The Seattle Times

Funding for sidewalks has been approved in Seattle, where some neighborhoods have rallied for years to have them built. But now some homeowners are opposed to the plans, as the new sidewalk will cut into their front yards, parking spaces and patios.

Seattle has approved a new 10-year bicycle master plan that advocates hope will encourage more biking in the city. Seattle's plan stands out from other cities' bicycle plans, as much of its necessary funding has already been approved.

Voters in Seattle recently voted down a proposition to significantly fund roads and transit in the region. Advocates are pushing forward with efforts to keep the transportation funding issues alive and attain the money needed.

Seattle has shown that Kyoto Protocol-level reductions in greenhouse gases are practical and achievable, and won't hurt the economy. But with car use rising, much more needs to be done.

Seattle's free-flowing experience with more than two weeks of freeway lane closures -- predicted to be traffic Armageddon -- shows that the conventional wisdom about traffic isn't always right.

More than 650 miles of Seattle streets have no sidewalks, and residents are demanding them. But with limited transportation funding, the city is struggling to find ways to pay for sidewalk construction.

The wave of condo conversions in the Seattle area is hitting seniors especially hard.

Three mixed-use, walkable urban villages near Seattle have become very popular with residents since their creation in the '80s and '90s. But while small businesses prosper and home vacancies remain low, few jobs are available.

Collective action and micro financing are two promising models for improving the livability of informal settlements, writes Neal Peirce.

Columnist Neal Peirce highlights the University of Pennsylvania's efforts at improving its Philadelphia neighborhood -- and the resulting improvements for Town and Gown.

The "streetwise" Segway is the centerpiece of a pilot project to collect data on Bellevue’s sidewalks, an ongoing effort to make all 336 miles of city sidewalks accessible and comply with requirements of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

The prospect of a future in which more than half the planet lives in cities means that we need to get serious about planning for growth, warns Neal Peirce.

Research by one economist suggests that lead poisoning may cause a person to engage in criminal activities, which counties with high lead levels having higher murder rates.

Walkability has been shown to greatly improve the health and wellbeing of senior citizens. In response to recent studies on this issue, planners are looking to create walkable neighborhoods that encourage healthy habits for residents of all ages.

Plans call for redeveloping the north parking lot of the Seattle Seahawks stadium into a new mixed-use development that will add 400 housing units to the historic district and better link the neighborhood with adjoining areas.

This article from The Seattle Times takes a look at the long-term financing schedule associated with extending the region's light rail system.

Will Washington voters be willing to pay $125 per year per household for 50 miles of light rail extensions, part of Sound Transit's "Roads & Transit" ballot measure?

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced plans to 'green' the city's yellow cabs by replacing the current fleet with fuel-efficient hybrids over five years.

King County Metro plans to add 500 new hybrid buses to its fleet -- increasing service by nearly a third.

A former area of low-income housing has been redeveloped as a New Urbanist neighborhood in Seattle. The housing stock has almost doubled -- and nearly 40% of it is priced for very low income families.