Lawmakers are aiming to add guardrails to the most addictive social media sites when it comes to usage by kids. But privacy and civil rights advocates are warning of significant unintended consequences.
In this video, Uytae Lee of About Here teamed up with Seattle-based environmental thinktank Sightline Institute to talk about North America’s elevator problem. Elevators have been made rare and costly by clunky regulations, which may be ripe for serious reform to make elevators affordable and desira
Last week, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the City’s new AI Plan, which looks to harness the current artificial intelligence boom in the tech sector by integrating AI into the City’s operations, public services, and civic engagement. But critics worry about the ethical implications of AI use in publi
Tech workers like me don’t enjoy being a bargaining chip to protect our CEO’s bottom line. And we know better than anyone else that their claims are false: corporate giants can afford higher taxes.
Alan Fisher of Armchair Urbanist dives into how San Francisco is ready-made for electric trolleybuses and has a robust network of them today — just like Seattle. Fisher explains why they’re better than battery-electric buses and how, with a little effort, San Francisco could widely expand electric t
King County Metro has improved its delivery of scheduled trips over the past several years, but the King County Council wants to better track unplanned trip cancellations or “ghost” buses and improve communications with riders.
Not only are the Netherlands’ brick streets more aesthetically pleasing than typical American streets, the modern klinkers (bricks) that make up most Dutch streets are just more practical. Jason Slaughter of Not Just Bikes dives into how brick streets are designed and installed, and what makes them
Dave Amos of City Beautiful dives into the thorny issue of punishing bad drivers and the many challenges that stem from lawlessness and impunity on roadways.
Urbanist circles differ in how they see autonomous vehicles, particularly as they move toward wider adoption. Some see them being a tool that builds up urban communities and improves safety while others worry that they could have exactly the opposite effect. Jason Slaughter of Not Just Bikes falls into the
Forget your ORCA card? No problem. A new Google Wallet feature allows Puget Sound riders to buy transit fares on their Android or Wear OS devices.
Sound Transit needs to act to improve the auditory experience of Link light rail stations. Presently, they are an unwelcoming cacophony of announcements that are too frequent, loud, and grating.
Up to 10 Sound Transit-owned parking facilities — including at all Link station parking facilities — could see daily paid parking begin around the time that the Lynnwood Link Extension opens.
As transit agencies modernize their fare payment systems, digital payment methods are becoming more widespread. Many transit agencies are allowing use of open loop payments with credit and debit cards. But Japan has rapidly built out a very different — and on the surface complicated — digital payments system. Daniel Heppner explains
Reece Martin at RM Transit explores the history of the tram (streetcar) and its reinvention into as a primary train technology now used throughout the world in urban systems, though often dubbed “light rail” (hello, Link). Martin highlights the pros and cons of widespread use of trams in contemporar
An agency report obtained by The Urbanist lays out three key scenarios to implement fare gates with the goal of driving up fare compliance and revenue. Fare policy has a been a hotly contested issue at Sound Transit for the past few years, due in large part to concerns with
Google Wallet will soon support digital ORCA cards and allow for contactless payment via Android-powered mobile devices. That will save many Puget Sound transit riders the need for a physical ORCA card. Mobile payments have been a highly anticipated feature since the new ORCA system launched last year. Google will
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
Sound Transit plans a mix of articulated and double-decker buses for Stride, all of which will be battery-electric. Sound Transit is poised to move forward with the purchase of a new fleet for its Stride bus rapid transit program. Agency staff hope to win approval for the contracts this week
Traffic camera enforcement technology isn’t popular among motorists, but there’s a lot of upsides to camera enforcement of traffic regulations, such as speed limits. Dave Amos of City Beautiful dives into the lifesaving technology. Amos also highlights other lifesaving technologies related to drivin
Planners have a lot to wrestle with as ChatGPT comes to code drafting. “In the era of rapid urbanization and evolving urban landscapes, the development of effective zoning ordinances has become an essential aspect of urban planning. These regulations shape the future of cities, determining land use, building codes, and
Real-time arrival information may be coming to Link light rail in the next month or so, sorta. Sound Transit has begun testing of a new system at Link stations as a first step to wider implementation of digital information technology to all rail stations and vehicles. Known as the Passenger
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When Ray pitched the idea to me of doing an episode on automation, the first thing I thought was, of course. Automation, in no small part because of the meteoric rise of the chatbot Chat GPT by OpenAI, is being discussed in every news outlet I follow these days. Is
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.
I first encountered the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Twitter account when it popped up on my feed, already uncommon for a government agency profile. Even more uncommon: it featured punchy language and unhinged graphics characteristic of Gen Z and Millennial humor. I had barely thought about the
Reece Martin takes a dive into tram designs and shows the way for a better design approach for low-floor trams. Often, there are drawbacks in tram design for riders.
Jason Slaughter highlights how North American streets are designed as deadly spaces for people walking, rolling, and biking. Slaughter compares those streets to ones in The Netherlands, which have been dramatically improved over recent decades — so much so that Slaughter has little fear in letting his children walk freely in
Modern tram systems are increasingly seeing the use of grassy tracks. Many North American transit agencies may be loath to follow suit, but there are a lot of practical and positive reasons to implement grassy tracks. And it may not be as complicated to do as it might seem. Reece Martin explains in
There’s a lot of talk about using fare gates instead of proof of payment in Seattle, but can proof of payment be just as good or better? Reece Martin dives into the thorny topic in this video.
Dave Amos of City Beautiful talks about how cities can move goods faster, more efficiently, and sustainably. Amos highlights some strategies that are being used in Seattle, too.
Trolleybuses still exist across many transit systems in North America, but some transit agencies are beginning to cut back on them out of a mistaken belief that they are obsolete. Reece Martin explains in this video why that belief is wrong and how newer generation trolleybuses can be useful to tran
Puget Sound is investing heavily in large transit expansion projects like light rail and bus rapid transit. These are critically important for moving people quickly over in-city and short regional distances on-demand. But as the region grows around transit, policymakers need to begin planning how to transport people over longer
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) spends millions of dollars per year maintaining and replacing equipment on its traffic signal system, which consists of signals at over 1,100 intersections. Frequently, the department embarks on larger signal upgrade projects, perhaps most famously when it revamped signals along Mercer Street between
North American transit agencies are discovering double-decker buses, but there’s often a lot of excuses for why they aren’t more common. Reece Martin looks into the pros and cons and argues that they should be more widely used.
Shipping container homes have become all the rage in recent years. But they’re not necessarily as practical as they might seem when it comes to bringing them up to code for habitation. They also aren’t exactly inexpensive. Vox takes a dive into the hot building trend.
Boosters of the Boring Company’s Las Vegas Loop tout high capacity of individual Teslas operating through the single lane tunnels. Is this really the future of transportation or just a gimmick? Ray Delahanty of CityNerd takes an inside look at the system and runs the numbers.
RM Transit discusses how some cities may have built the wrong transit system for their needs. It may not be the end of the world, but what can cities do to address that going forward? RM Transit discusses some models to consider and points to Seattle’s Link system as
It is evident that the disruption of COVID-19 has not affected all businesses equally. Restaurants closed, events cancelled, travels postponed, and many small, BIPOC-owned businesses in South King County continue to face systemic barriers to success and equitable access to emergency relief resources. These pressures compound on minority-and-women-owned establishments already
As a companion to Climate Town’s crossover video with Not Just Bikes on American cities, suburbs, and climate, Not Just Bikes looks at how Dutch cities are designed to better fight climate change.
Insulated glass has become ubiquitous, but it wasn’t always that way. Vox explains how insulated glass came about and how it changed architecture in the last century. The technology has had a dramatic impact in the way we live and the conditioning of buildings with expansive windows.
This week’s Transpo Notes highlights include: future ORCA card capabilities, Sound Transit fare collection challenges and fare engagement future, concrete workers’ strike still delaying transit projects, I-405 interchange rebuild agreement approved, RapidRide I Line refinements, and new King County Metro bus restructure process begins. Future ORCA card capabilities Last
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
Reece Martin looks into why several European companies are trying to make inroads into the North American market (in this case metropolitan Toronto) for urban rail transit and why that matters.
South Korea’s capital city of Seoul recently unveiled plans to become the first major city government with a solid foothold in the metaverse. Both a result of increased natural telecommunication due to social distancing and solution to combat bureaucratic red-tape in the highly populated city, Mayor Oh-See Hoon hopes
This week’s Transpo Notes highlights: extended service reductions on King County Metro, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell joining Sound Transit’s board, new transit-oriented development at Tacoma Dome Station, and Community Transit’s zero-emissions study. Extended Metro service reductions King County Metro continues to struggle with service delivery as an
For tenants of large apartment buildings, the prospect of a new water heating system installation can be cause for alarm. Prolonged utility shutoffs present a real burden for residents, at times even forcing them to relocate during the work period. But at Bayview Tower, a 100 unit affordable senior apartment
RM Transit visits all 53 Vancouver SkyTrain stations. Though a bit long, the sped up video carries good discussion about the system’s design, operations, and pros and cons. Also discussed in the video is how Vancouver has grown around the stations.
RM Transit shows off Via Rail’s new Siemens Venture class equipment, which is also coming to Amtrak services like Cascades.
RM Transit covers the great debate of whether low or high platforms are better for trains and what they even are.
Not Just Bikes explores how high-speed rail in Italy killed off an entire airline and tries it out firsthand. Not Just Bikes also explains how Europe plans to increase more intercity passenger rail ridership over air travel.
New battery-electric buses (BEBs) will start appearing on Pierce Transit routes, the agency has announced today, just in time for the holidays. Six new BEBs will begin service on about a dozen different routes, joining the three BEBs that the agency already has on hand. “These buses are a continuation
Amsterdam’s approach to waste and recycle collection differs greatly from the North American one. Not Just Bikes shows how waste and recycle is collected underground at regular intervals within neighborhoods and picked up as needed by crews.
Vox recounts how the international community came together to combat depletion of the ozone layer and why the ozone layer is no longer of critical environmental concern.
Climate Town takes on the topic of gas stoves and the natural gas industry. Is it time to bury those stoves and the industry?
Escalators and elevators are a persistent problem for Sound Transit. The agency has had constant troubles at newer facilities like Capitol Hill and University of Washington Stations, which led to opening emergency exit stairways and building out new ones for general use. Recently, routine outages have plagued the three new
Digital advertising is a fact of life in most major transit systems across the globe, especially at rapid transit stations. Generally, digital advertising is a good feature to have since it rarely only serves as just advertising. To harness potential benefits, Sound Transit is seeking to bring digital advertising to
If America wants to green up its economy, it’s going to need to make huge investments in transmission facilities to transport greener energy sources. Vox explains how transmission networks could be a stumbling block to a greener paradigm.
Climate Town charts the history of how the car industry rapidly reset what the American Dream would be. The oppressive takeover has wrought a highly car-oriented society that is unhealthy, inequitable, and unsustainable. But how America has gotten here took many calculated steps, which Climate Town
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
The engineering and technical experience in flood defences of Rotterdam and The Netherlands could help countries across the globe implement flood prevention strategies to fend off rising sea levels and more frequent, severe flood events brought on from climate change. Bloomberg Quicktake explains ho
Dave Amos talks about how the principle of universal design as applied to street design can make streets better for all users.
In this short video, Vox explains how Texas’ March electric energy failure could be just the tip of the iceberg for America going forward. While the state’s independent electrical grid was certainly a problem, there were bigger systemic problems that were exposed. Is the country prepared for future
Miami has over 300 highrises and a climate that many desire. The city’s mayor is hoping to lure tech business and jobs from Silicon Valley to region with low taxes, freewheeling Covid protocols, and a young and educated workforce. Dave Amos explains that Silicon Valley represents a unique global
In Seattle’s latest update to its energy code, bans were levied on fossil fuel and electric resistance heating systems in commercial buildings and three-plus-story multifamily residences. One exception to that ban was for district heating systems that can and do burn carbon fuels in Seattle. District heating is a
China has been heavily focused on global infrastructure initiatives through its Belt and Road strategy to increase the country’s prosperity and influence. A key project in Pakistan, however, has hit a snag and stalled out, a rarity in China’s global development strategy. Bloomberg Quicktake explores
Bloomberg Quicktake highlights how Japanese engineers are designing skyscrapers to withstand disasters like earthquakes and typhoons.
New York City now has a dynamic digital version of the subway map that blends the best of the classic Massimo Vignelli design with the contemporary version used. It updates as the subway network is rerouted for construction, emergencies, and alternative service and shows where trains are currently calling it
Bloomberg QuickTake looks at a company that is using 3-D printing to tool all sorts of vehicles, including mini-buses. Could this be a significant contributor to small-scale transit in the future?
In this video, Vox highlights a Sankey diagram that shows where all of America’s carbon emissions come, which can inform how the country should be most effective in decarbonizing. The shortcut to decarbonizing is changing the economy to carbon-free electric systems as fast as possible.
A Proterra executive talks about the future of electrifying transit buses.
In 2018, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced that the Miller Community Center would soon be home to a $3.3 million solar microgrid. This project is being funded by Seattle City Light and Governor Inslee’s Clean Energy Fund. Construction is expected to be completed in 2020. The microgrid will
Bloomberg News asks if Americans are ready to love passenger rail again. The story is heavily focused on Brightline in Florida and Amtrak’s recent reinvestment in the East Coast.
On Thursday, King County officials announced that new battery-electric buses would be hitting the streets late next year. The county is purchasing a total of 120 new battery-electric coaches from New Flyer, a Canadian-based manufacturer, to replace and expand the King County Metro fleet. The agreement will ensure that the
America’s power grid is increasingly more strained and unreliable as weather patterns and other environmental factors become more threatening. Vox explains how these challenges can be used to create a more resilient and sustainable national power system.
Aviation is one of the fastest growing sectors of greenhouse gas emissions. But so far, there are no commercially operated electric planes that could turn that back. CNBC looks into how that could soon change, but that could come with its own dystopian future of urban air taxis and more commuter fli
Update: Despite earlier denials, Lime announced December 24th that it was closing down its bikeshare in Seattle and pulling all its bikes by December 31st. Lime said it will return in the spring with scooters. Lime Bikes dominated the first year of dockless bikeshare in Seattle, but the second year
We’ve moved beyond the initial excitement about the sizzle of smart cities. The basic idea—much heralded but limited so far in practical application—is to create a digital mobility ecosystem in a dense urban center. Its components would include a modernized electric grid ( ideally powered by renewable energy
Dave Amos looks at Walt Disney’s unrealized tomorrow city plans (known as “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow” or “EPCOT”), which were largely Modernist delusions of grandeur.
In this video, Vox looks at the promise of the new generation of nuclear energy and technology. While many still fear meltdowns and are concerned about the waste of old systems, the new generation of nuclear technology could be entirely meltdown-free and produce vastly less waste.
Link light rail passengers just got a big improvement. On Tuesday, Sound Transit launched new real-time arrival information at light rail stations to provide more accurate arrival times. Digital LED message signs south of Capitol Hill Station have long been a feature at station platforms, but the information appearing on
Meet Veemo, an electric assist vehicle that advertises itself as “bike share meets car share.” From a legal and technical standpoint, Veemo is an electric assist tricycle, or e-trike, but Veemo also includes an enclosure to shield riders from the elements that makes it resemble the tiny car super nerd
On Monday, the Seattle City Council passed legislation to require to much of new development in the city to provide electric vehicle-ready (EV) equipment. The city council passed a modified version of the legislation, which would require a report by June 1, 2022 to evaluate program implementation and possible recommendations
Transit App rolled out some updates recently. A few weeks ago, Transit App deployed real-time arrival information for Community Transit-operated routes. This means popular local and commuter routes in the system will show next arrivals wherever available. The update helped bring all Sound Transit bus routes into having real-time arrival
Mayor Durkan is looking to local tech talent to address pressing issues, but the City’s commitment to data privacy may limit the reach of technological innovation. Technology’s influence on urban planning and city management is growing at light speed these days. Data collection, mapping and analysis tools, crowdsourcing
Sidewalk Labs is Google’s (ahem, Alphabet’s) secretive department focused on developing ‘smart cities.’ In 2017, the company was awarded an opportunity to reimagine the urban environment on Toronto’s waterfront. Dubbed Quayside, they signed an agreement with the city and collaborated with Snohetta and Heatherwick Studios (two design
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is “the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.” More than 180,000 people attend, and about 4,400 companies exhibit in 2.7 million square feet of trade show space. It is enormous by any measurement with the Las Vegas Convention
Technology centers like the Bay Area, New York, and Seattle are becoming unaffordable for all but the wealthiest. What responsibility does the tech industry have to ensure that the cities it’s transforming remain livable for all? On Wednesday, Microsoft set the bar by establishing a $500 million fund to
Things don’t always work as planned. That certainly must be the feeling at the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) after the rollout of high-tech adaptive traffic signals along Mercer Street. Often called “the Mercer Mess,” Mercer Street is a major east-west route that bisects two dynamic downtown Seattle neighborhoods:
Transit App users will find that the aptly named mobile navigation app has graduated to version 5.0. The milestone version is noticeably different from its predecessors. One of the chief changes is in the search functionality which is simpler, more intuitive, and faster than before. The app developers have
Sound Transit recently completed tunnel mining in Bellevue for the East Link light rail extension. The mining operation was fairly unique for the transit agency since an alternative approach called “sequential excavation method” was used with project completion five months ahead of schedule.
New improvements have come to Transit, a versatile trip planning app, focused on providing better information about real-time arrival information and vehicle location. The latest update also fixed a long-standing issue where zooming out to navigate away from the user’s active location would suddenly pull the map back in
Shouts of “backdoor” are quickly returning to Seattle buses. A few months ago, King County Metro Transit began phasing out sensory technology for rear doors opening when activated by riders. Riders were encouraged to motion near or press on strips between doors at stops to open doors instead of futilely
Transit App’s most recent update now includes accessibility information for some 230 transit agencies, including Community Transit locally. The information is fairly basic, showing whether or not accessibility features are available on a particular service or at a stop. It does not, however, specify what type of accessibility features
It looks like the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is about to apply the brakes to Seattle Department of Transportation’s car funnel that is the new Mercer Street. A few weeks ago the state transportation agency installed signals that will allow it the ability to meter the five
In 2017, the California High-Speed Rail Authority had a successful year of on-the-ground construction throughout the Central Valley. In this vidoe, the agency takes a look back on progress. The railway portions under construction now should be open by 2025.
In this video, the Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District (NCSWCD) explains how stormwater is generated and poses serious threats to public health and the natural environment. NCSWCD also highlights how communities can combat stormwater pollution through green infrastructure techniques,
A feasibility report on ultra high-speed surface transportation in the Cascadia region was released two weeks ago. The $300,000 study was commissioned by the Washington State Legislature earlier this year. A delegation from the Governor’s Office, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), and CH2M (the consultant) presented key
Last week the Transit app got an update just in time for the holidays. App improvements include expansion of branch cards in all markets, new service alert options, and adding the ability to reserve car2go vehicles and Uber rides without ever leaving the app. Users can also set their favorite
The Seattle Department of Transportation’s right-of-way improvement manual just got a big upgrade, and it’s big news for street design nerds. The new version, called Street Illustrated, is exactly what the name implies: a manual that shows, rather than tells, what the guidelines for street design call for
City Beautiful explores why more American cities don’t have metro systems like New York City and Chicago. While there are no one answer for this, there does appear to be some key factors that may holding American cities from a new metro renaissance.