Visualize 2050 is the federally mandated long-range transportation plan for the National Capital Region. As part of its update cycle, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) engaged Clark Communications to redesign and rebuild the public-facing Visualize2050.org website, ensuring it effectively communicates key transportation goals, supports public engagement, and aligns with TPB branding. In addition to improving functionality and content organization, MWCOG sought a more modern, visually engaging design aesthetic that would better reflect the forward-looking nature of the plan.
MWCOG needed a streamlined, modern website that could better organize a growing volume of public-facing content while remaining easy to update internally. The original site editing tools were outdated and cumbersome, making it difficult for staff to manage and scale content in support of evolving planning milestones. The site architecture lacked clarity, making it difficult for users to find key documents and updates. In addition, the site required new interactive elements, such as a project timeline and embedded PDF reader, to improve how complex planning materials were presented and accessed by the public.
Previous Website
Clark began with a thorough UX audit and content review, followed by the creation of a streamlined site map and fully responsive design system. A key focus of our approach was simplifying the user experience and making content easier to navigate and absorb. We restructured the site to improve clarity, reducing reliance on long blocks of text or dense lists of links, and prioritized delivering content in an intuitive, visually digestible format.
Rather than relying on third-party builders like WPBakery, we implemented a custom WordPress theme using modular templates and Advanced Custom Fields (ACF). This approach provided greater flexibility for layout control, allowed content to align closely with the approved design aesthetic, and ensured a consistent visual experience across the site. It also made content editing more intuitive for MWCOG staff, supporting long-term ease of use.
Our team worked closely with MWCOG through rounds of review, integrating stakeholder feedback and providing staff training to support ongoing maintenance.
We developed and launched a fully responsive website built on WordPress, featuring accessible navigation, structured content modules, and new functionality to support the plan’s evolving needs. These enhancements included an interactive project timeline and an integrated PDF reader for displaying key documents in-browser.
The dashboard was designed for ease-of-use by MWCOG staff, eliminating the need for complex page builders while retaining full design fidelity. We also conducted alpha and beta testing, handled plugin updates, and provided launch support and technical assistance to ensure a smooth rollout.
The new Visualize2050.org site delivers a cleaner, more intuitive experience for users and a significantly improved editing experience for staff. The site is fully mobile-optimized, SEO-enhanced, and scalable for future content additions throughout the duration of the Visualize 2050 planning process.