This column deals with two Seattle issues: one political - the victory of a transit measure on Nov. 4 that will direct $18 billion to light rail; the other human - a Sierra Club activist who made the campaign for Prop 1 a full time job.
A year ago "the Sierra Club, practically alone, opposed a massive roads and rail plan. Mike O'Brien argued the roads portion was poison. After voters turned it all down, I sent O'Brien a nasty e-mail, congratulating him for joining the ranks of backward Seattleites who have denied the city rapid transit for generations."
"Nine months ago (O'Brien) quit his job as chief financial officer of the corporate law firm Stokes Lawrence so he could push for (a better transit measure) full time. For no pay."
"The vote Nov. 5 (sic) to tax ourselves $17.8 billion for light rail was a watershed. Not only did it end 40 years of dithering about rapid transit, but the landslide win sent the clearest message yet to any future roads plans: Be green, or be dead."
"Anything green wins - from buses to rail to HOV lanes. Or, as we're probably about to find out, congestion tolling."
"It's a huge story, a major shift in the way this city thinks and lives," (O'Brien) said, after rolling up to a downtown coffeehouse on his bicycle the other day. "What's exciting is that it's coming from the bottom up. The public intuitively gets it better than the politicians."
Thanks to John Holtzclaw
FULL STORY: Green fever colors the future of roads
Election 2019: Devastating Transportation Funding Loss in Pacific Northwest
Washington voters' approval of Initiative 976, which put a limit on car tab increases as well as repealing many motor vehicle fees, will have far-reaching consequences for funding road maintenance, transit, and bike and pedestrian projects.
Seattle Transit Asked to Clarify Pet Policy
A major dog park near a new light rail stop is prompting calls to update and clarify rules for bringing pets on Seattle-area transit systems.
Seattle-Area Light Rail Breaks Ridership Record, Again
Thanks to a new extension and reorganized connecting bus lines, the Link light rail system topped 3 million rides in October.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie