has only risen risen slightly over the last ten years.

View the infographic.

See past reports on gasoline consumption in the Northwest

Exurban Growth in Portland 1990-2010

Eric Hess — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:23:06 +0000

Over the last two decades, Clark County has added thousands of new residents to its rural areas. The implementation of Washington's Growth Management Act in the mid-1990s appeared to have little influence on growth. view graphic »

Regional Growth in the Portland Metro 2000-2010

Eric Hess — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:00:40 +0000

Rural sprawl slowed on both sides of the Columbia after 2000. Yet Clark County's rural areas still saw substantial population growth over the decade, while Oregon's rural areas did not. view graphic »

Rural Sprawl in Metropolitan Portland

Eric Hess — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:00:33 +0000

The greater metro Portland, Oregon, straddles two states, offering an intriguing natural experiment for gauging the effects of different growth management laws. The Oregon side operates under the nation’s oldest and most mature growth management system, while the Washington side is governed by a newer law.

On paper, the growth management programs share many features. Yet in practice, their records have produced startlingly different results: Over the last two decades, Clark County, Washington, accounted for the large majority of all rural and exurban housing and population growth in the greater Portland area.

Sightline’s report, Rural Sprawl in Metropolitan Portland, examines trends in Portland-area development using census data from the last two decades. Two maps clearly reveal how the lion’s share of rural sprawl has occurred across the Washington border.

Rural Sprawl in Metropolitan Portland

See map of Portland-area growth 1990-2000

See map of Portland-area growth 2000-2010

Regional Growth in the Portland Metro 1990-2000

Eric Hess — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:00:25 +0000

The Promise of Permeable Pavement

Eric Hess — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:14:25 +0000

Permeable pavement is one of the most promising green solutions that can help reduce and clean up polluted stormwater runoff. Like conventional pavement, it can be made of asphalt or concrete that’s either poured in place or sold as pavers, and it can be used in a variety of settings, including on parking lots, low-traffic roadways, driveways, and sidewalks.

Permeable technology has been used successfully in countless Northwest paving projects, though its use has been limited by a few persistent myths.

This Sightline paper examines some of the most common concerns about permeable pavement.

The Promise of Permeable Pavement