King County

Trail

Parks Levy Headed for Approval in Seattle's King County

King County, Seattle spends 80 of its parks operating budget with money generated from a levy imposed on homeowners. After approving the levy most recently in 2013, voters are supporting it again this week.

August 7, 2019 - The Seattle Times

Columbia River Gorge

King County Selling Carbon Credits to Fund Forest Preservation

Two companies so far have purchased carbon credits through the newly public program in Washington State's King County.

July 11, 2019 - KUOW

On-Demand Shuttle

On-Demand Shuttle Service Launches in Seattle

Residents in southeast Seattle and Tukwila can now make use of Via to Transit on-demand shuttle transit service.

April 17, 2019 - King County

Seattle Public Transit

Express Bus Service Coming to the Suburbs South of Seattle

New intercity bus transit service is in the works in King County, Washington.

March 18, 2019 - The Urbanist

Washington

$738 Million Parks Levy on the Ballot for Seattle Area Voters

King County, Washington voters will vote on a parks levy reauthorization in August—at stake is $738 million over the six years to fund improvements to the Seattle area's parks, trails, and open space.

February 25, 2019 - The Urbanist

Freeway

Big Surprise: Congestion Pricing Tolls Don't Poll Well

As Seattle prepares a possible cordon area congestion pricing plan to tackle both traffic congestion and climate change, The Seattle Times did a poll on two applications of congestion pricing: urban tolls and adding express toll lanes to freeways.

January 23, 2019 - The Seattle Times

King County Metro Transit

Pushing for Cameras to Enforce Bus-Only Lanes

Scofflaws are common and enforcement difficult in the 40 miles of surface street bus-only lanes in King County, Washington. Transit officials are hoping cameras can help fill the gap.

January 1, 2019 - The Seattle Times

Water Treatment

San Diego Water Recycling Project Receives Critical EPA Loan

One of the nation's most ambitious attempts to recycle wastewater into potable water received a huge lift last month from the EPA with the receipt of a $164 million loan under the now-permanent Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act.

December 15, 2018 - City of San Diego News Release

Highway Interchange

Tools for Addressing the Suburbanization of Poverty

Suburban poverty is reading, here are a few ways to understand what that means.

November 13, 2018 - Build a Better Burb

Seattle Transit

Bus System Changes Planned in Seattle

King County Metro and Sound Transit have proposed major changes to bus service on the eastside of Seattle, stretching into suburban communities outside of the city as well.

November 4, 2018 - The Urbanist

Affordable housing

Seattle to Use Surplus Public Land for Affordable Housing

New municipal and state laws have made it possible for Seattle to sell excess land to affordable housing developers at below-market rates, or even to give it away.

October 5, 2018 - Crosscut

Interstate Freeway System

I-405 Widening Ready to Launch Outside Seattle

A major road-widening project will begin construction next year. The project is a long time coming for a fast-growing region, but the final product will reflect a new approach to highway funding.

September 11, 2018 - The Seattle Times

Access Paratransit

Paratransit Service Needs Improvement

Following a scathing performance report by King County, in Washington, system officials are implementing an overhaul of the Access paratransit system.

September 10, 2018 - Crosscut

Homeless Shelter

Modular Housing for the Homeless

The Seattle region will try to save costs and speed construction on three new pilot projects by using modular construction to house homeless.

August 23, 2018 - KUOW

Subway Turnstiles

Means-Based, Transit-Fare Discounts Take a Leap Forward in the Big Apple

The 2019 New York City budget includes $106 million to subsidize half the transit fare for qualified residents for six months. The city joins the ranks of Seattle, Toronto, and the Bay Area that offer income-based discounts for transit fares.

June 13, 2018 - The New York Times

Issaquah Alps

A Shuttle Ride to the Trailhead

A pilot program by King County Metro and the King County Parks Department in the state of Washington found success in 2017, and is spending the beginning of 2018 looking at options to expand.

March 15, 2018 - Washington Trail Association

Homeless Cars

A Man's Truck Is His Palace?

In a move to grant further autonomy and rights to the homeless population of Seattle, a court found in favor of a man who argued his truck was his home and should not have been towed after he didn't move for 72 hours.

March 8, 2018 - The Seattle Times

Ballard neighborhood, Seattle

Black Home Ownership Rates in Seattle's King County Continue to Shrink

King County, Washington was once home to a large number of black homeowners, today the county lags far behind the rest of the country.

June 28, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Proterra Electric Bus

Transit Agencies Move Toward Electric Buses

Transit agencies from Washington to Florida are beginning to make the switch from diesel and natural gas-powered buses to battery electric buses, some faster than others.

June 5, 2017 - Sierra Club Compass

Homeless Services

Sales Tax, Not Property Tax, Preferred Funding Tool for Seattle's Homeless Crisis

Seattle's King County is home to an estimated 10,000 unsheltered homeless people. Local officials are trying to figure out how to raise the funds to address the crisis.

April 6, 2017 - KUOW

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