Washington scores good – not great – on new "Opportunity Index"
Our friends at Opportunity Washington are out today with a brand-new assessment – called the “Opportunity Index” – of how Washington stacks up against the rest of the country on education, transportation and economic vitality. In partnership with the Association of Washington Business and the Washington Roundtable, the Research Council conducted a data-driven analysis of performance of all 50 states […]
September 02 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Northwest Seaport Alliance hosts its largest container ship ever
Some good news from the new Northwest Seaport Alliance (the combined ports of Seattle and Tacoma): Yesterday the largest container ship that has ever come to the Puget Sound arrived in Seattle. With an 11,400 TEU capacity, the CMA CGM Callisto holds 40 percent more cargo than the Puget Sound’s regular clientele. “Ships continue to […]
August 31 , 2015 - Mary Strow
I-5 congestion relief at JBLM
The News Tribune reported this weekend on the massive changes coming for Interstate 5 along the Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) corridor, now that the Legislature and governor have approved the latest transportation revenue package. Lane-widening (at least eight lanes all directions and at a certain point 10 lanes) and new interchanges, among other improvements, are planned for this […]
August 26 , 2015 - Mary Strow
Where do transportation dollars go?
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is out with a comprehensive analysis of where transportation dollars come from, and where they’re spent. The official title is “County By County Comparison: Estimated Return Per Dollar Contributed by Citizens within Each County.” It looks at state and federal transportation funds from 2003 through 2014. Total contributions and expenditures in […]
August 10 , 2015 - Mary Strow
August 04 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Portland is a cautionary tale for ports that do not stay competitive
The Port of Portland has lost most of its business, as I wrote in April. The Wall Street Journal has more on what has happened in Portland, providing lessons for other small ports. Although Seattle and Tacoma are gaining some of the business Portland has lost, they also face increased competition. Shipping companies are moving […]
July 29 , 2015 - Mary Strow
July 29 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Commerce is a beautiful thing
Yesterday we published a report on the new transportation package. As we write in the report, by funding much-needed projects and maintenance, the package will improve commutes and help get goods to market, thereby benefiting the economy. The publication provides an excuse to link to this photo essay at Politico: The art of the interchange. […]
July 28 , 2015 - Mary Strow
Special Report on 2015 state transportation package
The Legislature has passed, and the governor signed, Washington’s first transportation revenue package in a decade. Our special report on the new measure, “Transportation Package Makes Critical Investments for Commuters, Economy,” is now available for you to read. You’ll find an analysis of all the package’s major elements, including: The new state transportation package will […]
July 15 , 2015 - Mary Strow