Seattle

Sound Transit, Feds Agree to Low Interest Rates on $2 Billion in Transportation Funding
If getting low interest rates from the federal government on money borrowed to finance transportation projects sounds like a national infrastructure bank, you're on the right track.
Additional Study Necessary for Seattle to Pass Accessory Dwelling Units Legislation
A recent ruling by the City Hearing Examiner is a setback—but not necessarily a permanent one—for the city's efforts to loosen regulations on accessory dwelling units.

King County, Washington Won't Budge on Rural Developments
The city of Snoqualimie's requests to expand in to "rural" King County has been denied.

Transit Up, Parking Down in Seattle
Facing an affordability crisis, Seattle is betting on dense, walkable development. The transition away from guaranteed parking promises to be no easier here than elsewhere.

Seattle Streetcar Extension Looks Unlikely to Proceed
A proposal to extend the First Hill Streetcar along Broadway in Capitol Hill has lost the support of some of its key stakeholders and now looks very much in doubt.

King County Expands Fare-Free Transit for Riders in Need
The victory for homeless and very low-income transit riders is a reminder of the importance of grassroots organizing.

Where Millennials are Moving To and Leaving From
Apartment List has published research showing the top destination cities for those 19 to 35 years of age based on ten years of census data from 2005-2010. Among the top 10 destinations, only three were on East and West coasts.

Debunking Seattle's 'Housing Shortage'
A post examining common responses to the question of why the cost of housing continues to rise requires a frank discussion about the nature of Seattle's "housing shortage."
Making Better Retail Districts in Seattle
Ryan Packer argues that Seattle could do more to improve its retail districts by updating its building codes to encourage dense, welcoming shopping districts.

Op-Ed: Environmentalists Must Fight for Density
Members of the Sierra Club and the Young Democrats of University of Washington come together to advocate more dense zoning in one of Seattle's most transit accessible neighborhoods.

Seattle's HUGE Transit Victory on Election Day
In dollars, Seattle region's Proposition 1 was second only to Measure M, a $120 billion sales tax measure in Los Angeles County, although the comparison is lacking in at least three respects. Prop 1 did not pass in all three Puget Sound counties.

Seattle City Council Parts With Mayor on Affordable Housing Funds
Political drama connected to the funding of affordable will require changes to the mayor's proposed city budget.

Crunching the Safety Data Reveals the Need to Improve Traffic Lights
After completing an eight-year study of traffic collisions, the Seattle Department of Transportation realized that one way to immediately improve traffic safety would be to improve signalization an key intersections.

Lower Speed Limits Are the Law in Seattle
The city of Seattle moved quickly in enacting a speed limit change on streets around downtown. File this under real change to achieve the goals of Vision Zero.

Against Seattle's Waterfront Highway
Seattle is set to build a nine-lane tunnel on its waterfront, the Urbanist's Ryan Packer is disappointed with its design and the project's stated goals.

Seattle NBA Arena Proposal Back From the Dead—But This Time it's Privately Funded
The mastermind behind a failed plan to build a new NBA arena in the Seattle neighborhood of Sodo has tweaked the plan and come back to the negotiating table. A big question still waiting for an answer: Will the NBA will expand to return to the city?

A New Master Plan for the University of Washington
The University of Washington's growth pattern mirrors that of its home city of Seattle. Now the university must make room for 20 percent more of everything—students, faculty, and staff.

'Seattle 2035' Plan Finalized and Adopted
"Seattle’s multi-year process to update the city’s Comprehensive Plan has come to its conclusion finding unanimous consent and approval from the City Council," reports Stephen Fesler.

An Argument for Light Rail Over Bus Rapid Transit
Opponents of the ST3 transit funding measure in Seattle have argued that bus rapid transit is a cheaper alternative to light rail. A local write counter argues that point by making the economic case for light rail.

Seattle Sees Persistent Demand for Apartments
Data from a 2015 study of Seattle housing shows demand for apartment is robust and likely to stay that way.
Pagination
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.
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