Category Archives: Megaprojects

Seattle Convention Center Hosting Public Benefit Event December 7

The next phase of the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) is being planned, and associated with it may be millions of dollars in discretionary public benefit funding. Occupying four city blocks, the WSCC Addition project will transform a long-neglected corner … Continue reading

Posted in Land Use, Lid I-5, Megaprojects, Public Participation, Public Space, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

University Link Opens To Great Fanfare

Twenty years ago, when voters first approved Sound Move, the idea of rapid rail transit in Seattle was only a fuzzy concept. It was something that had been declined by 1960s voters and only the oldest residents might have recalled … Continue reading

Posted in Density, Land Use, Megaprojects, Mixed Use, Public Art, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Let’s Make Olive Way a Better Street for Everyone

Capitol Hill is Seattle’s most dense and walkable neighborhood. Despite this there are a number of pedestrian trouble spots which should be fixed to improve the safety and  quality of the street environment. A number of them are centered on … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Land Use, Megaprojects, Roads, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Case for Lidding I-5 in Downtown Seattle

Amid Seattle’s rapidly growing inner neighborhoods remains the urban scar of Interstate 5, a massive concrete and steel ribbon that is the lasting legacy of 20th century transportation engineers. It helps move thousands of people and tons of freight every … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Cars, Editorial, Land Use, Landscape, Megaprojects, Parks, Public Participation, Public Space, Roads, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

The Alaskan Way Viaduct Must Come Down

A group of Seattle residents called Park My Viaduct is campaigning to convert the city’s waterfront freeway into a linear park, akin to New York’s High Line. They are proposing to save 14 blocks of the concrete double-decked structure, put … Continue reading

Posted in Megaprojects, Parks, Public Space, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 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

Atlanta Conference Recap

In April I had the good fortune to attend the 2014 National APA (American Planning Association) Conference in Atlanta, Georgia with 5,000 fellow planners.  Session topics ranged from autonomous cars and the Millennials to citizen participation and affordable housing. I’m … Continue reading

Posted in Climate, Demographics, Editorial, Event Writeup, Government, Housing, Land Use, Landscape, Megaprojects, Policy, Public Space, Resources, Sustainability, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Vision for Seattle’s Waterfront

On Tuesday night Friends of Waterfront Seattle hosted an event with landscape architect James Corner, of High Line and Fresh Kills fame, on the continuing redesign of Seattle’s downtown waterfront. With replacement of the viaduct at a standstill and a … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Ferries, Government, Land Use, Landscape, Megaprojects, Parking, Parks, Public Art, Public Space, Rail, Roads, Sustainability, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Let’s Bury I-5

Author’s Note: This post has been superseded by an updated proposal in another post, “Let’s Bury I-5: Redux”, dated July 5, 2014. Author’s Note 2: The latest and most detailed proposal is in a third post, “The Case for Lidding I-5 … Continue reading

Posted in Editorial, Government, Housing, Land Use, Landscape, Megaprojects, Public Space, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Emerald City Impressions: Explorations

Despite being here for only about seven weeks I’ve gotten the chance to see a fair amount of Seattle, and it’s quite amazing how many different neighborhoods there are and how quickly the urban landscape can change from one block … Continue reading

Posted in Editorial, Land Use, Megaprojects, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment