Category Archives: Government

Plans, Plans, Plans: The Visions for Seattle’s Future

On Thursday night a crowd of hundreds gathered to share ideas for Seattle’s future. Co-hosted by the Seattle Art Museum and the city’s Department of Planning and Development, the evening kicked off the city’s comprehensive plan update process that will … Continue reading

Posted in Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Landscape, Parks, Public Space, Resources, Schools, Sustainability, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

King County Proposes Vote on Transportation Tax

After years of stalling, King County is finished waiting for the Washington state legislature to help solve its transportation problems. With funding for roads and transit too low to even plow snow and keep buses running, County Executive Dow Constantine … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Government, Policy, Roads, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Residents Protest Lowrise Height Limits

A 2010 change to Seattle’s Lowrise 3 (LR3) zoning designation hasn’t sparked much public interest until now, when the economy has picked up and developers are taking advantage of increased height limits for new multi-family buildings. Residents in neighborhoods with … Continue reading

Posted in Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Policy, Residential | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bikeshare Pedaling Into Puget Sound

The bike sharing fad has spread across the U.S. like wildfire, with over 30 cities introducing a form of the service since 2008. High profile programs in New York and Washington, D.C. have proven the merits of bike sharing for … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Policy, Public Space, Roads, Sustainability, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Vehicle Fees Are Ready For Modernization

The increasing fuel efficiency of road vehicles and adoption of alternative power sources like electricity, natural gas, and hydrogen is lessening the ability of gas taxes to pay for transportation systems. The federal gas tax has been 18.4 cents/gallon since  … Continue reading

Posted in Government, Policy, Roads, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Metro Supporters Demand Action

A coalition of transit supporters rallied at a press conference today in downtown Seattle’s Westlake Park. Representatives from local governments, institutions, and businesses spoke passionately about the need for the Washington State legislature to pass a comprehensive transportation package that … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Editorial, Government, Policy, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Denny Substation Bringing Light to Growing Neighborhoods

With growing demand for power in the neighborhoods around South Lake Union, utility department Seattle City Light (SCL) is preparing to build a new electrical substation nearby. It won’t be like the city’s other 11 facilities with cold chain-link fences, … Continue reading

Posted in Energy, Government, Land Use, Landscape, Parks, Public Art, Public Space, Sustainability, Uncategorized, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 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

Hearing on Metro Cuts Highlights State’s Transportation Issues

The Washington State Senate Transportation Committee hosted  a “listening forum” in Seattle on Monday to hear out citizens on transportation issues, and the main topic was the impending funding cut to the King County Metro bus system. With several hundred … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Ferries, Government, Policy, Roads, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

(re)Building Resilient Communities

As the impacts of climate change become more noticeable around the world, planners and politicians are taking steps to reinforce their cities against natural disasters. Though climate scientists stress that no single weather event can be attributed to climate change, … Continue reading

Posted in Climate, Government, Housing, Land Use, Landscape, Megaprojects, Policy, Residential, Resources, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments