Tim Thornton
@tim-thornton.bsky.social
Infrastructure funding/finance, real estate value capture, TOD, market/financial analysis, economics & demographics, and any/all of the above to help make the world a better place. views r my own
Reposted by Tim Thornton
The amazing Bev Scott revs up the #MpactPDX crowd
Democracy is not for spectators.
We need courage, not working under the radar.
Don’t focus on ROI. Slavery had an ROI.
Invest in people so that we can say “all the children are fine”
We need to plan for opportunity, not just emergency
Democracy is not for spectators.
We need courage, not working under the radar.
Don’t focus on ROI. Slavery had an ROI.
Invest in people so that we can say “all the children are fine”
We need to plan for opportunity, not just emergency
October 27, 2025 at 4:32 PM
The amazing Bev Scott revs up the #MpactPDX crowd
Democracy is not for spectators.
We need courage, not working under the radar.
Don’t focus on ROI. Slavery had an ROI.
Invest in people so that we can say “all the children are fine”
We need to plan for opportunity, not just emergency
Democracy is not for spectators.
We need courage, not working under the radar.
Don’t focus on ROI. Slavery had an ROI.
Invest in people so that we can say “all the children are fine”
We need to plan for opportunity, not just emergency
Reposted by Tim Thornton
Wednesday's Most Read # 3 - Price inversion in the housing market is just... weird link.theoverheadwire.com/3f7xc Marketplace
Price inversion in the housing market is just... weird
The median price for existing homes has been exceeding that of new houses.
link.theoverheadwire.com
October 2, 2025 at 7:42 AM
Wednesday's Most Read # 3 - Price inversion in the housing market is just... weird link.theoverheadwire.com/3f7xc Marketplace
Reposted by Tim Thornton
Hey everyone! For those who might not be familiar with our work, The Overhead Wire is a daily newsletter that's been sending since 2006. We go through about 1,500 news items on cities each day and pull out the most interesting ones and tag them by topic and city for our link archive. (1/x)
November 14, 2024 at 8:50 PM
Hey everyone! For those who might not be familiar with our work, The Overhead Wire is a daily newsletter that's been sending since 2006. We go through about 1,500 news items on cities each day and pull out the most interesting ones and tag them by topic and city for our link archive. (1/x)
Reposted by Tim Thornton
Thanks to Bike Portland's Jonathan Maas for this preview of the #MpactPDX conference coming up very soon - October 26-29. See you there!
bikeportland.org/2025/10/14/t...
bikeportland.org/2025/10/14/t...
The 'railvolution' returns to Portland as Mpact Transit + Community conference
If the thought of fast, frequent bus service makes your heart go pitter-pat, I have some good news
bikeportland.org
October 20, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Thanks to Bike Portland's Jonathan Maas for this preview of the #MpactPDX conference coming up very soon - October 26-29. See you there!
bikeportland.org/2025/10/14/t...
bikeportland.org/2025/10/14/t...
Reposted by Tim Thornton
Make your plans for #MpactPDX, 10/26-29! Register today – Rates go up in 2 weeks on 9/27! Register today: mpactmobility.org/registernow.
Network and learn with cross-sector stakeholders. Join with others dedicated to taking a community-first approach to transit, mobility and development projects.
Network and learn with cross-sector stakeholders. Join with others dedicated to taking a community-first approach to transit, mobility and development projects.
September 12, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Make your plans for #MpactPDX, 10/26-29! Register today – Rates go up in 2 weeks on 9/27! Register today: mpactmobility.org/registernow.
Network and learn with cross-sector stakeholders. Join with others dedicated to taking a community-first approach to transit, mobility and development projects.
Network and learn with cross-sector stakeholders. Join with others dedicated to taking a community-first approach to transit, mobility and development projects.
Reposted by Tim Thornton
Tariffs and curbs on immigration stoke inflation and stem growth.
Add mass federal layoffs and spillover to private sector and being at a conference of economist has an eerie feeling of foreboding.
Uncertainty is its own tax on the economy and it has soared.
Add mass federal layoffs and spillover to private sector and being at a conference of economist has an eerie feeling of foreboding.
Uncertainty is its own tax on the economy and it has soared.
March 4, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Tariffs and curbs on immigration stoke inflation and stem growth.
Add mass federal layoffs and spillover to private sector and being at a conference of economist has an eerie feeling of foreboding.
Uncertainty is its own tax on the economy and it has soared.
Add mass federal layoffs and spillover to private sector and being at a conference of economist has an eerie feeling of foreboding.
Uncertainty is its own tax on the economy and it has soared.
Hearing from clients getting notified of RAISE Round 1 awards...announcement still set for 1/13...but wondering how much of the funding allocation will be left for round 2?????? @usdot.bsky.social
January 7, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Hearing from clients getting notified of RAISE Round 1 awards...announcement still set for 1/13...but wondering how much of the funding allocation will be left for round 2?????? @usdot.bsky.social
Reposted by Tim Thornton
The free market cannot solve rental housing supply and affordability challenges on its own.
The government cannot solve rental housing supply and affordability challenges on its own.
Together, in good-faith partnership and collaboration, we can.
The government cannot solve rental housing supply and affordability challenges on its own.
Together, in good-faith partnership and collaboration, we can.
December 17, 2024 at 3:10 PM
The free market cannot solve rental housing supply and affordability challenges on its own.
The government cannot solve rental housing supply and affordability challenges on its own.
Together, in good-faith partnership and collaboration, we can.
The government cannot solve rental housing supply and affordability challenges on its own.
Together, in good-faith partnership and collaboration, we can.
Reposted by Tim Thornton
ATRI report out that congestion cost trucking $108B in 2022. TX, CA, and FL are the top 3, reaching over $8B each.
Drivers who miss appointments for bad traffic have no one to compensate them, so they often take the total brunt.
truckingresearch.org/2024/12/cost...
Drivers who miss appointments for bad traffic have no one to compensate them, so they often take the total brunt.
truckingresearch.org/2024/12/cost...
Cost of Congestion to the Trucking Industry: 2024 Update
Cost of Congestion to the Trucking Industry: 2024 Update
truckingresearch.org
December 18, 2024 at 2:39 PM
ATRI report out that congestion cost trucking $108B in 2022. TX, CA, and FL are the top 3, reaching over $8B each.
Drivers who miss appointments for bad traffic have no one to compensate them, so they often take the total brunt.
truckingresearch.org/2024/12/cost...
Drivers who miss appointments for bad traffic have no one to compensate them, so they often take the total brunt.
truckingresearch.org/2024/12/cost...
“…U.S. consumers will feel a squeeze on living standards, and U.S. exporters will be hurt by reprisals. As such, a higher inflation and slower growth environment looks probable…”
Economists Raise 2025 Inflation Forecasts on Tariff Worries | Transport Topics
While economists expect the Fed to lower rates on Dec. 18 for a third straight meeting, they are now penciling in just three more quarter-point cuts in 2025.
www.ttnews.com
December 18, 2024 at 3:12 AM
“…U.S. consumers will feel a squeeze on living standards, and U.S. exporters will be hurt by reprisals. As such, a higher inflation and slower growth environment looks probable…”
If they don't pencil, yet they make housing (market-rate or otherwise) more affordable, we need to be treating these conversions like conventional affordable housing developments, and throwing every. possible. financial mechanism at them:
stateline.org/2024/11/25/c...
stateline.org/2024/11/25/c...
Cities cut red tape to turn unused office buildings into housing • Stateline
Nearly a fifth of office space across the country sits empty, a record high vacancy rate that’s expected to keep growing. Cities are taking steps to encourage the conversion of unused office space int...
stateline.org
November 27, 2024 at 6:10 PM
If they don't pencil, yet they make housing (market-rate or otherwise) more affordable, we need to be treating these conversions like conventional affordable housing developments, and throwing every. possible. financial mechanism at them:
stateline.org/2024/11/25/c...
stateline.org/2024/11/25/c...
"They're either lying, or they don't know [about flex funding]."
Love to see Hanlon's Razor in the wild: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."
Love to see Hanlon's Razor in the wild: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."
"If your governor says they don't have money for transit, they are lying," said one advocate. usa.streetsblog.org/2024/11/27/p...
Pennsylvania Shifted Cash From Highways to Transit – But Other States Could Go Even Further — Streetsblog USA
"If your governor says they don't have money for transit, they are lying," said one advocate.
usa.streetsblog.org
November 27, 2024 at 5:10 PM
"They're either lying, or they don't know [about flex funding]."
Love to see Hanlon's Razor in the wild: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."
Love to see Hanlon's Razor in the wild: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence."
Reposted by Tim Thornton
Note. Section 232 tariffs have to be investigated by Commerce Dept before they are implemented. That takes weeks to months. Then there is a comment period, where companies fight them or plea for waivers.
Congress has been working to curb executive branch powers but not actually passed any bills.
Congress has been working to curb executive branch powers but not actually passed any bills.
November 26, 2024 at 1:29 PM
Note. Section 232 tariffs have to be investigated by Commerce Dept before they are implemented. That takes weeks to months. Then there is a comment period, where companies fight them or plea for waivers.
Congress has been working to curb executive branch powers but not actually passed any bills.
Congress has been working to curb executive branch powers but not actually passed any bills.
Reposted by Tim Thornton
Listen to the builders:
"... adopting broader zoning laws and offering incentives such as density bonuses and streamlined approval processes can significantly boost affordable housing production."
"... adopting broader zoning laws and offering incentives such as density bonuses and streamlined approval processes can significantly boost affordable housing production."
How Zoning Regulations Affect Affordable Housing
Zoning and land use policies can either constrain or promote housing production, depending on how they are structured. For example, inclusionary zoning often does not result in additional housing affo...
www.nahb.org
November 20, 2024 at 3:30 PM
Listen to the builders:
"... adopting broader zoning laws and offering incentives such as density bonuses and streamlined approval processes can significantly boost affordable housing production."
"... adopting broader zoning laws and offering incentives such as density bonuses and streamlined approval processes can significantly boost affordable housing production."
Great read @yfreemark.bsky.social !
Lot of Q’s being “raised” by DOTs & transit agency clients on how grants like RAISE will change going forward. Here’s an odd one: Round 2 of this year’s RAISE apps are due 1/30. Will a new admin 10 days in honor the merit criteria of the outgoing admin?
Lot of Q’s being “raised” by DOTs & transit agency clients on how grants like RAISE will change going forward. Here’s an odd one: Round 2 of this year’s RAISE apps are due 1/30. Will a new admin 10 days in honor the merit criteria of the outgoing admin?
Transportation policy was systematically ignored during the presidential campaign—despite the likely major differences in outcomes between the candidates! www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
@davidwright6.bsky.social notes: "Dems spent a total of just $106k on TV about infrastructure... out of $600m"
@davidwright6.bsky.social notes: "Dems spent a total of just $106k on TV about infrastructure... out of $600m"
Transportation Policy Gets Left Behind in Presidential Race
Harris and Trump barely mention transportation. But the winning candidate will have a lot to say about what kinds of infrastructure will get funded.
www.bloomberg.com
November 13, 2024 at 4:25 PM
Great read @yfreemark.bsky.social !
Lot of Q’s being “raised” by DOTs & transit agency clients on how grants like RAISE will change going forward. Here’s an odd one: Round 2 of this year’s RAISE apps are due 1/30. Will a new admin 10 days in honor the merit criteria of the outgoing admin?
Lot of Q’s being “raised” by DOTs & transit agency clients on how grants like RAISE will change going forward. Here’s an odd one: Round 2 of this year’s RAISE apps are due 1/30. Will a new admin 10 days in honor the merit criteria of the outgoing admin?
Reposted by Tim Thornton
In US cities, ~2/3 of crash deaths occur on streets owned by the state – not local gov.
Outdated, deadly state roads are preventing cities from building the safe, comfortable, and transit-friendly streets that residents want.
My deep dive, in @vox.com 🧵
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
Outdated, deadly state roads are preventing cities from building the safe, comfortable, and transit-friendly streets that residents want.
My deep dive, in @vox.com 🧵
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
November 13, 2024 at 1:06 PM
In US cities, ~2/3 of crash deaths occur on streets owned by the state – not local gov.
Outdated, deadly state roads are preventing cities from building the safe, comfortable, and transit-friendly streets that residents want.
My deep dive, in @vox.com 🧵
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
Outdated, deadly state roads are preventing cities from building the safe, comfortable, and transit-friendly streets that residents want.
My deep dive, in @vox.com 🧵
www.vox.com/future-perfe...
Reposted by Tim Thornton
In the end, it was a banner year in which 46 out of 53 transit improvement ballot measures passed overall — a nearly 87 percent win rate that sends a strong message. usa.streetsblog.org/2024/11/11/a...
At Least Local Transit Initiatives Won Big in Tuesday's Election — Streetsblog USA
Last Tuesday's election wasn't all bad news for transit.
usa.streetsblog.org
November 11, 2024 at 6:44 PM
In the end, it was a banner year in which 46 out of 53 transit improvement ballot measures passed overall — a nearly 87 percent win rate that sends a strong message. usa.streetsblog.org/2024/11/11/a...