Amazon and Microsoft benefit handsomely from a tax loophole in the Workforce Education Investment Act. State lawmakers can end this tax giveaway to boost higher education funding. These tech giants donate millions to curry favor with the Trump administration and garner contracts in the hundreds of m
The Saturday and Sunday closures through Downtown Seattle come ahead of additional maintenance work planned later this fall and winter.
On Wednesday, Bremerton ditched parking mandates, letting builders choose housing over excessive parking. Following in the footsteps of cities like Spokane, Port Townsend, and Bellingham, the move sets Bremerton up to prioritize housing needs and improving multimodal travel options.
Evidence that led to the ouster of former SPD Chief Adrian Diaz is now coming into question, and Jamie Tompkins, the department’s former Chief-of-Staff is pushing to negotiate a $3 million settlement from the city.
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.
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.
Seattle has a $258 million budget deficit to solve. Mayor Bruce Harrell said he rejects notions of austerity. Good for him! I’m here to help. Let’s chart a way out of this crisis that doesn’t involve slashing services and laying off city workers.
In the first chance to discuss the Harrell administration’s planned growth strategy, Morales was leagues ahead of her colleagues in articulating changes she wanted to see made, such as higher growth targets and more multifamily zoning, before earning her vote of approval.
Doug Trumm is pivoting to a new role as publisher. Join us in welcoming Rian Watt as executive director of The Urbanist. Rian has been involved with The Urbanist in one form or another since 2019, when he joined the Elections Committee as a member. Since then, he’s gone
The most lasting advice I received in art school was to “think about how I think.” To question why I respond this or that way, and to remember that the response is always a choice. Now that people talk to each other less on the bus, there’s a lot
In January, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) announced that after over two years of planning, it intends to finally install a permanent bike lane along a short stretch of West Marginal Way SW, filling in a 0.4 mile gap that has existed for decades along the Duwamish Trail
The Urbanist Book Club is pleased to welcome Nathan Vass to our April 4th Book Club Meeting, which will start at 6pm via Zoom. He is the author of The Lines that Make Us, a series of essays and observations about experiences driving a King County bus through some of
Vote For Social Housing on February 14. In an effort to compete with the Super Bowl and Valentines Day, Seattle has decided to have an election. On the ballot is social housing, specifically creating a new housing authority that will develop and own green, public, and perpetually affordable homes and
This week, let’s talk about the future of Seattle with neighborhood activist and The Urbanist guest contributor Ron Davis, who joins Ray Dubicki to talk about Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan. It can be a big, confusing mess of technocrat speak and boring stats. Is it too geeky? Yes, but
Counting of ballots continues after Tuesday’s general election as more races are being called. With the predicted Red Tide fizzling, it appears that Patty Murray will retain Washington’s US Senate seat and competitor Tiffany Smiley will need to find a non-DC location to fulfill her coffee needs. Many
This week, Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins joins reporter Ray Dubicki to talk about the awesomeness of planes, ships, and freight. They’re so cool. We also talk a bit about the future of how stuff moves around the world through Western Washington. Of course, cargo and people do
Many neighborhoods were left out and many unsafe, unhealthy streets remain. Ever since Mayor Jenny Durkan announced in 2020 that 20 miles of the pandemic-created Stay Healthy Streets would become permanent, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has been figuring out where that permanent infrastructure will be, what it will
Residents and visitors to Kirkland could see more marked crosswalks along with new and repaired sidewalks if a plan to adopt a new $20 Vehicle License Fee (VLF) moves ahead before the end of 2022 as expected. The Kirkland City Council is currently holding community forums to seek feedback on
Once in a life-time chances are just that, once. New York City planners did the right thing in 1870 debuting the subway system, Barcelona did the right thing when Ildefons CerdĂ planned the expansion of the city in 1859, and Sound Transit has a chance to get it right with
Critics of policies that increase urban density often point to negative impacts on tree canopy as reason to oppose zoning changes. Some opponents to Home in Tacoma, an affordable housing initiative, made the claim that introducing more housing types into single-family zoned areas would reduce the city’s tree canopy.
This afternoon, City staff will brief the Seattle City Council on tree canopy protections and perhaps finally chart a way forward on a policy area that has long been stalled out, even after a proposal emerged in 2018. The presentation will provide an overview of the City’s Urban Forest
King County Metro and Sound Transit are further rerouting buses for the duration the Montlake Bridge closure, which is undergoing repair work. The agency announced modifications to Route 48, 271, and 542 this week that means that the routes are neither serving the University of Washington Medical Center nor the
As the homelessness crisis deepens its impact across the U.S., Washington State designers are improving tiny house designs with the goal of bringing more people into shelter. The first time I stepped into a tiny house constructed for emergency shelter, I was struck by how thin the plywood walls
Seattle City Light has announced plans to develop a former substation near NW Market Street and 28th Avenue NW in the Ballard Urban Village as a parking lot for 14 electric vehicles to recharge. The nearly 9,500 square foot lot was previously home to a tiny house village (Nickelsville
2020 did not pull its punches, and yet we at The Urbanist did our best to roll with them. We’re proud of how we persevered. As the pandemic hit, we had to cancel our in-person monthly meetups. By May, we switched to an online format and hosted 12 events
A new study shows a preservative in car tires is responsible for collapsing Coho salmon runs, adding new urgency to efforts to reduce the number of cars on the road. Faint glows dot the side of office towers as raindrops fall upon the ground below. After a long summer, it’
Please join us Tuesday, October 20th from 6:15 to 7:30pm for our monthly online meetup featuring Legislative District 43 candidate Sherae Lascelles, a true progressive who will meet the challenges of our time. The 43rd district covers much of our central city including Downtown, Capitol Hill, U District,
Later this month, King County Metro will implement what is supposed to be a twice yearly service change–though the pandemic has forced volatile interim service changes since March. The September service change will bring a 15% reduction in service hours over pre-pandemic levels, making it the most significant agency-wide
Donald Trump is losing the suburbs, but he has a plan and wants “Suburban Housewives” to know it. The plan will be familiar to urbanists: stoking fears of single-family zoning reform and low-income housing and brazenly claiming opponents want to “abolish the suburbs.” Eerie isn’t it–am I reading
The Seattle City Council is about to vote on the Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD) and decide the measure that appears on the ballot in November. We’ve covered the issue closely from the days when a countywide proposal was still on a table to when when it was shelved
On Monday, Seattle City Councilmembers will decide whether a 0.1% or 0.2% sales tax goes before voters in November. Their decision will impact transit service in Seattle for years to come. Even though the stay-at-home order might feel like it has dragged on for an eternity, the truth
The Urbanist Elections Committee based our endorsement decisions on questionnaires we wrote and invited state legislature candidates in the Seattle metropolitan region to fill out. We follow up on those questionnaire responses with follow-up Zoom interviews. Below are the responses by Sharlett Mena, who is running in Legislative District 29,
The Urbanist Elections Committee invited candidates in the Seattle metropolitan region to fill out our questionnaire and participate in our endorsement process. We based our endorsement decisions on the responses and follow-up interviews. Below is the response by Cindy Ryu, who is running in State House District 32, Position 1.
The passenger-only ferry (POF) system is set to grow in Puget Sound with the introduction of new service between Southworth and Seattle, making it the sixth POF in the Central Puget Sound Region, but could more destinations be on the horizon? The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is exploring that
Pierce Transit has a vision of growth, but it will take a substantial amount of additional public investment to realize. A long-range plan update, as proposed, would put Pierce Transit to increase weekday ridership by 198% from 28,700 to 85,700 by 2040. This would be made possible by
On Monday, the Seattle City Council unanimously (8-0 vote) adopted a land use reform bill, easing restrictions on building accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in single-family zones. The legislation is projected to promote development of another 2,460 new ADUs over a ten-year period. The changes brought forth by the legislation
Barcelona’s superblocks: Vox ran a five-part series this week on Barcelona’s superblocks plan. Guilty as charged: The shooter and carjacker who killed two and targeted a King County Metro bus in North Seattle has plead not guilty. No brainer infrastructure: According to a new study, if Kansas City
Last week, the Seattle Department of Transportation released an updated work plan for the remaining years of the Move Seattle levy: 2019-2024. In doing so, it also provides a bigger picture of work has already been completed so far than we have seen yet. The workplan lays out exactly how
The tunnel closes in early 2019, but WSDOT and the City of Seattle have not yet committed to plans for Battery Street’s future. Recharge the Battery wants to change that. To mark the permanent closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Battery Street Tunnel, the Washington State Department of
Readers have been asking a book version of these bus stories of mine for some time now. You may remember that I’m represented by Eric Myers, of Myers Literary Management, in New York. Eric Myers is a mensch and a man ahead of the curve, because he believes, accurately,
The Seattle Design Festival, sponsored by Design in Public, is moving into its first full week of events, including many related to urban design, architecture, sustainability, and social equity. The entire festival runs until September 23rd, with events occurring at different locations throughout the city. Founded in 2011, each year
Kendrick. Was that him? Even twenty miles an hour can seem too fast, what with all the glass and foliage in between, not to mention our opposing movement pathways and his distance from my bus. I was gliding north on Rainier, nearing the Ethiopian Community Center, when a shadow beneath
We’re now down to four options for the Worst Intersection in Seattle, which is the worst intersection for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders as voted by readers of The Urbanist. Based on this year’s seeding, voters have identified a worst intersection in each part of Seattle (North, South,
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
For our final walking tour of the year we’re partnering with several local housing organizations to take a close look the development boom in South Lake Union. While the neighborhood is best known for its transformation from a working class warehouse district to a global technology hub, the area
Another month, another meetup with The Urbanist! This monthly social event is free and open to everyone. Come by if you want to meet fellow policy wonks, network, or hear from an inspirational speaker. We’ll be at the Elephant & Castle Pub on Tuesday, September 12th, 5:30-7:30
The City of Seattle, via the Department of Neighborhoods, has just completed its first citywide experiment with participatory budgeting. In March, the department solicited ideas for relatively cheap improvements to parks and streets in Seattle neighborhoods and 900 ideas were whittled down; the top ones based on community-attended focus groups
On Monday, the Seattle City Council approved a new Parks Development Plan and a list of proposals to be further evaluated as part of the 2018 annual docket to the Comprehensive Plan. The Parks Development Plan, which guides capital investments in recreation and open space facilities over the next six
Another month, another meetup with The Urbanist! This monthly social event is free and open to everyone. Come by if you want to meet fellow policy wonks, network, or hear from an inspirational speaker. We’ll be at the Elephant & Castle Pub on Tuesday, June 13, 5:30-7:30
Another month, another meetup with The Urbanist! Our meetups are open to all and free to attend, so come by if you want to meet us or get into the weeds of urban policy. We’ll be at a new location, Elephant & Castle on Tuesday, May 9th, from 5.
Another month, another meetup with The Urbanist! Our meetups are open to all and free to attend, so come by if you want to meet us or get into the weeds of urban policy. We’ll be at a new location, Elephant & Castle on Tuesday, April 11th, from 5.
Note on the above image: I have to note that this isn’t a stock image–I actually took that photo, back in the mid-90s. I was 12 or 13 at the time, with no idea I’d one day be driving those strange buses with the poles on top…
Seattle Port Commission President Tom Albro and Seattle City Councilmember Debora Juarez will join a public meeting of the Manufacturing Industrial Council (MIC) Wednesday night to report on a recent intercity trip to Hamburg, Germany, a European trade hub which may offer lessons for Seattle. The meeting will be held
Last Tuesday, the Seattle Planning, Land Use, and Zoning (PLUZ) Committee heard two short briefings on a proposed contract rezone in Fremont and a draft resolution that requires a detailed report analyzing residential displacement, in addition to more than a dozen amendments to the University District rezone and urban design
Another month, another meetup with The Urbanist! Our meetups are open to all and free to attend, so come by if you want to meet us or get into the weeds of urban policy. We’ll be at the Belltown Pub on Wednesday, November 9th, from 5.30pm to 7.
Another month, another meetup with The Urbanist! Our meetups are open to all and free to attend, so come by if you want to meet us or get into the weeds of urban policy. We’ll be at the Belltown Pub on Tuesday, October 11th, from 5.30pm to 7.
Earlier this year, Senator Maria Cantwell announced that the largest grant ever awarded to the state of Washington would be going to a Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) project to grade separate the roadway from the rail track in SoDo at South Lander Street. Connecting 4th Avenue and 1st Avenue
Parking To Plowshares: At the site of a surface parking lot at Melrose and Pine, SolTerra is planning a 7-story tiered mixed-use building with first-floor retail and a top level restaurant space right next to the I-5 trench (and potentially future freeway lid.) Ongoing Housing Crisis: Kriston Capps writes that
An interesting new tool is now available on the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT)’s website. It’s a city map that displays construction-related street impacts happening around major development projects.  The map indicates not only that there’s an impact to street use, but also grades the severity of
Significant growth in Seattle over the past few years has prompted a great deal of attention, and now there is a dedicated place in the city, the Center for Architecture and Design, which invites people to discuss ideas and engage with how all facets of design affect our lives. The
Article Note: This is the first installment of a series on observations of people in Pike Place. Part 1 focuses on existing design features and transitory activity. “…please look closely at real cities. While you are looking, you might as well also listen, linger and think about what you see”
Generally speaking, Seattle is bounded on the east and west by Lake Washington and Puget Sound, respectively.
Seattle would be a much denser city if its metropolitan area were squeezed inside the city proper. The current estimated population of the city of Seattle is 634,435 people. If we divide that number by the city’s land area, 83.87 square miles (SM) we get a density of about 7,565 people per square mi
Back in July, Apartmentlist.com researched median rent prices in cities across the US.
Walkscore released their top 10 ranking for US cities and placed Seattle at number 8. The rankings: