Happy Anniversary, Recovery Act!

They grow up so fast…it seems like only yesterday that Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In fact, it was not yesterday, but rather February 13, 2009. Which makes today the nine month anniversary! If you and your spouse had been so turned on by the stimulus that you conceived, you would be having a baby today.

What I remember most about that day on February 13 was everyone in the region running around with their hair on fire (figuratively) talking about how all the money was going to be allocated immediately and that we were going to miss out on it unless we acted fast. For better and for worse, that didn’t happen, and there are actually a number of major opportunities still open. On this happy day, here are a few to keep an eye on (or apply for!):

Up, Up and Away

Never to be accused of being a pessimist, I return after a long absence in these here parts with good news: Delta Airlines is not adding one but two new international routes to Sea-Tac Airport and expanding on another one.  Beginning in the summer of 2010, Delta will begin flying to Beijing, China and Osaka, Japan which just happen to be important cities of two of our region’s largest trading partners.  In addition, Delta is increasing the number of flights to Amsterdam per week from seven to ten (making it easier for Jules to get his Royale with Cheese).

As a sometimes frequent international traveler, this can only make my life better. And, isn’t that what we’re all here for? A side benefit, of course, is that because our region is so tied to the international economy, it’s going to make lots of other Puget Sounders’ lives better too.  It will strengthen our internationally-bent economy making it easier for our businesses to welcome their overseas customers and to travel to important markets. It will also make it easier for Chinese investors and tourists (of which we are seeing more lately; Japan is already one of our largest sources for tourists and investment) to spend their money here.

I’ve got the Delta Blues, in a good way.

Riffing on RIF

News flash:

Making the benefits of TOD available to residents at all income levels is a significant policy challenge. There is a long-term shortage of affordable housing in many cities, and existing affordable housing near transit may be lost as federal subsidies expire.

Or maybe it’s not really news. 

Transportation and the Economy

As you know, PSRC is engaging in a new planning process to create Transportation 2040. They’re using all sorts of metrics to measure the effects of different alternatives on our region, and not just transportation-specific ones like effect on congestion and reliability, but also effect on climate change and human health. Of course, all that we at the Prosperity Blog care about is the effect of different transportation system alternatives on the economy, but it turns out to be a more complicated question than you might think, even with all our fancy modeling tools and benefit-cost analyses.

Have You Driven a Ford Lately?

I still can’t get over how cool it is that Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mullaly is going to be the keynote speaker at the Prosperity Partnership Fall Luncheon on November 13.  But it’s not just the fact that he used to work in the region and now he’s in the Time 100. It’s that he can talk about a major national economic shift that has the potential to be huge in the central Puget Sound in two ways:

Take Me Home, Country Road

So, it looks like urban areas are getting “shortchanged” in stimulus transportation dollars:

Two-thirds of the country lives in large metropolitan areas, home to the nation’s worst traffic jams and some of its oldest roads and bridges. But cities and their surrounding regions are getting far less than two-thirds of federal transportation stimulus money. According to an analysis by The New York Times of 5,274 transportation projects approved so far — the most complete look yet at how states plan to spend their stimulus money — the 100 largest metropolitan areas are getting less than half the money from the biggest pot of transportation stimulus money.

A lot of folks have been complaining in this state about how WSDOT peanut buttered the money around, and apparently that’s pretty typical.  According to the NYT, more than half of the stimulus money will be spent on “pavement improvement” projects, mostly repaving rutted and potholed roads.

Year 2040 will be here sooner than you think…

PSRC recently released a draft environmental impact statement for Transportation 2040. If you haven’t already, take a look at the document and provide comments.  Or just learn more about environmental, economic and other impacts of six different scenarios for our region’s transportation system over the next 30 years.  What do you think about transportation user fees to maintain, operate and enhance the future system for central Puget Sound region?

Let your voice be heard!

Tilting at High Speed Rail

I finally got around to finishing the New York Times Sunday Magazine on “Infrastructure,” which was a little disappointing…partly because the newly shrunk format just doesn’t have as much content, partly because they didn’t pick the most compelling angles on infrastructure.  Speaking as an infrastructure nerd, it didn’t meet my high standards.  But it did have an article on everyone’s favorite topic, high speed rail. And by everyone’s favorite topic, I mean “next stop, controversy city!”

What’s So Great about High Speed Rail?

I see that everyone is really excited about the $8 billion in the stimulus package that is a “down payment” on a national high speed rail network. And there’s already talk of further investment. But is this really going to change how people travel long distances in our country?

I grew up on the east coast, where Amtrak is a regular part of a lot of people’s travel. Philly to New York or DC was actually a daily commuting pattern for some people…even NYC to to DC on a semi-regular basis. It was convenient, more or less faster than driving and it actually drove down the cost of airfare between those cities as well since it was a legitimate competitor.

But out here, cities are further apart…really further. New York to DC ain’t got nothin’ on Seattle to San Francisco, and even at 200 miles per hour you’re probably not living in one city and working in another. Maybe Seattle to Vancouver or Portland, but daily nonstops on Horizon air from SeaTac to PDX are like every half hour or something. Will a high speed train get people out of cars or plane and/or serve as a legitimate competitor in transportation options?

I’m sure our friends at Orphan Road have a strong opinion on the subject, but I’d love to hear some thoughts!

Seattle P-I Discovers Snarkiness

What is it about becoming online only that turns you sarcastic?  Seriously, all the professional bloggers are cynical wiseacres.  That having been said, very funny title.

I can’t blame Generation Y , though. It’s the American Dream of their parents that has been idealized by the media and popular culture for years, so it’s hard to get the goal of white picket fences out of your system. They’ll learn though. Especially once gas prices go back up in a few years, and living on the farm with your horses and driving into downtown doesn’t seem so fun anymore. Plus you have to shovel horse poop!

And By Clunkers, I Mean Hummers

As an economics nerd, what’s not to love about “cash for clunkers.”

People get new cars that are more fuel efficient, which saves the environment stimulates the auto industry at the same time! Slap a Buy American amendment on that bad boy, and hello Chrystler-Fiat!

Assuming that Chrystler-Fiat counts as an American car company…and that Chrystler makes a car that gets more than 22 mpg?

Transportation Trend Makes Business Cents

Did you know that a recent report forecasts, 46% of the US workforce will telecommute by 2016?  According to Forrester, “34 million Americans working at least occasionally from home today.”

Run the numbers forward to 2016 and see how many Americans will work from home then: 63 million! And apparently Microsoft is taking a step in this direction.

It’s not too late to join the pilot project – for more information, visit the website.