Land Use & Transportation
Sightline's latest research, books, articles, and reports on land use and mobility.
Here's a catalog of Sightline's research--including books, reports, and articles--on sprawl, transportation, and compact communities. Also see Sightline's series on Seattle's viaduct replacement debate.
most recent | publication type
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05/15/2012
Report
Transfer of Development Rights
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. -
09/19/2011
Report
Toll Avoidance and Transportation Funding
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 roll 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. -
09/12/2011
Report
Peak Gas: NW Gas Consumption Stalled in 1999
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. -
04/04/2011
Page
Curbing Stormwater Pollution
Stormwater doesn't match the traditional image of pollution. There are no factory smokestacks belching waste. Yet polluted stormwater packs a punch. Sightline's report, Curbing Stormwater Pollution, looks at the challenges we face and the opportunities we have to clean up our waterways. -
03/09/2011
Report
Curbing Stormwater in Puget Sound
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. -
10/16/2009
Report
Cost Overruns For Seattle-Area Tunnel Projects
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. -
07/01/2009
Report
Easing Off the Gas: Northwesterners Using Less Gasoline
Total gasoline consumption in the Northwest states fell by 180 million gallons between 2007 and 2008. Per-capita use followed a decade-long trend of decline. The Northwest states are outpacing the rest of the nation by nearly 10 percent. -
09/30/2008
Fact sheet
The Facts on I-985: A Bad Deal for Washington State
Sightline research director Clark Williams-Derry and Sightline fellow Doug MacDonald—former transportation secretary for Washington State--have taken a close look at Washington Initiative 985 and what it would mean for Washington residents. The verdict? I-985 is bad for traffic and bad for the state budget. -
09/30/2008
Report
I-985: Giant Sucking Sound
Sightline analysis finds that Tim Eyman's so-called "reduce traffic initiative" would actually increase traffic, slow transit, and redirect hundreds of millions of dollars from the state general fund to highway expansion in greater Seattle. -
06/22/2008
Video
Sightline Video: Your Way on the Highway
Traffic congestion is a fact of urban life. But what if you could have it on your terms? This video from Sightline might help you envision a commute that works for you. -
06/11/2008
Fact sheet
Why Walk? The Benefits of Walkable Neighborhoods
A growing body of research shows that walkable, compact communities can promote good health and a healthier planet by promoting exercise and reducing the risk of obesity; lowering car crash fatalities; reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle-related air pollution; and cutting down gasoline bills and oil imports. -
05/21/2008
Report
Slowing Down: Vancouver, BC, and Smart Growth
Vancouver Report: Sightline analysis of new Census data finds decline in Vancouver's smart-growth record. From 2001 through 2006, the share of new urban and suburban growth that went into compact, walkable communities declined and the amount of land developed to accommodate new residents increased, compared with the 1990s. -
04/17/2008
Report
Braking News: Gas Consumption Goes Into Reverse
From 1999 to 2007, the Northwest states have cut back on per-person gasoline consumption by 11 percent, good news for the climate and our pocketbooks. Moreover, the Northwest is outpacing the nation in cutting back on gasoline. -
10/07/2007
Report
Widening Roads: Short-term Traffic Relief, Long-term Emissions Increase
Adding lanes to a highway will increase road emissions and total global warming emissions over the long term -- even if it reduces congestion over the short term.