Cascadia

The work of Discovery Institute’s ACES Northwest Network was recently featured in this Seattle Times article, authored by project co-chairs Tom Alberg and Bryan Mistele.  The article highlights our efforts to advance autonomous, connected, electric and shared (ACES) vehicle technologies in the Pacific Northwest—especially during the so-called ‘Period of Maximum Constraint’ following the impending closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.  Read More ›

Personal mobility is changing before our eyes. In addition to public transportation, services like Uber, Lyft, BMW’s ReachNow, and other rideshares are providing a variety of new options for commuters. As shared, electric, and autonomous vehicles continue to gain market share, what does this all mean for Seattle? Will it usher in a golden age of transportation, or result in Read More ›

For years, BNSF trains have safely traversed the bridge over Lake Pend Oreille, efficiently shuttling goods and commodities to foreign and domestic markets. Now, in an effort to further expedite shipping and modernize rail in the Pacific Northwest, BNSF is proposing a multi-million dollar upgrade in the form of a second parallel bridge that will allow rail traffic to move even safer in both directions simultaneously. The new bridge will reduce the times trains have to wait for other trains to cross the bridge. The backups created by waiting trains can sometimes extend for many miles. The second rail bridge will reduce delays in the city, improve air quality and reduce noise by cutting idle times while the trains are …

Writing in the Seattle Times, Discovery Institute board member Brian Mistele, and Tom Alberg of Madrona Venture Group explain the mission of the Cascadia Center’s ACES Northwest Network. They explain that Pacific Northwest is in prime position to embrace the ACES approach to transportation at a broad regional level and be a leader for the nation in our approach to these life and culture changing vehicles. Read More ›

This article, published by, references Discovery Institute’s Cascadia Center for Regional Development: Becht, along with members from the Cascadia Center for Regional Development, has put together a petition to gather cross-border support for the added stop, which would not only break up the long stretch of track between Bellingham and Vancouver but also give residents south of the Fraser River Read More ›

This article, published by the Woodinville Weekly, discusses an event sponsored by Discovery Institute’s Cascadia Center for Regional Development: The event was sponsored the Cascadia Center for Regional Development, a Seattle-based transportation study and rail advocacy group and a member of the Alliance, and co-chaired by city of Snohomish Mayor Karen Guzak and Woodinville Councilmember Les Rubstello. The rest of Read More ›

This article, published by HeraldNet, quotes Discovery Institute Fellow Bruce Agnew: They’re hoping a six-month study can be done to show the benefit of waiting, said Bruce Agnew, director of the Cascadia Center, a Seattle-based transportation study and rail advocacy group. Agnew is a member of the rail alliance. The rest of the article can be found here.