A New Earthquake Warning System for the Pacific Northwest

Oregon and Washington are implementing sensors that can detect and report an earthquake to communities with as much as a minute or two of warning.

1 minute read

April 11, 2017, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Pacific Northwest

Garrett Meyers / Shutterstock

"An early warning system for earthquakes is expanding to Oregon and Washington," reports Kristian Foden-Vencil.

The system amounts to a small network of sensors that can identify an earthquake and notify nearby cities. According to Foden-Vencil, "depending on where an earthquake hits, it can give nearby cities a warning of up to a minute or two." A complete build-out of an earthquake notification system would cost about $38 million, according to a source quoted in the article.

"The hope is that in the future, there will be enough sensors to justify a phone app so the general public can get earthquake warnings," adds Foden-Vencil.

For a reminder of the scale of the risk presented by earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest, revisit Kathryn Schulz's in-depth reporting on the Cascadia subduction zone from July 2015.

Monday, April 10, 2017 in KUOW

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

November 11, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6, 2026 - Grist

People walking and cycling on a street in Boston.

Study reveals best places in the U.S. for cycling, walking

New research from Streetlight Data examines bicycle and pedestrian miles per capita in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population.

November 8, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

Mamdani speaks behind a podium in a navy suit.

DSA members accuse Mamdani of 'abandoning values' over housing redevelopment

New York City's mayor plans to replace about 2,000 units of public housing with private, mixed-income housing.

November 12 - Gothamist

Streetview of Colorado boulevard, a multi-lane road with trees on either side.

All sides of BRT debate unhappy with CDOT’s most recent move

The Colorado Department of Transportation is no longer considering center-running bus lanes for Colorado Boulevard.

November 12 - 9 News

Solar panels above a cranberry boy, with workers collecting berries.

Massachusetts bogs generate both power, and cranberries

Putting solar panels above farmland is one way Massachusetts is advancing toward its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

November 12 - Grist

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.