Author Archives: Scott Bonjukian

Germany Visits South Lake Union

Last week I led a tour of students and professors from the University of Munich’s Department of Geography through South Lake Union (SLU) . It was a great experience for me, as I’ve never done anything like it, and the German … Continue reading

Posted in Editorial, Land Use, Public Space, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Seattle’s Transit Tunnel Is About To Get Busier

Early Saturday morning I had the opportunity to participate in a simulation of bus and light rail service in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT). The DSTT is unique among transit systems, with both buses and trains sharing the roadway … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

More Streetcars, Please

Seattle is an era of streetcar expansion, which is good news for commuters, businesses, and transit enthusiasts alike. In an update to an earlier post, on Monday the Seattle City Council approved further study and pursuit of federal funding for … Continue reading

Posted in Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Let’s Bury I-5: Redux

Author’s Note: The latest and most detailed proposal is in a third post, “The Case for Lidding I-5 in Downtown Seattle”, dated December 4, 2015. Earlier this year I proposed capping Interstate 5 in downtown Seattle. The original idea was radical, … Continue reading

Posted in Government, Housing, Land Use, Landscape, Megaprojects, Parks, Public Space, Schools, Sustainability, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Improving Bicycling for Everyone

A few weeks ago I became even more of a multi-modalist by taking up urban bicycling. So far my experience has been immensely positive, as it is free, flexible, and healthy. Living at the top of a hill gets me … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Comprehensive Plan

Earlier this month myself and a team of graduate students finished helping update the City of Port Orchard’s Comprehensive Plan. ‘Comp’ plans are at the core of the planning profession and (ideally) guide everything else that planners and city leaders … Continue reading

Posted in Editorial | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Post 50

It’s been less than a year but The Northwest Urbanist has already been more than I thought it would. In celebration of my 50th post, here’s a brief rundown of what I’ve written so far and what’s ahead.

Posted in Editorial | 3 Comments

The Problematic Proposal for a Seattle Gondola

Hal and Ken Griffith, the father and son owners of Pier 57 and the waterfront Ferris wheel, spoke to my class this week about their proposal for a short gondola system in downtown Seattle. As mentioned in a previous post, … Continue reading

Posted in Government, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Murray Announces Rerun of Prop 1

This morning Seattle Mayor Ed Murray held a press conference on the city’s plan to save Metro bus service and collaborate with other regional municipalities. Once approved by the City Council, the measure will ask Seattle voters for approval of … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Government, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Seattle Tries Restricting Rideshare Services

Regulations on rideshare companies like UberX, Sidecar, and Lyft are on hold as the City of Seattle crafts a new agreement between them and taxi companies. The rideshares appeared only recently (Sidecar in 2012 and Lyft in 2013), and after … Continue reading

Posted in Cars, Government, Policy, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments