Jim Watson is a transportation planner in Washington, DC with nearly two decades of experience in multimodal planning and design in the private and public sectors, including transportation work with government facilities and properties. In his transportation planning work in the District of Columbia, the Washington, DC metropolitan region, and across the country, he focuses on multimodal solutions, including roadway facilities, and bicycle, pedestrian, vehicular, and transit modes.
With a background ranging from real estate development projects, public sector planning, data center traffic impact studies, and shared mobility systems, Jim focuses on transportation solutions at the intersection of transportation planning, demand, policy, and design that improve the quality of life for those impacted by each project.
Jim’s transportation planning experience is wide ranging, including comprehensive transportation reviews (CTR); traffic impact analyses including the use of Synchro/Simtraffic models; parking, site access, and loading planning; transportation master plans for campuses and municipalities; curbside management and delivery analyses; interchange modifications; and shared parking demand studies.
Highlights of Jim’s work have included:
- Transportation and parking analyses of Union Station in Washington, DC, including parking and loading facilities; reconfiguration of taxi, FHV, bus pick-up and drop-off facilities; and reconfiguration of vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian access
- Parking studies of communities ranging from downtown areas like Uptown Charlotte, NC to suburban communities like Armonk, NY
- Numerous comprehensive transportation reviews for developments in the District of Columbia, including detailed coordination with DDOT
- Development of transportation master plans for downtown, suburban, and rural communities throughout the country
- Complete streets design plans for multiple residential corridors, including road diets and other roadway reconfigurations as well as the implementation of bicycle and pedestrian facilities
- The development of a travel management plans (TMP) to balance parking demand and supply and better manage morning student drop-off traffic at multiple schools in the District of Columbia and other states
- Multiple Higher Education and Federal campus planning efforts throughout the country
Jim began his career in transportation planning at Wells + Associates before rejoining the firm in 2021. In the interim, he served public and private-sector clients in the transportation engineering and planning field across the country.
Q + A
- How did you get interested in transportation?
- I was obsessed with maps as a kid. My grandparents would buy a new Rand McNally road atlas every year and give me the old one which I would study endlessly.
- Favorite vacation spot?
- I’ve been fortunate to travel throughout Europe over the years, but my favorite spot is always that “new to me” European place I’ve never been to before.
- How do you like to relax?
- I’m probably the odd duck that finds a full day’s drive relaxing.
- Favorite sports team?
- I’m a third-generation Auburn Tiger alum with a healthy appetite for Atlanta Braves baseball.
Education
- Master of Arts, Transportation Policy, Operations, and Logistics, George Mason University
- Bachelor of Aviation Management, Auburn University
Certifications
- American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)