Issues about which bus schedules work best for students and families, and how changes to the school bus system should be funded, came to a head in Seattle this week.
Hayat Norimine reports: "After council members Bruce Harrell and Tim Burgess opposed using the Families and Education Levy to fund a new school bus system, council members went back to the drawing board—and came up with using Seattle Department of Transportation funds instead."
The two-tier system would simplify the times for the bus system (8 and 9 am) compared to the current three-tier system (7:55, 8:45, and 9:35 am). The current system has been in place for a year, after school officials switched the schedules to better fit students' sleeping patterns and improve engagement during the school day. "Officials and parents said switching the schedules, again, to a two-tier system would better accommodate working families, especially those with kids in multiple grades," according to Norimine.
The opposition to using funding from the Families and Education Levy came from concern that the levy is intended for programs that close the opportunity gap for children in poverty and people of color.
As of this writing, a decision about funding still needed to be made. [Update: the City Council approved the funding and schedule changes.]
FULL STORY: Council Could Use SDOT Funds for New School Bus System
Seattle Planning Commission Urges Reimagining of the City’s Streets
In a set of recommendations submitted to the city, the commission calls for revised land use and transportation policies that reclaim public space from cars and shift focus away from vehicle throughput to more pedestrian-oriented uses.
Seattle's Vision Zero Program Emphasizes Safe Systems Over Enforcement
Looking for traffic safety improvements while responding to 2020's Black Lives Matter protests, Seattle has spent much of the past two years implementing a Safe System approach to move closer to its Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic fatalities.
Seattle Recalculates Walk Signal Timing to Make Crossings Safer for Pedestrians
The new formulas for calculating the length of walk signals are designed to give people more time to safely cross the street.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research