The 41-7 vote in the Washington State Senate advances a proposal that would allow builders more flexibility to install smaller elevators in smaller apartment buildings, a small step toward bringing U.S. elevator costs more in line with the rest of the world.
SDOT’s plan for adding barricades ahead of this summer’s World Cup leans heavily on planters and movable barricades. While the infrastructure could ultimately form a template for longer-term upgrades, these changes look to be quick and dirty and aimed at protecting pedestrians as Seattle opens itsel
Seattle is missing thousands of blocks of sidewalks. But the lower-cost sidewalk alternatives being advanced by the Seattle Department of Transportation don’t always live up to what’s expected in neighborhoods that have lacked basic infrastructure for decades.
Despite considerable momentum behind SB 5156 coming from the state Senate, the idea of reforming Washington’s strict elevator codes met resistance from firefighter groups and the powerful elevator constructor’s union.
For the last 30 years, Seattle has adopted an urban village approach to growth that has reserved 75% of the city for single-family zoning while concentrating growth into walkable urban centers. This has created de-facto housing segregation, where many people with disabilities can reside only in the
Senate Bill 5156, approved by the Washington Senate this week, could open the door to more accessible small apartment buildings built around smaller European-style elevators, reducing overall housing costs at the same time.
Raised crosswalks and flashing beacons are set to be installed this summer at Judkins Park’s I-90 ramps, which are steps from the forthcoming light rail station.
The idea of slowing drivers along one of the city’s most scenic waterfront routes had been seen as the compromise position, in the face of competing visions for Lake Washington Boulevard. But behind-the-scenes, the upgrades have been under attack.
With $15 million in federal funds in hand, accessibility upgrades are moving forward for the Seattle Center monorail station. Take a look at the preferred concept.
The new pedestrian connection, park, and gathering space all in one was envisioned as a key component of Seattle’s new waterfront since work started on the project over a decade ago.
In four years, the Week Without Driving Challenge has grown from a small event with a dozen elected leaders in the Puget Sound area to a national event with participants in all 50 states. Founder Anna Zivarts shares her thoughts on that journey.
In voting against the IKE digital advertising kiosks proposal, the Seattle Design Commission cited concerns about clutter and a lack of public buy-in. The Seattle City Council may ultimately approve the program even without that recommendation.
A bike and pedestrian tunnel underneath 10th Avenue E has been restored after advocates fought a cost-costing move to drop it from highway lid plans in North Capitol Hill,
A pilot program offering public restrooms at two King County Metro transit centers is in jeopardy of being terminated. High costs associated with full-time security are primarily to blame.
It’s official: Voters this fall will get to weigh in on whether Seattle should invest $1.55 billion over eight years to improve transportation infrastructure, with most funding allocated to road and bridge maintenance.
WSDOT is scrapping the planned SR 520 bike and pedestrian tunnel, forcing people who travel outside cars into dangerous territory. It’s not too late to push back and contact policymakers.
Councilmember Tammy Morales offered a new proposal Thursday for a $1.7 billion transportation levy that increases spending across a broad array of programs. None of her colleagues have yet backed the proposal.
A proposed amendment to the next Seattle transportation levy pushes the city to build 500 blocks of new sidewalks in five years. However, SDOT says that goal likely isn’t achievable without more funding and broader changes.
Join us Monday, May 13th for a 7:30pm forum with Anna Zivarts, Barb Chamberlain, Tanisha Sepúlveda at Town Hall Seattle. Panelists will discuss how we create better transportation systems that effectively factor in the needs of non-drivers.
Responding to pushback that his $1.35 billion levy proposal was too small and car-focused, Mayor Harrell added another $100 million in pedestrian, bike, and transit investment.
The 10 weekends of Bicycle Weekends for 2024 have been announced, with only 32 hours of opening up the street for walking, biking and rolling each weekend.
250 blocks of new sidewalks was a big win from the Move Seattle levy. Now it’s seen as the new baseline, with the 27% of missing blocks citywide being put front and center in the levy debate.
Elevators and escalators at the Chinatown station will all be new by 2026 following phased replacements. Sound Transit officials have approved the first phase of escalator and elevator modernization in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT). That will initially benefit International District/Chinatown station as phases of work are completed
Sound Transit plans to deliver the first phases of two passenger-facing technologies late this fall. A new digital assistant tool will launch on mobile and web apps to provide users access to regional trip planning and service alerts. The agency will also be launching a pilot accessible wayfinding tool to
One in four Seattle blocks lack sidewalks, but a new bill would require that significant repaving projects add or repair them. In 2016, after the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) repaved a long stretch of Greenwood Avenue N in North Seattle, between N 112th Street and N 125th Street, road
One of the city’s most highly-used bike trails is about to see improvements that will remove elements that have been giving trail users consternation for decades. The Port of Seattle Commission Tuesday approved allocating $1.5 million to address two major pinch points in the Terminal 91 Trail, which
After a summer of public outreach, SDOT is hearing recurring themes people want for the future of Aurora Avenue N. Beginning in June, the public got to partake in guided discussion sessions with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) for the transformative Aurora Avenue Project. The workshops were held in various
The new intersection cameras issued over 1,800 warning tickets to blocking drivers within the first few months of the program, but only 34 official citations. Earlier this year, Seattle became the only city in Washington to start issuing automatic citations to drivers for blocking crosswalks and intersections while pedestrians
Sound Transit unveiled plans for a new “digital assistant” and passenger-facing technology program last week. The agency wants to build a single tool that would allow riders to do regional trip planning, obtain real-time information, receive interactive support, and pay their fares, which could be a first-in-the-nation innovation for transit.
Ray Delahanty of CityNerd visited Seattle to showcase the city’s preeminent stroad: Aurora Avenue. Delahanty offers a sobering overview of the road, but he also discusses how it could be completely reimagined. The Urbanist and fellow local advocacy organizations make cameos in the video.
Miniature microcars are rare in North America, but they’re common in Amsterdam and The Netherlands. Jason Slaughter looks into how these cars are more city-friendly and utilitarian than their larger, heavier counterparts.
The weekend car-free open street will launch on Friday, May 20 by 7:00pm. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has announced that, for a third year in a row, Lake Washington Boulevard between Mount Baker Beach and Seward Park will be opened to people who are walking, biking, or
Anyone who uses a pedestrian overpass can tell you that they leave much to be desired. CityNerd takes a dive into them to evaluate their worth.
Anna Zivarts joined for The Urbanist’s March meetup. Zivarts is director of the Disability Mobility Initiative at Disability Rights Washington and is a low-vision mom and nondriver who was born with the neurological condition nystagmus. In the meetup video, Zivarts discussed the Move Ahead Washington transportation package that passed
Highway 99 has 99 problems. Aurora Avenue is an unsettled mix, part street where people interact with businesses and part highway shunting vehicles through at high speeds. It doesn’t work well for anybody; not for drivers, not for the 100,000 people living in its proximity, not for businesses,
Throughout the pandemic, stories of people who walk, bike, or roll getting turned away from Covid-19 testing sites because they were reserved for people in motor vehicles highlighted a broader reality that businesses across the US operating as drive-thru-only are generally allowed to refuse service to people not in cars
This past weekend while walking on California Avenue in West Seattle, I saw something that should be commonplace, yet remains relatively rare in our city. A group of kids were strolling together, chatting excitedly about their fourth grade teacher. They encountered another group of elementary-aged children, which sparked raucous laughter
Sound Transit recently released updated alternatives for the Ballard and West Seattle light rail expansions. As Doug Trumm detailed here at The Urbanist, the agency has drafted up concepts for some of the most cavernous stations in not just North America but the entire world. Other concepts show urban stations
It almost seems like every other week these days you hear about another light rail-involved collision in Rainier Valley. And the reason for why is obvious: at-grade running trains cross more than a dozen intersections on Martin Luther King, Jr. Way S. Each of those crossings introduce risk for collisions
This week’s Traspo Notes highlights: hearing on an additive Sound Transit funding bill, cats and dogs can ride the King County Water Taxi, the state transportation department has a new mobility plan, Seattle café streets are poised for an extension, and Via to Transit expands in Renton. Additive Sound
A recent poll of Seattle voters found strong support for pedestrianizing streets and adding protected bike lanes and bus lanes. Respondents highly rated the value of increasing street safety and make it easier to get around without a car. At a press conference held on a café street in Capitol
A year-and-a-half after Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill approving a pilot program giving Seattle authority to issue automatic citations for drivers blocking crosswalks, intersections, and transit-only lanes with their vehicles, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has announced locations for broader enforcement across the city. In early 2021, SDOT
Just over a month ago, our region celebrated the opening of three new light rail stations. The day was perhaps the most joyous celebration I’ve been to since the Covid-19 pandemic started, and one of the busiest days on transit since 2019. Thousands of people flocked from around the
Since the start of Northgate Link service this month, King County Metro has brought online a network of new digital real-time information signs (RTIS). The initial batch of signs are located around light rail stations inNorthgate, Roosevelt, U District, and Capitol Hill. Metro plans to install more than 340 signs
During October 22nd through 29th, Disability Rights Washington is asking drivers to ditch their cars and expand their knowledge of navigating the world by walking, rolling, or transit. What is it like to try to get around your community without driving yourself? For people who can drive, and can afford
“Nothing about us without us” is a rallying cry that first came into wide use in the United States by disability activists in the 1990s and has since been applied to many different fights for civil rights. The slogan captures the essence of a new report, Transportation Access for All:
Dave Amos talks about how the principle of universal design as applied to street design can make streets better for all users.
The conditions of the West Seattle high- and low-bridge, the Magnolia Bridge, and other high-profile bridges that carry vehicle traffic have been getting a lot of attention lately, with good reason. Seattle’s pedestrian bridges get less attention, but many of the 30 footbridges that the City maintains are reaching