Category Archives: Transportation

Seattle Bus Restructure Takes Effect, And an Ode to the 70-Series

Last Saturday, one week after two new light rail stations opened in Seattle, King County Metro implemented its major service change intended to more efficiently connect people with the stations. The changes consist of new, revised, and deleted routes mostly … Continue reading

Posted in Buses, Editorial, Rail, Transportation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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

CascadiaCast Episode 6: Nathan Vass

On this episode of CascadiaCast I had a lively chat with Nathan Vass, who splits his time between driving for King County Metro and his artistic pursuits in photography and video. He also frequently writes short stories about his experience … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, CascadiaCast, Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Parks, Policy, Schools, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CascadiaCast Episode 5: Cathy Tuttle

After a bit of a lull, CascadiaCast is back! (And with a hell of a lot better sound quality.) I had the exciting opportunity to talk with Cathy Tuttle, Executive Director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways. We took a fascinating dive into … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, CascadiaCast, Demographics, Government, Housing, Land Use, Parks, Policy, Schools, Transportation, Walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

First Hill Streetcar Opens with Lessons for Future Lines

Seattle’s new streetcar route, the First Hill line, finally opened on Saturday. Despite the cold and rain, months of tantalizingly empty test runs and the promise of free rides drew large crowds along the entire route. The new line runs from … Continue reading

Posted in Biking, Buses, Cars, Land Use, Parking, Rail, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Why I Call Myself an Urbanist

I was recently invited to to participate in a panel discussion pitting urbanism against NIMBYism (Not In My BackYard-ism). Asked to represent the “urbanist” perspective, this got me thinking about it meant to be an urbanist, how urbanism is defined, and if … Continue reading

Posted in Editorial, Housing, Land Use, Public Space, Resources, Sustainability, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Good and the Bad of Driverless Cars for Cities

The age of driverless cars is rapidly approaching, and no one seems to know what to do about it. The technology is picking up steam in the behemoth automotive industry while only a few states have regulations on the books … Continue reading

Posted in Cars, Energy, Government, Land Use, Roads, Sustainability, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Event Notice: Seattle City Council Presentation on Freeway Lids Wednesday

On Wednesday, December 16 at 12pm a group of local designers will present to the Seattle City Council the case for additional freeway lids over Interstate 5 in Downtown. The event will be an informal “lunch and learn”, starting at … Continue reading

Posted in Event Writeup, Government, Land Use, Public Participation, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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