A new study by Smart Growth America shows that Washington State ranks fifth among all states in terms of its commitment to reducing emissions from transportation, behind California, Maryland, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Washington scored so well, in part, because the state legislature adopted a goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled 80 percent by 2050 and because of our Growth Management Act, which promotes dense development inside urban growth boundaries and protects farms and rural areas.
However, the study notes, the state is still at danger of falling short if it doesn’t adopt policies to meet its ambitious goals. [I]n order to be successful, the state and regional governments must align their transportation policy and funding decisions with the VMT reduction targets,” the study says. “The development of state and regional plans that is currently underway and the investment decisions that follow will determine whether Washington State could serve as a model for the rest of the country.”
Read the whole study (spoiler alert: Arkansas ranked last in green transportation policy, followed by Mississippi, West Virginia, North Dakota, and Nebraska) here.
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