washington state

Deep-bore Tunnel Promises A Vibrant Future For Seattle’s Waterfront

This article, published by the Puget Sound Business Journal, mentions the Cascadia Center of Discovery Institute: The idea of a deep-bore tunnel has been part of the discussion for months. The Cascadia Center held an international conference on tunneling here in 2007. The rest of the article can be found here.

Tolls And Other Traffic Management Ideas Are Coming Back

The much-hyped federal economic stimulus package isn’t looking like it will do all that much for surface transportation. The New York Times reports that the House stimulus bill contains a scant $30 billion for roads and bridges and $10 billion for transit. Turns out most of the infrastructure spending in the bill is not for surface transportation. The new administration Read More ›

Bored Tunnel Technology Helps Option Advance

Shortly after 8 a.m. today, KUOW-FM broadcast this news segment on the proposed deep bored tunnel to replace the earthquake-prone Alaskan Way Viaduct on State Route 99, along Seattle’s downtown waterfront. Sources in the segment included Bruce Agnew, Director of Cascadia Center; and deep bored tunnel expert, construction manager Vladimir Khazak of the global firm HNTB. Link to audio (mp3) Read More ›

Viaduct Politicians Reach A Big Moment Of Truth

This article, published by Crosscut, mentions the Cascadia Center of Discovery Institute as well as Bruce Agnew and Bruce Chapman of Discovery Institute: This idea comes from Cascadia Institute, a transportation think tank headed by Bruce Agnew and nested in Discovery Institute, headed by Bruce Chapman. The rest of the article can be found here.  

Gregoire Delays Viaduct Verdict Again – Final Proposal To Be Made To Legislature In January

This article, published by Seattle PI, quotes Discovery Institute Fellow Bruce Agnew: Tunnel advocate Bruce Agnew, policy director, Cascadia Center of the Discovery Institute, said the delay could be good news. “I hear rumors that they want to take a closer look at tunneling figures,” he said. The rest of the article can be found here.

Toll-booth-free Tolling On SR 520 And I-90

The State Route 520 Tolling Implementation Committee’s “November Scenario Evaluation” document (pdf) released last week shows that the most robust regional financing for replacing the dangerously sub-par 520 bridge comes from time-variable tolling starting in 2010 and tolling the parallel I-90 span across Lake Washington, starting in 2010 or 2016. Tolling in this key east-west corridor would be done on Read More ›

State Fleet Should Begin Transition To Electricity

With Washington’s government facing a $3.2 billion budget deficit, we need to cut expenses now. One smart place to start is with a two- to three-year moratorium on buying new state fleet vehicles and to begin the transition from oil to electricity in transportation.

Virtually every major automaker will sell plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicles starting in 2010-12. General Motors is advertising the plug-in Chevy Volt for 2010. Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi, BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes will have plug-in cars on the road within three years. Last month Warren Buffett bought a major stake in BYD, a Chinese company that will have an electric-powered five-passenger car for sale this month.

Instead of buying state vehicles that will be consuming gasoline for the next decade or two, the governor should order an immediate moratorium on buying new gasoline-powered cars for the state fleet and make firm plans for the purchase of the coming plug-in cars that use little or no gasoline.

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American Business Driving A New Car Culture

This article, published by the Vancouver Sun, mentions the Cascadia Center of Discovery Institute: This theme is taken up by most of the 500 or so people attending the conference, being sponsored by a non-profit think-tank, the Cascadia Centre of the Discovery Institute, which looks at West Coast transportation and development issues on both sides of the border. The rest Read More ›

Olympic Eyes Turn To Vancouver

This TV news segment focuses on the economic potential of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics for Western Washington and the Puget Sound Region. Cascadia Center director Bruce Agnew is interviewed. Link to video of news segment, as aired on KING 5.