Transit commutes have borne the brunt of ongoing deconstruction work around Alaskan Viaduct in Downtown Seattle. Allowing two-way bus-only lanes on Columbia Street is supposed to improve the situation.
"A new transit pathway in Downtown Seattle opens on Saturday," reports Doug Trumm.
The project will transform Columbia Street into a two-way bus connection benefitting 26,000 daily bus riders. "West Seattle, White Center, and Burien riders have been hit hard by the Seattle Squeeze, particularly since the new SR-99 tunnel opened and deconstruction work on the former viaduct forced reroutes to surface streets through SoDo and Pioneer Square. King County Metro all but issued an apology to riders at the end of summer over mounting delays, some approaching a full hour, due to interim routings on 1st Avenue without dedicated bus lanes," according to Trumm.
Columbia Street will now allow for the passage of a dozen bus routes, explains Trumm. "The new transit pathway will also have other benefits for riders, bringing them closer to light rail, ferries, and eventually streetcar service."
Trumm provides a lot more detail on the circumstances leading to the redesign of Columbia Street, as well as the details of the new configuration.
FULL STORY: Columbia Street Two-Way Bus Corridor Opens Saturday
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.