Ethan Epstein chronicles the work of Seattle's mayor, Mike McGinn, who won office in 2009 from established candidates and a powerful incumbent on a "philosophically anti-car" base.
McGinn's Road Diet, which went into effect in July, is probably his most audacious project. 'As the centerpiece of the city's $240 million "Bicycle Master Plan," which mandates the construction of 118 miles of bike lanes and 19 miles of trails by 2017, the diet will convert 3 percent of Seattle's car lanes into bike lanes.'
McGinn has faced aggressive opposition to his plans from many in a city where the meteorological and topographical reality encourages driving. They have argued that McGinn is too focused on cycling policy to the detriment of a woeful public transit system. "The city is nearly twice the size of Boston in square mileage, yet it has no subway. Seattle's bus service is infrequent and slow-moving, and it's bound to get slower, since city buses will lose some lanes to the road diet," writes Ethan Epstein.
"Maybe it's a sign of these politically polarized times that something as seemingly nonideological as commuting has become the latest manifestation of identity politics. In Seattle and elsewhere, citizens could pay a significant price for that development."
FULL STORY: Streetless In Seattle

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
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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.
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