Rubbish: Vienna is pretty innovative when it comes to deal with its trash.
Thwarting the will: A Libertarian law firm wants to dismantle Seattle’s voluntary democracy voucher program that is designed to make it easier for non-establishment candidates to run for local office.
Healthy DOD: The Department of Defense wants to foster and create healthier and well-design military communities.
It’s a go: The Seattle City Council accepted a $50 million grant this week for construction of the Center City Connector ($), which will splice together the First Hill Streetcar and South Lake Union Streetcar lines, and got an update on overall system performance.
Preservation powers: A court case will determine whether the University of Washington is subject to local preservation laws or not.
Saving grace: Richard Florida explores whether or not land use regulations may have saved the Rust Belt from even worse outcomes than it’s had.
PDX highways: Can Portland fend off two highway widening projects?
Dose of reality: The New Tribune‘s Melissa Santos takes a look at the research on driverless cars (spoiler: despite the hype, it’s not remotely rosy.)
WALeg sausage: After extensive legislative gridlock, Washington state official shoehorned through an operating budget avoiding a government shutdown ($) in the literal twenty-third hour, a highly questionable and likely insufficient public education bill ($), and a new statewide paid family leave program will become law ($).
DC gondola: It started out as a joke, but the Washington, D.C. city council is seriously considering a gondola to connect Rosslyn, Virginia with Georgetown on the Washington side of the Potomac River.
NYC Subway woes: The New York City Subway is struggling to meet demands put upon it by growing ridership and aging facilities. This week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency for the transit system and plans to provide $1 billion to fund badly needed maintenance ($).
Champions: Knute looks at how Seattle activists have shaped transportation throughout the Puget Sound region.
Go green: In spite of Trump’s anti-climate “Energy Week” boosterism, the U.S. Conference of Mayors has resolved to support 100% renewable energy.
Leading the pack: FYI Guy Gene Balk broke the news this week that Seattle’s population growth last years was more than the entire growth in King County’s suburbs ($)–by a lot.
Family-friendly cities: How can cities attract and hold on to families? Urbanist and former City of Vancouver Chief Planner Brent Toderian has some ideas.
VMT: Oregon is ready to flip the switch on per-mile road charges over gas taxes, but will it happen?
