so the transportation system of the future this is something we’ve been
future this is something we’ve been
future this is something we’ve been thinking about for as long as we’ve been
thinking about for as long as we’ve been
thinking about for as long as we’ve been traveling always imagining the things
traveling always imagining the things
traveling always imagining the things being faster more convenient but what
being faster more convenient but what
being faster more convenient but what does that future transportation system
does that future transportation system
does that future transportation system look like to you
look like to you
look like to you well you might think about the current
well you might think about the current
well you might think about the current system places you travel frequently that
system places you travel frequently that
system places you travel frequently that frustrate you
frustrate you
frustrate you maybe there’s that section of road where
maybe there’s that section of road where
maybe there’s that section of road where you’ve thought if only they would make
you’ve thought if only they would make
you’ve thought if only they would make the road a little bit wider add another
the road a little bit wider add another
the road a little bit wider add another Lane make the green light just a little
Lane make the green light just a little
Lane make the green light just a little bit longer for me things would work so
bit longer for me things would work so
bit longer for me things would work so much better well your view as a traveler
much better well your view as a traveler
much better well your view as a traveler is often through the windshield of your
is often through the windshield of your
is often through the windshield of your vehicle or maybe from the seat of your
vehicle or maybe from the seat of your
vehicle or maybe from the seat of your bicycle looking out at all those things
bicycle looking out at all those things
bicycle looking out at all those things that get in your way well as a
that get in your way well as a
that get in your way well as a transportation engineer my views a
transportation engineer my views a
transportation engineer my views a little bit different I’m looking up
little bit different I’m looking up
little bit different I’m looking up above who down at everybody traveling
above who down at everybody traveling
above who down at everybody traveling trying to figure out where everybody
trying to figure out where everybody
trying to figure out where everybody wants to go and if I made that road a
wants to go and if I made that road a
wants to go and if I made that road a little bit wider I might just be
little bit wider I might just be
little bit wider I might just be funneling you to a bigger bottleneck
funneling you to a bigger bottleneck
funneling you to a bigger bottleneck downstream or if I make the light green
downstream or if I make the light green
downstream or if I make the light green light longer for you I’m making the red
light longer for you I’m making the red
light longer for you I’m making the red light longer for somebody else maybe
light longer for somebody else maybe
light longer for somebody else maybe doing backups in that other direction so
doing backups in that other direction so
doing backups in that other direction so what happens is this cycle where
what happens is this cycle where
what happens is this cycle where travelers express their frustration
travelers express their frustration
travelers express their frustration transportation engineers do listen we go
transportation engineers do listen we go
transportation engineers do listen we go back to our offices we run our models we
back to our offices we run our models we
back to our offices we run our models we look at the available resources that we
look at the available resources that we
look at the available resources that we have and the time that we have to
have and the time that we have to
have and the time that we have to construct things and we come back with
construct things and we come back with
construct things and we come back with solutions that don’t feel that
solutions that don’t feel that
solutions that don’t feel that satisfying most of the time so it’s no
satisfying most of the time so it’s no
satisfying most of the time so it’s no wonder that people are always looking to
wonder that people are always looking to
wonder that people are always looking to the future for something better well to
the future for something better well to
the future for something better well to understand our transportation system we
understand our transportation system we
understand our transportation system we actually have to think about it through
actually have to think about it through
actually have to think about it through time so let’s walk back in time and
time so let’s walk back in time and
time so let’s walk back in time and think about the roads that we’re using
think about the roads that we’re using
think about the roads that we’re using now they were often developed first it’s
now they were often developed first it’s
now they were often developed first it’s footpaths may be bridle trails making
footpaths may be bridle trails making
footpaths may be bridle trails making way for carriages wagons eventually
way for carriages wagons eventually
way for carriages wagons eventually bicycles tramways and then finally the
bicycles tramways and then finally the
bicycles tramways and then finally the automobile each of these ways of
automobile each of these ways of
automobile each of these ways of traveling requires something different
traveling requires something different
traveling requires something different from their roads different widths so
from their roads different widths so
from their roads different widths so take for instance tramways they’re
take for instance tramways they’re
take for instance tramways they’re really limited by the grade the type of
really limited by the grade the type of
really limited by the grade the type of hill that they can climb right so when
hill that they can climb right so when
hill that they can climb right so when they encounter significant Hills they
they encounter significant Hills they
they encounter significant Hills they have to zigzag their way up or go
have to zigzag their way up or go
have to zigzag their way up or go diagonally
diagonally
diagonally to the top of the hill so here in
to the top of the hill so here in
to the top of the hill so here in Spokane we had a really extensive
Spokane we had a really extensive
Spokane we had a really extensive tramway system this map the green lines
tramway system this map the green lines
tramway system this map the green lines showing the tramways in 1929 extending
showing the tramways in 1929 extending
showing the tramways in 1929 extending all the way in the north to Franklin
all the way in the north to Franklin
all the way in the north to Franklin Park and down in the south to 37th
Park and down in the south to 37th
Park and down in the south to 37th Avenue so you know when it encountered
Avenue so you know when it encountered
Avenue so you know when it encountered in the southern part the South hild it
in the southern part the South hild it
in the southern part the South hild it had to zigzag its way up to get through
had to zigzag its way up to get through
had to zigzag its way up to get through well this was in 1929 which was the
well this was in 1929 which was the
well this was in 1929 which was the maximum extent of the tramway system and
maximum extent of the tramway system and
maximum extent of the tramway system and just seven years later that Troy system
just seven years later that Troy system
just seven years later that Troy system was gone and that space taken over by
was gone and that space taken over by
was gone and that space taken over by the increasing number of automobiles but
the increasing number of automobiles but
the increasing number of automobiles but many of you who live in Spokane could be
many of you who live in Spokane could be
many of you who live in Spokane could be driving those roads today and wonder
driving those roads today and wonder
driving those roads today and wonder what in the world were they thinking
what in the world were they thinking
what in the world were they thinking right but you know so we’re left with
right but you know so we’re left with
right but you know so we’re left with these cities that are adapting to new
these cities that are adapting to new
these cities that are adapting to new ways of travel over time well as Spokane
ways of travel over time well as Spokane
ways of travel over time well as Spokane got larger the outer areas were
got larger the outer areas were
got larger the outer areas were developed around automobiles so those
developed around automobiles so those
developed around automobiles so those streets are often straighter and wider
streets are often straighter and wider
streets are often straighter and wider and they carry a lot of traffic just to
and they carry a lot of traffic just to
and they carry a lot of traffic just to get you to the bottlenecks at the
get you to the bottlenecks at the
get you to the bottlenecks at the Central City
Central City
Central City these older roads we often can’t replace
these older roads we often can’t replace
these older roads we often can’t replace due to you know funding constraints but
due to you know funding constraints but
due to you know funding constraints but also we don’t often want to replace them
also we don’t often want to replace them
also we don’t often want to replace them because this is a lot where a lot of our
because this is a lot where a lot of our
because this is a lot where a lot of our history and character of our older
history and character of our older
history and character of our older cities reside so as transportation
cities reside so as transportation
cities reside so as transportation engineers we’re constantly adapting to
engineers we’re constantly adapting to
engineers we’re constantly adapting to these new ways to travel always trying
these new ways to travel always trying
these new ways to travel always trying to look to the future to figure out what
to look to the future to figure out what
to look to the future to figure out what people are going to be doing sometimes
people are going to be doing sometimes
people are going to be doing sometimes the way that we happens really quickly
the way that we happens really quickly
the way that we happens really quickly take companies like uber and lyft in
take companies like uber and lyft in
take companies like uber and lyft in just the last five years they’ve risen
just the last five years they’ve risen
just the last five years they’ve risen to pretty strong prominence in our
to pretty strong prominence in our
to pretty strong prominence in our cities giving people more mobility than
cities giving people more mobility than
cities giving people more mobility than they had before
they had before
they had before allowing some people to forego the cost
allowing some people to forego the cost
allowing some people to forego the cost of owning an automobile but at the same
of owning an automobile but at the same
of owning an automobile but at the same time they’re taking trips away from
time they’re taking trips away from
time they’re taking trips away from trips that would have been done by
trips that would have been done by
trips that would have been done by walking biking or taking the bus
walking biking or taking the bus
walking biking or taking the bus other times we see technology coming
other times we see technology coming
other times we see technology coming that we know is going to make a little
that we know is going to make a little
that we know is going to make a little impact but it never really takes off
so now we’re left with what’s coming
so now we’re left with what’s coming what is this future of transportation
what is this future of transportation
what is this future of transportation well you’ve probably been hearing a lot
well you’ve probably been hearing a lot
well you’ve probably been hearing a lot about self-driving or autonomous cars I
about self-driving or autonomous cars I
about self-driving or autonomous cars I mean these are vehicles where the
mean these are vehicles where the
mean these are vehicles where the driving maneuvers and driving decisions
driving maneuvers and driving decisions
driving maneuvers and driving decisions are done by your vehicle’s technology as
are done by your vehicle’s technology as
are done by your vehicle’s technology as opposed to human drivers this might be
opposed to human drivers this might be
opposed to human drivers this might be something that you’ve thought I really
something that you’ve thought I really
something that you’ve thought I really want to go out and buy one of those
want to go out and buy one of those
want to go out and buy one of those thank you for all the things all the
thank you for all the things all the
thank you for all the things all the things that you could be doing instead
things that you could be doing instead
things that you could be doing instead of driving maybe reading a book the
of driving maybe reading a book the
of driving maybe reading a book the newspaper legally sending texts and
newspaper legally sending texts and
newspaper legally sending texts and emails or maybe you’ve looked at that
emails or maybe you’ve looked at that
emails or maybe you’ve looked at that technology and thought that it was
technology and thought that it was
technology and thought that it was something that you didn’t really need
something that you didn’t really need
something that you didn’t really need something you weren’t willing to pay
something you weren’t willing to pay
something you weren’t willing to pay extra money for regardless of your
extra money for regardless of your
extra money for regardless of your personal thoughts on the technology
obviously an engineer and not an actor
obviously an engineer and not an actor here so regardless of your personal
here so regardless of your personal
here so regardless of your personal thoughts on this technology it’s coming
thoughts on this technology it’s coming
thoughts on this technology it’s coming right if you think about private
right if you think about private
right if you think about private companies that rely on transportation
companies that rely on transportation
companies that rely on transportation for their businesses maybe you know in
for their businesses maybe you know in
for their businesses maybe you know in industry or farmers who need to get
industry or farmers who need to get
industry or farmers who need to get their goods to market or companies like
their goods to market or companies like
their goods to market or companies like uber and lyft whose ability to expand
uber and lyft whose ability to expand
uber and lyft whose ability to expand their system is limited by the number of
their system is limited by the number of
their system is limited by the number of drivers they can recruit right these
drivers they can recruit right these
drivers they can recruit right these companies are willing to be early
companies are willing to be early
companies are willing to be early adopters of this technology and that
adopters of this technology and that
adopters of this technology and that reduces the price for all of us as we
reduces the price for all of us as we
reduces the price for all of us as we buy new cars in the future that
buy new cars in the future that
buy new cars in the future that technology will be in those vehicles now
technology will be in those vehicles now
technology will be in those vehicles now we have to decide how we’re going to use
we have to decide how we’re going to use
we have to decide how we’re going to use them so what would you do differently if
them so what would you do differently if
them so what would you do differently if you had a self-driving car would you
you had a self-driving car would you
you had a self-driving car would you send the car out to go pick up your kids
send the car out to go pick up your kids
send the car out to go pick up your kids from soccer without you
from soccer without you
from soccer without you I think I’m does that work if I just let
I think I’m does that work if I just let
I think I’m does that work if I just let it lay them obviously it’s not staying
it lay them obviously it’s not staying
it lay them obviously it’s not staying in my ear would you send the car out and
in my ear would you send the car out and
in my ear would you send the car out and then maybe go out on your own shopping
then maybe go out on your own shopping
then maybe go out on your own shopping trip later where those two trips used to
trip later where those two trips used to
trip later where those two trips used to be combined right if you had a meeting
be combined right if you had a meeting
be combined right if you had a meeting downtown would you just have the car
downtown would you just have the car
downtown would you just have the car instead of paying for parking we just
instead of paying for parking we just
instead of paying for parking we just have the car go around the block until
have the car go around the block until
have the car go around the block until your meeting was over maybe sending that
your meeting was over maybe sending that
your meeting was over maybe sending that car back so somebody else in your
car back so somebody else in your
car back so somebody else in your household can make a trip right so the
household can make a trip right so the
household can make a trip right so the technology has the impact right of
technology has the impact right of
technology has the impact right of making things considerably different so
making things considerably different so
making things considerably different so is it a good impact or a bad well
is it a good impact or a bad well
is it a good impact or a bad well certainly we have to think about the
certainly we have to think about the
certainly we have to think about the people who make their living as drivers
people who make their living as drivers
people who make their living as drivers now those jobs will be gone but maybe
now those jobs will be gone but maybe
now those jobs will be gone but maybe there’s some opportunities as well so
there’s some opportunities as well so
there’s some opportunities as well so maybe we could take those parking spots
maybe we could take those parking spots
maybe we could take those parking spots all those parking surface parking lots
all those parking surface parking lots
all those parking surface parking lots and turn them into open space maybe we
and turn them into open space maybe we
and turn them into open space maybe we could take the parking garages and
could take the parking garages and
could take the parking garages and convert them into affordable housing or
convert them into affordable housing or
convert them into affordable housing or new businesses there are lots of
new businesses there are lots of
new businesses there are lots of challenges and there’s lots of
challenges and there’s lots of
challenges and there’s lots of opportunities with this technology but I
opportunities with this technology but I
opportunities with this technology but I think is how we address these as a
think is how we address these as a
think is how we address these as a region requires us maybe to think a
region requires us maybe to think a
region requires us maybe to think a little bit differently about
little bit differently about
little bit differently about transportation so back to our view so
transportation so back to our view so
transportation so back to our view so instead of thinking about just all the
instead of thinking about just all the
instead of thinking about just all the impediments in your way as you’re
impediments in your way as you’re
impediments in your way as you’re driving down the road maybe think a
driving down the road maybe think a
driving down the road maybe think a little bit more about why you’re in the
little bit more about why you’re in the
little bit more about why you’re in the car in the first place what influences
car in the first place what influences
car in the first place what influences the number of trips that you make is
the number of trips that you make is
the number of trips that you make is that where you live where you work where
that where you live where you work where
that where you live where you work where you play right so one thing to think
you play right so one thing to think
you play right so one thing to think about or an example of it is driving our
about or an example of it is driving our
about or an example of it is driving our kids to school this is something 20 30
kids to school this is something 20 30
kids to school this is something 20 30 years ago was relatively rare but now is
years ago was relatively rare but now is
years ago was relatively rare but now is commonplace why are we driving our kids
commonplace why are we driving our kids
commonplace why are we driving our kids to school is it because the school was
to school is it because the school was
to school is it because the school was built too far away from our neighborhood
built too far away from our neighborhood
built too far away from our neighborhood or maybe there’s a street between us our
or maybe there’s a street between us our
or maybe there’s a street between us our house and the school that doesn’t feel
house and the school that doesn’t feel
house and the school that doesn’t feel safe having our kids cross or what about
safe having our kids cross or what about
safe having our kids cross or what about shopping our stores have gotten really
shopping our stores have gotten really
shopping our stores have gotten really really large well they may be good for
really large well they may be good for
really large well they may be good for you no choice and price it also means
you no choice and price it also means
you no choice and price it also means that we can’t walk bike or send our kids
that we can’t walk bike or send our kids
that we can’t walk bike or send our kids out to buy a gallon of milk the way our
out to buy a gallon of milk the way our
out to buy a gallon of milk the way our communities are developed are
communities are developed are
communities are developed are intrinsically linked to our
intrinsically linked to our
intrinsically linked to our transportation system yet we’ve always
transportation system yet we’ve always
transportation system yet we’ve always sort of fundamentally viewed them as two
sort of fundamentally viewed them as two
sort of fundamentally viewed them as two separate systems I
separate systems I
separate systems I how we travel in ten years from now will
how we travel in ten years from now will
how we travel in ten years from now will be different than the way we’re
be different than the way we’re
be different than the way we’re traveling now the technology that’s
traveling now the technology that’s
traveling now the technology that’s coming is just too great for it to be
coming is just too great for it to be
coming is just too great for it to be otherwise but I think we have to as a
otherwise but I think we have to as a
otherwise but I think we have to as a region start talking about the
region start talking about the
region start talking about the communities and how we want to live and
communities and how we want to live and
communities and how we want to live and start viewing the technology that’s
start viewing the technology that’s
start viewing the technology that’s coming as opportunities for developing
coming as opportunities for developing
coming as opportunities for developing those communities let’s not just
those communities let’s not just
those communities let’s not just incrementally change our transportation
incrementally change our transportation
incrementally change our transportation system and be continued to be frustrated
system and be continued to be frustrated
system and be continued to be frustrated with the outcome instead let’s think
with the outcome instead let’s think
with the outcome instead let’s think about the communities that support the
about the communities that support the
about the communities that support the way we want to live and using that
way we want to live and using that
way we want to live and using that technology to build those communities
technology to build those communities
technology to build those communities and then I think finally we can have the
and then I think finally we can have the
and then I think finally we can have the transportation system of the future that
transportation system of the future that
transportation system of the future that we’ve been dreaming of thank you
we’ve been dreaming of thank you
we’ve been dreaming of thank you [Applause]
”
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