Category Archives: Government

Public Voices Support, Concerns for Metro’s Last Funding Option

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Scott Bonjukian

On Tuesday night the King County Council held the only public hearing on its proposed ‘Plan B’, detailed in this earlier post, that would maintain transit funding. Most speakers supported the measure, but a number of important questions were brought … Continue reading →

Posted in Buses, Government, Policy, Transportation | Tagged ballot, budget, buses, Council, crowding, cuts, fee, funding, King County, low income, metro, Plan B, reduced fare, sales tax, state legislature, vehicle licensing, vote | 4 Comments

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

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Scott Bonjukian

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 comprehensive plan, department of planning and development, DPD, Olympic Sculpture Park, Pecha Kucha, presentation, public participation, SAM, Seattle, Seattle 2035, Seattle Art Museum, update | 10 Comments

King County Proposes Vote on Transportation Tax

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Scott Bonjukian

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 benefit district, budget, Council, Dow Constantine, Executive, funding, King County, legislature, metro, Olympia, Plan B, sales tax, special district, transportation, vehicle levy, Washington state | 2 Comments

Residents Protest Lowrise Height Limits

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Scott Bonjukian

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 affordability, affordable housing, Capitol Hill, City Council, codes, density, department of planning and development, growth, height, homeowners, housing, lowrise, lowrise 3, LR3, multi-family, neighborhoods, Seattle, single family, zoning | 2 Comments

Bikeshare Pedaling Into Puget Sound

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Scott Bonjukian

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 bicycle, bike share, China, CitiBike, commuting, cycling, Europe, funding, helmet law, history, King County, mode share, public transportation, Puget Sound Bike Share, rental, Seattle, sharing, stations, tourism | 5 Comments

Vehicle Fees Are Ready For Modernization

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Scott Bonjukian

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 alternative, cars, costs, energy, federal, fee, fuel, gas, gas tax, highways, insurance, maintenance, mileage, odometer, Oregon, pilot program, road usage, roads, tax, taxes, trucks, VMT, weight | 5 Comments

Metro Supporters Demand Action

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Scott Bonjukian

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 bus, cuts, Dow Constantine, downtown Seattle, governor, Josh Cavanagh, King County, Larry Phillips, legislature, metro, overcrowding, politics, press conference, rally, revenue, roads, service, taxes, transit, transportation, university of washington, Washington state, Westlake | 5 Comments

Denny Substation Bringing Light to Growing Neighborhoods

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Scott Bonjukian

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 architects, architecture, Capitol Hill, Denny Substation Project, Denny Way, electrical substation, electricity, infrastructure, NBBJ, pedestrian, power, public, public art, Seattle City Light, Seattle Design Commission, South Lake Union, urban design, utilities | 4 Comments

Emerald City Impressions: Explorations

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Scott Bonjukian

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 Ballard, bus, Capital Hill, experiences, Industrial District, Museum of Flight, neighborhoods, Pioneer Square, Seattle, urban exploring | 1 Comment

Hearing on Metro Cuts Highlights State’s Transportation Issues

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Scott Bonjukian

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 budget, buses, car tab, congestion, cuts, disability, fees, funding, King County, King County Metro, low income, metro, public transportation, Senate Transportation Committee, taxes, Washington | 4 Comments