Engineers and scientists in Seattle are testing a new generation of shoreline infrastructure that hopefully can do a better job of letting people and wild animals—in this case salmon—coexist.

Ken Christensen tells the story of Seattle's new $140 million seawall—an underappreciated but critical piece of infrastructure.
Christensen describes the seawall as an ongoing experiment in habitat restoration, in addition to the brute strength it provides to keep the rising tides at bay. Jeff Cordell, a fish biologist at the University of Washington, is quoted in the article saying the new Alaskan Way seawall is the first of its scale to try to improve habitat for fish.
For 80 years, the Alaskan Way seawall was like most: a smooth, vertical slab of concrete that held back the sea for the city’s bustling waterfront. It helped cement Seattle’s status as a commercial hub and deepwater port, but also sealed the fate of salmon habitat, locking away miles of gradually sloping beaches.
Now:
The new seawall should make life easier by featuring an underwater corridor for the fish to pass through on their way to the ocean. It’s illuminated by glass tiles in the pedestrian sidewalk above and filled with rocky surfaces where microalgae and small marine invertebrates are more likely to survive.
In the early days of the new seawall, the project shows promise, as filamentous microalgae has begun to show at low tide, which will make the new sea wall a more attractive environment for fish. If the experiment is successful, the new seawall could be a model for other coastal communities around the world, faced with the prospects of rising sea levels as a result of climate change.
FULL STORY: Can Seattle’s Seawall Defend The City And Protect Salmon, Too?

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

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

Albuquerque’s Microtransit: A Planner’s Answer to Food Access Gaps
New microtransit vans in Albuquerque aim to close food access gaps by linking low-income areas to grocery stores, cutting travel times by 30 percent and offering planners a scalable model for equity-focused transit.

This City Will Pay You to Meet Your Neighbors
A North Kansas City grant program offers up to $400 for residents to throw neighborhood block parties.

Commentary: Our Silence Will Not Protect Us
Keeping our heads down and our language inoffensive is not the right response to the times we’re in. Solidarity and courage is.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)