Commentary

DC Decongestant

The Washington Examiner has had it with congested thinking, and I’m pleased to report the paper is using our book to (try to) open some eyes and decongest DC:

We wondered how open local officials are to new thinking, so a month ago, The Washington Examiner sent a copy of “The Road More Traveled” to each member of the Montgomery and Fairfax boards. We asked them to read the book ââ?¬â?? which is well-written, factual and concise ââ?¬â?? then tell us their reaction. The deadline was Friday and we said their responses or lack of would be published. The book was written by Ted Balaker and Sam Staley. They uncovered mountains of data and other evidence that discounts most conventional wisdom on transportation policy among federal bureaucrats, state functionaries in Richmond and Annapolis and the Fairfax and Montgomery fiefdoms. The book has been widely praised by this newspaper and The Washington Post, plus a rapidly growing list of government officials, academic experts and private sector executives looking for new approaches to reduce or even eliminate traffic congestion. (Yes, it’s been done in major cities elsewhere and it can be done here, too.) In short, “The Road More Traveled” is chock full of fresh thinking about one the biggest worries facing most of us living in the Washington region ââ?¬â?? what’s the traffic like out there today. It’s a significant book that local officials need to read, just as many elsewhere already have. Despite several follow-up reminder calls and e-mails, only Andrews read the book and then told us what he thought of it.

Whole thing here.