Seattle

Seattle Adopts New Bicycle Master Plan

Resolution 31515, which officially approved the Bicycle Master Plan, is called a “transformational new way of thinking about bicycle projects within Seattle.” Time, and funding, will tell if the plan lives up to its promise.

April 18, 2014 - The Seattle Times

Debating Proposition 1: Funding Transit in Seattle’s King County

“Vote no on Proposition 1, and send King County government a message that Metro has more work to do on righting its cost structure before asking voters for more revenue,” says an editorial from the Seattle Times.

April 9, 2014 - Seattle Times

Seattle Updating Zoning Regulations for Small Single-Family Lots

Planners in Seattle have responded to controversy over the size and scale of development on small lots in many of the city's single-family neighborhoods, with a new set of zoning regulations.

April 4, 2014 - Seattle Department of Planning and Development

Seattle Caps Number of Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar Drivers

Seattle is the first city in the country to limit the number of transportation network drivers allowed on the road at any given moment. The new regulation is a setback for companies like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar and a major victory for cab companies.

March 19, 2014 - The Washington Post

Checking in on Seattle's Ambitious Waterfront Park Plans

A recent article by Bill Lucia explains the reasons to be cautiously optimistic about a proposed park that will replace a demolished Alaskan Viaduct on Seattle’s waterfront.

March 10, 2014 - Crosscut.com

Bell Street Seattle

Seattle's Bell Street Park Is a Pedestrian Friendly Dream

The newly opened Bell Street Park in Seattle offers the kind of "social friction" Leigh Gallagher called for in Friday's NYT with "planters, perches ... and the simplest but most innovative feature of all, a level plane between sidewalk and street."

March 2, 2014 - Publicola

Taxis v. Uber: A Regulatory Update

Are rideshare companies like Uber here to stay? The answer likely hinges on a series of legal battles taking place nationwide.

March 1, 2014 - Grist

Seattle's Growth Patterns Buck Century-Long Trend

According to Census data, the city of Seattle's population is growing faster than its King County suburbs—for the first time since 1910.

February 26, 2014 - Seattle Times

Forget Sunk Cost—What's the Best Way to Spend Bertha's Remaining Funds?

Seattle’s massive highway tunneling project delays while solutions are sought for the mechanical error that brought the project’s massive drilling machine, Bertha, to a halt. Some are starting to examine life after Bertha.

February 14, 2014 - Seattle Transit Blog

Seattle SUper Bowl Parade 12th Man Flag

Placemaking Lessons Learned from Seattle's Super Bowl Parade

Last Wednesday, an estimated 700,000—more than the city's population of 635,000—welcomed the Seahawks home, without major incident. Writing in The Atlantic Cities, Chuck Wolfe describes five lessons for placemaking through words and photographs.

February 8, 2014 - The Atlantic Cities

Seattle Looks to Data Centers for Heat, Hot Water

Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) is looking to an unusual source for energy: the area’s data centers.

January 27, 2014 - Next City

With Bertha Stuck in the Mud, Officials Question Contractor Conduct

Though Seattle's giant tunneling machine remains stuck 60 feet under South Main Street, muck is starting to be flung above the surface. An email from Washington's Transportation Secretary reveals concerns over the conduct of the machine's operators.

January 21, 2014 - The Seattle Times

Seattle Tunnel Boring

What's Blocking Seattle's Tunnel-Boring Behemoth?

Is it a giant rock? What about a sunken ship? Beneath Seattle's waterfront, a mysterious object has halted Bertha, the world's largest tunnel-boring machine. Stumped engineers are unclear on how long a highway tunneling project will be suspended.

December 20, 2013 - The New York Times

LEED Neighborhood Rises in Shadow of Pioneering Seattle Shopping Mall

A sprawling parking lot next to one of America's first suburban shopping malls is undergoing a monumental transformation into a dense mixed-use community complete with restorative park.

December 20, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Empty Parking Garage

See, You Really Can Build Urban Housing Without Parking

New apartment developments are popping up in cities like Boston, Seattle, and Miami without one key feature: on-site parking. These projects prove that providing parking isn't necessary to lure residents, even in cities not named New York.

December 11, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

Seattle DOT to Head in a Different Direction

A change in mayoral administrations means a change at the top of Seattle's Department of Transportation. After almost four years, Peter Hahn will make way for a new director. Lynn Thompson examines his accomplishments and hints at what may be ahead.

November 26, 2013 - The Seattle Times

Seattle skyline

North America's 10 Smartest Cities

A year after he unveiled his list of North America's top "Smart Cities" based on a new metric meant to bring clarity and measurability to the discussion, Boyd Cohen is back with a refined methodology and a new ranking.

November 14, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Draconian Spending Cuts Threaten Seattle Transit Service

With record ridership stressing Seattle's public transit system, the last thing the city needs is a funding crisis created by political intransigence. Unfortunately, that's what the city seems to be getting, reports Tanya Snyder.

November 9, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

Mixed Results for Urbanism in Yesterday's Elections

Sustainable transportation in Seattle, a streetcar in Cincinnati and an Astrodome in Houston were among the policies and projects at stake in local elections across the U.S. yesterday. Here are some of the winners and losers.

November 6, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

What to Watch for in Today's Elections

Off-year elections rarely generate much interest from voters. But at a time when those in D.C. can't seem to get much done, local elections are, in many ways, deciding the direction of the U.S. Mike Riggs examines some of compelling storylines.

November 5, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.