Category Archives: Policy

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

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

Vote Yes on Proposition 1

King County voters are receiving ballots in the mail for a special election on April 22. The only measure up for vote, Proposition 1, will maintain funding for transit and increase maintenance funding for county roads if it passes with … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Editorial, Government, Policy, Roads, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Murray Sees Progress Ahead for Seattle

Newly elected Seattle Mayor Ed Murray delivered his first State of the City address Tuesday afternoon in a packed chamber at City Hall. He highlighted the pride and spirit of community that is embodied in Seattlites, and also went over … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Climate, Demographics, Government, Housing, Policy, Rail, Roads, Schools, Sustainability, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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

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

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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

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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

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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