Category Archives: Editorial

Post 100

Nearly two years have passed since the inception of The Northwest Urbanist, and with this 100th post I’m celebrating the grand journey it’s been so far. But firstly, I wouldn’t be writing about local planning and design issues if it … Continue reading

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Planning with Grassroots Media

In April I had the pleasure of presenting with fellow urbanists and writers at the 2015 National Planning Conference in Seattle. Our panel, “Planning with Grassroots Media”, sought to enlighten city planners on how local blogs and neighborhood websites can … Continue reading

Posted in Editorial, Event Writeup, Government, Public Participation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On Growth, Transit, and Bikes in Vancouver B.C.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Vancouver, B.C. again and have finally gotten around to writing about it. I managed to stay for a weekend instead of 30 hours and had a real excuse to go: … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Climate, Event Writeup, Government, Public Space, Sustainability, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Open Letter: Build a Green Lake Supertrail

Members of Seattle City Council and Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams, I write to you with sincere concern for the well being of my fellow citizens using the three mile long trail around Green Lake Park. It is consistently overcrowded, and … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Editorial, Parks, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Mayor Leads Scripted U-District Community Walk

On Saturday Seattle mayor Ed Murray continued his series of “Find It, Fix It” walks with residents of the University District. The event drew a large crowd and media presence, and wound through the neighborhood’s core with a police escort. … Continue reading

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Mayor Murray Remarks on Seattle’s Achievements and Challenges

In his annual address Seattle Mayor Ed Murray remarked on the city’s significant progress towards some of its goals and made a number of announcements about initiatives to pick up the pace on others. He also spoke at length about … Continue reading

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Seattle Invites Tech Community to ‘Hack’ Transportation

The City of Seattle and Commute Seattle launched a “Hack the Commute” project on Tuesday, bringing together partner agencies and local technology companies to develop tools for improving and navigating the city’s transportation network. The coalition is interested in innovations … Continue reading

Posted in Event Writeup, Government, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Seattle Bike Activists Launch Major Infrastructure Campaign

Last Saturday a coalition of local non-profits kicked off a grassroots campaign to accelerate construction of 250 additional miles of key Seattle bicycle routes by 2025. The city already has 135 miles of bike infrastructure, and momentum is building to … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Event Writeup, Policy, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Civic Indicators Highlight Seattle’s Progress, Challenges

Correction: The SSNAP report has been updated to correct statistics on where Seattle residents work. 38.2 percent of Seattle’s employed residents work outside of the city, not 62 percent. A new report by consulting firm Steinbrueck Urban Strategies, headed up … Continue reading

Posted in Demographics, Density, Energy, Event Writeup, Food, Housing, Land Use, Parks, Policy, Resources, Schools, Transportation, Water | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The 12th Man Lives On

I don’t really care for football. In fact, I take issue with its non-profit status and insistence on public financing for private stadiums. But I do appreciate its contribution to a community spirit that has enlivened Seattle and the entire … Continue reading

Posted in Editorial, Energy, Landscape, Resources, Sustainability, Transportation, Water | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments