Anticipation is building for the 2 Line extension March 28, crossing Lake Washington and tying the Eastside into Sound Transit’s broader light rail network. But much work remains to get the next set of expansions right, and removing Claudia Balducci as System Expansion Chair launches that work on a
A pair of bills advancing this week at the state legislature would finally allow Sound Transit to rise above the local permitting fray in several key areas. The reforms could save as much as nine months on key transit projects, according to the agency.
Zoning maps for 30 new neighborhood growth centers, a handful of urban center expansions, and narrow transit corridor rezones dropped on Thursday. With the patchy current vision driven by the Harrell administration, new Mayor Katie Wilson has pledged to come back and expand the plan once a supplemen
Eagerly awaited by transit riders, the full 2 Line light rail connection will finally bridge Seattle and the Eastside and bring expanded train service all the way from Redmond to Lynnwood. The expansion will bring stations at Judkins Park and Mercer Island online.
The Urbanist recently sat down with Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson to get the latest on initiatives she has cooking now that her team is in office. We touched on emergency housing, bus lanes, World Cup preparations, Sound Transit, culture change at the police department, and more.
New cost estimates on the long-planned Interstate Bridge Replacement over the Columbia River reveal a funding gap that could range from $5 billion to a staggering $13 billion, an amount that neither Washington nor Oregon is prepared to absorb. The project looks poised to meet the same fate as a simi
Sound Transit’s analysis, prompted by a request from King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, looks at ways to get to Ballard without a new tunnel under Downtown Seattle. While the potential cost savings could be as much as $4.5 billion, the idea of delaying Ballard Link even further on top of si
In a 6-3 vote, Seattle City Council approved a police guild contract that falls short on officer accountability and continues to hinder civilian crisis responders. A parting gift from outgoing Mayor Bruce Harrell, the contract could hamstring the incoming administration of Katie Wilson.
Transit riders and elected officials alike celebrated light rail’s arrival in South King County, as Sound Transit held a grand celebration to tout its three new stations and cut the ribbon in Federal Way.
As the Sound Transit board approaches the point of grappling with how to rebalance the entire Sound Transit 3 package, transit advocates are urging them to look for new solutions outside of project delays or cancellations.
Katie Wilson will be Seattle’s next Mayor. The progressive challenger expanded her lead over current Mayor Bruce Harrell to nearly 2,000 votes in Wednesday’s count, and The Urbanist and other local outlets have called the race for Wilson.
Leaders from across the Pacific Northwest recently gathered at the Cascadia Innovation Corridor Conference in Seattle and reaffirmed their commitment to building high-speed rail linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C. President Trump has created headwinds for the project by slashing transit f
On the whole, there were bright spots for urbanist candidates all around the region, with major gains seen in Burien, Redmond, and Tacoma. There was also some backsliding in places like Sammamish and Bainbridge Island.
“It’s never been more important to have a movement mayor,” Seattle mayoral candidate Katie Wilson told supporters Sunday. Multiple speakers portrayed Wilson as a bottom-up, people-powered coalition-builder, who stands in sharp contrast to incumbent Bruce Harrell, who they see as a top-down establish
The Urbanist Elections Committee is excited to announce our 2025 general election endorsements, which span the region from Tacoma to Everett. Be sure to vote by November 4.
Since voters approved West Seattle and Ballard Link in 2016, the two projects have been caught in a perfect storm of factors that led to the eye-popping cost estimates that we have today. While the path forward looks bleak, there are signs that Sound Transit is learning from its mistakes.
Reductions in the size of proposed growth centers and new tree retention rules that could stifle homebuilding were among the dozens of Seattle growth plan amendments approved this week. Council rejected moves to make the plan bolder in a number of areas, fretting over the risk of legal appeals.
Costs are going up on all Sound Transit 3 projects, with West Seattle Link now expected to cost up to $7.9 billion, Everett Link $7.7 billion, and Ballard Link more than $20 billion. Sound Transit has been able to identify cost-saving opportunities in Everett, but Seattle is in a tough position.
Work to close the 20-25% funding gap announced Thursday will likely have far-reaching implications on everything from system expansion projects to how Sound Transit delivers current service. The coming months will likely see assumptions long thought settled back on the table.
Federal Way Link will open on December 6, ahead of the previous plan for an early 2026 opening, Sound Transit announced today.
More than 300,000 riders used the 2 Line in July, a 47% increase over June. Averaging more than 10,000 daily riders, the 10-station line rivals the busiest King County Metro routes in terms of usage.
Urbanist-endorsed progressive challenger Katie Wilson is off to a fast start in her bid to unseat Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, leading by nearly 1,300 votes on primary election night. Urbanist-endorsed Seattle City Council candidates Dionne Foster, Alexis Mercedes, and Eddie Lin have also taken comm
The Seattle City Council will spend the next month considering the 106 different amendments, which would push the city’s growth plan toward allowing more types of housing… or scale back areas where density increases are proposed.
The Urbanist Elections Committee is excited to announce our 2025 primary election endorsements, which span the region from Tacoma to Everett. Be sure to vote by August 5.
Light rail riders are poised to be able to take 1 Line trains all the way to Downtown Federal Way before the end of 2025, thanks to work accelerating the grand opening. That will pave the way for a full opening of the 2 Line across Lake Washington by spring of 2026.
Seattle has officially surpassed the 800,000 population mark, setting a record high of 816,600 residents in new state estimates released Friday. That marks the fifth year in a row that the Emerald City’s growth rate has exceeded 2%, making Seattle one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.
All 1 Line stations in Downtown Seattle will be closed Saturday June 21 to Sunday June 22, after Sound Transit discovered a section of rail in need of replacement near Westlake. The agency plans to run shuttle buses to bridge the gap every 30-60 minutes. Alternate transit routes may best serve rider
After navigating through a number of major issues that added years of delay, the Sound Transit board is poised to adopt a new preferred alternative for Tacoma Dome Link. The project isn’t slated to reach full design until 2027 and to open until 2035.
Councilmember Maritza Rivera’s last-minute proposal would require additional public outreach and documentation for light rail permit applications. The underlying bill had been intended to cut red rape. After pushback from Councilmembers Rinck and Strauss, the vote was delayed a week.
To meet a state deadline, the Seattle City Council legalized fourplexes or sixplexes across the entire city via the adoption of an interim code Tuesday. The move is just a prelude to a bigger fight over urban density, as Council advances Mayor Bruce Harrell’s broader growth plan.
Cities in Washington will have the legal authority to create shared streets, which feature much lower speed limits and put pedestrians first, under Senate Bill 5595. Governor Bob Ferguson signed the bill into law Saturday. It will go into effect on July 27.
Light rail finally arrives in Downtown Redmond Saturday, the culmination of years of work by Eastside leaders to bring high-capacity transit to this growth hub.
The Washington State Legislature approved a 7% to 10% cap on rent hikes Sunday, after the proposal faced a rollercoaster of obstacles over the course of the 105-day session.
Hearing Examiner Ryan Vancil dismissed all appeals of Seattle’s growth plan. Despite a myriad of issues raised by six appellants, the proposal will move forward thanks to a recently passed state law intended to prevent predatory delay of housing plans.
Washingtonians in the market for a new e-bike can qualify for the chance to snag a $300 or $1,200 instant rebate starting Wednesday. The state will distribute about 10,000 rebates via a lottery system following a two-week sign up period that ends April 23.
Governor Bob Ferguson’s reticence to approve new taxes represents a major obstacle to closing a big budget hole without deep cuts to social services. In fact, Ferguson announced Tuesday he would veto any budget that included a wealth tax, which could tie state lawmakers’ hands.
Dow Constantine will leave his post as King County Executive and take over as Sound Transit’s CEO on April 1, after the agency’s board of directors approved the hiring in a unanimous vote Thursday. Constantine takes over at a tenuous time, with projects budgets bursting at the seams.
Our map of cherry blossoms hotspots covers more than 44,000 flowering stone fruit trees across Seattle. Check it out to plan your flower tour.
The six appeals against the One Seattle housing plan had been headed toward a lengthy hearing later this spring. But a filing by the City seeks to dismiss the appeals much more quickly, allowing the plan to move forward.
Transit Riders Union leader Katie Wilson jumped in the race to be the next mayor of Seattle today. Our interview with Wilson covers what’s motivating her to run and how she would deliver results where Mayor Bruce Harrell has failed.
The 1.2-mile bike lane restores a connection along the central waterfront that hasn’t existed in years, and is sure to turn into one of the city’s most highly-used bike facilities.
House Our Neighbors led a campaign that overcame a flood of corporate cash against them. Here’s how they did it, and what comes next to grow social housing in Seattle and ignite a broader movement.
The permanent renewal of Tacoma’s Streets Initiative would enable the city to make significant progress on overhauling its most dangerous streets, and significantly expand safe bicycle infrastructure. The ballot measure goes to voters in an April 22 special election.
Though it was amended to exclude cities with less than 20,000 residents, Senate Bill 5184 still represents one of the most robust statewide parking reform packages to move forward in any state. It now must pass the House.
The appeals, filed by residents in Madison Park, Mount Baker, and Hawthorne Hills, seek to require additional environmental review, pushing back the City’s plan to allow more housing.
Housing advocates outnumbered opponents by a margin of 89 to 75 during a five-hour public hearing Wednesday on the One Seattle housing growth plan. Nevertheless, several councilmembers made it clear they sided with slow-growth advocates, rather than the majority demanding more housing options.
The 3.4-mile light rail extension will add a station at Marymoor Village, near King County’s largest park, and in the heart of Downtown Redmond. The May 10 opening sets the stage for the full extension of the 2 Line across Lake Washington later this year.
With the baton passing from Jay Inslee to Bob Ferguson, Washington’s governor has placed more emphasis on fiscal austerity to solve the state’s looming budget deficit. But some lawmakers are intent on raising new revenue to avoid deep cuts to social programs.
A popular bill from 2024 that would legalize neighborhood cafes in residential areas across Washington is back in 2025. It will likely continue to face headwinds from local governments.
As the Seattle City Council took its first look at Mayor Bruce Harrell’s One Seattle Comprehensive Plan on Monday, Cathy Moore delivered a slow-growth manifesto, tinged with derision for renters, who she portrayed an unengaged and a detriment to neighborhoods.
The first few months of the year are bringing 1 Line service disruptions that could hit unprepared riders hard. Here’s everything you need to know.
East Link light rail expansions set the stage for boosting housing and transforming streets to overcome car dependence. The next year will be a pivotal, signaling whether Eastside cities are executing an urban transformation or falling back into old exclusionary patterns, ceding regional leadership
Declining state transportation revenue and increased project costs are on a collision course. Long-promised highway projects, court-ordered fish culvert removal, and badly needed investments in transit, active transportation, and traffic safety are all fighting for a shrinking pie.
In approving a unanimous update to its Comprehensive Plan, the Shoreline City Council is set to go well beyond the minimum requirements of state law in pursuit of creating additional housing options and more vibrant neighborhoods.
In February, Seattleites should vote yes on Proposition 1A to launch the Seattle Social Housing Developer with progressive revenue. The Urbanist Elections Committee lays out why.
Greg Spotts is the latest SDOT Director to leave the city after a short stint, departing after overseeing a strong finish on the $930 million Levy to Move Seattle.
In making her case to become the next King County Executive, Claudia Balducci is pointing to her extensive track record of delivering on housing and transportation –– and getting the details right.
The recently passed Redmond 2050 plan increases housing capacity and aims to produce nearly 30,000 new homes by 2050, mostly downtown and in Overlake Village. However, homebuilders warn that the City is adding new obstacles that could impede housing development.
The Sara Nelson-led Seattle City Council passed their first city budget in an 8-1 vote. It greenlit the mayor’s plan to slash investments in affordable housing and social services and trim 48 staff positions in order to boost police spending by 16% and close a large deficit without raising new taxes
A third-party consultant told the Sound Transit board this week that the Fourth Avenue station option in Chinatown is “not reasonably constructible,” due to lengthy construction timelines and a laundry list of risks that come with construction next to a BNSF rail line.
Passage of Seattle’s transportation levy was all but assured Tuesday night, after initial returns showed two-thirds of voters in support.
Weekend disruptions for 1 Line riders in early November and December will likely cause headaches, but are set to ultimately benefit riders. Mark your calendar to navigate disrupted light rail service November 8-10 and December 7-8.
The Sound Transit board approved the route for West Seattle Link Thursday, clearing the way for engineering work that will advance the project to 80% design by 2027. Opponents cited worries that rising project costs would jeopardize light rail extensions to Tacoma and to Everett.
Proponents of a $7.5 billion project to widen I-5 and replace the Columbia River bridge are ignoring induced demand, creating faulty traffic models that obscure its real environmental impact.
Ballard Link is still in planning, eight years after the passage of Sound Transit 3. With the environmental review process essentially starting over, major action on the project isn’t expected until 2025.
The Urbanist Elections Committee has unveiled our 2024 general election endorsements. We’re excited about this slate of urbanists, who are poised to make a difference.
As a new 45-story apartment tower goes up at the Elephant Car Wash site, Seattle is building apartments at a rapid pace – but a slump may be on the way.
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.
Despite significantly increased costs, the Sound Transit board is full steam ahead on advancing West Seattle Link to full design. What could that mean for the entire Sound Transit 3 plan?
Home in Tacoma will get a public hearing on Tuesday, which will close the comment period for the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Soon the Tacoma City Council will debate and approve a final zoning plan using the options outlined in the study.
King County Metro’s eighth RapidRide line, Madison Street’s G Line, launches Saturday with some of the most robust speed and reliability features of any bus route in Puget Sound.
Lynnwood Link opened on Friday and the excitement was high among riders and dignitaries, alike.
Three years after the Seattle City Council tasked the department of construction with examining how to reform its cumbersome design review process, the agency released its report. The department still remains nearly a year away from making substantive changes to design review.
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 third of King County Metro’s pre-pandemic transit ridership has yet to return, and many agencies are seeing stronger rebounds. Where did the bus riders go?
Progressive urbanists appear poised to flip a Seattle City Council seat, win the Pierce County Executive race, and expand their caucus in the state legislature.
Offering a bold vision for Downtown Seattle that could include as many as 7,800 new homes, King County has released a full strategic plan for how it might redevelop its civic campus.
Shoreline has seen significant growth in housing around its two light rail stations, but this week the Shoreline Council showed clear reluctance to allow increased density throughout the rest of the city.
The Seattle Police Department hired a cop with a record of reckless driving who went on to kill Jaahnavi Kandula while driving recklessly. However, instead of tightening hiring protocols, Seattle officials are looking to loosen them further.
The Urbanist Elections Committee is proud to unveil our 2024 Primary endorsements, headlined by Ryan Mello’s exciting bid for Pierce County Executive. This slate of urbanists is poised to make a difference.
A perfect storm of factors is creating a drag on walk-on ridership on Washington State Ferries. Reasons include service reductions, fast ferries poaching riders, and the trend toward working from home.
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.
Sound Transit is rolling out new system diagrams on trains that show the next round of light rail extensions including Lynnwood Link. The diagrams implement a station numbering system and a name change for Symphony Station.
Seattle grew by 18,500 residents in one year to a total of 797,700, according to recently released state figures. Meanwhile, Tacoma surpassed 225,000, Redmond crossed 80,000, and Bellevue hit 155,000 in those population estimates.
The Low Income Housing Institute won the bid to develop Sound Transit’s surplus site near U District Station. The project will bring 160 affordable homes in a 12-story tower that is slated to be the state’s tallest mass timber building.
After initially announcing an expanded schedule for Bicycle Weekends, Seattle Parks walked it back. Internal emails reveal why.
Ten years in the making, Seattle’s most robust bus rapid transit line ever will start running this fall between Downtown Seattle and Madison Valley.
A planned overhaul of Shoreline’s 175th Street is prompting a call for a reset after complaints over tree removals. City leaders don’t appear ready to back off the planned multimodal improvements.
Today, Sound Transit ruled out late-breaking South Lake Union station alternatives for Ballard Link. Major business lobbied hard for the late “shifted west” additions, but it wasn’t enough to win over the board.
Melanie LaPlant Dressel Park opened on April 11 as a beautiful park far away from the rest of the city. An elevated, wide ribbon of concrete — the roaring I-705 freeway — separates the park from its users. Tacoma should remove this barrier.
WSDOT is set to delete the 10th Avenue E tunnel underpass from Seattle’s planned Roanoke Lid despite only saving around 10 to 15 million dollars.
With a 24% raise and backpay, Seattle police officers are collectively earning an extra $96 million in compensation from the City in 2024. City leaders hope to spur hiring, but the contract did little to increase police accountability and blew a bigger hole in the City’s quarter-billion-dollar budge
Track restoration work on the remainder of the 2 Line across I-90 is 80% complete, but any additional delays are almost certain to push a grand opening into 2026.
A recent poll found Seattle would support a $1.9 billion transportation levy focused on fix-it-first and safety investments, but the City’s proposal currently sits at $1.45 billion.
Comment on the draft Seattle Comprehensive Plan by May 20. Housing advocates have urged the City to adopt the “Housing Abundance Map” rather than keep exclusionary zoning.
After a 90-minute opening ceremony, the 2 Line clocked 35,000 boardings on Saturday. Leaders predicted the line will dramatically transform the Eastside.
Should Sound Transit spend an additional 10 months studying tweaks to stations in the South Lake Union area? The Sound Transit board is set to make that decision in May.
The Eastside will have light rail service for the first time, as East Link launches Saturday. The Urbanist has everything you need to know about this momentous occasion.
A paper trail from fall 2023 shows that Mayor Harrell’s office overruled his planning department and cut transit corridor upzones and halved the number of proposed “neighborhood centers” before release of the growth strategy.
The mayor’s levy proposal is focused on preserving the existing car-focused system rather than promising transformative changes. Advocates asked for at least $1.7 billion focused on pedestrians, bikes, and transit, but didn’t get it.