Seattle

Amtrak Cascaded

*New Amtrak Train Derails On Highway Overpass Outside of Seattle, Killing 3

The first southbound train on of the newly routed Amtrak Cascades Seattle-to-Portland service derailed on a highway overpass on Monday morning, with two passenger cars falling onto southbound Interstate 5, striking motor vehicles.

December 18, 2017 - AP

Furnicular

Forget 'Smart'—We Need 'Context Cities'

Frequent Planetizen contributor Charles R. Wolfe reflects on reconciling global forces and local context in cities across three continents.

December 17, 2017 - Charles R. Wolfe

Seattle Freeway

More Buses Will Travel on the Shoulder to Skip Traffic in Seattle

Soon, Sound Transit buses will start traveling on the shoulder to skip a perpetually congested stretch of I-5. Over a dozen Sound Transit and Community Transit express routes operate on the 2.5-mile stretch.

December 17, 2017 - The Urbanist

Mt. Rainier

Census: Seattle Quickly Ascending the Ranks of Most Expensive Cities to Rent

New American Community Survey Data reveals the cities where renters are paying the most.

December 7, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Youth Fare Discount Sees Results in Seattle

Many high school and grade school students in Seattle have been riding the city's Metro for free during the school year, now to encourage ridership during the summer, the city has been offering steep discounts for riders between 6-18 years old.

December 3, 2017 - Next City

Seattle

Showdown in Seattle: Should Developers Forgo Parking?

A mixed-use project in Seattle's Phinney Ridge neighborhood has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over parking. Activists are fighting rules that let developers omit parking in areas with a certain level of transit service.

November 30, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Link and Bus Seattle

Ranking Seattle's Transit Lines

With plans for expansions and realignment in the works, Sound Transit recently ranked the performance of the routes and corridors throughout the bus and light rail transit system.

November 25, 2017 - Seattle Transit Blog

Seattle Brick Loft

Affordable Housing Near Transit: Seattle's REDI Makes Its First Loan

For a city in the middle of a rent crisis, the Tacoma Housing Authority project can't come too soon.

November 20, 2017 - Curbed Seattle

Seattle

Op-Ed: Washington's State Environmental Policy Act 'Off the Rails' in Cities

Drawing on a slew of examples, Dan Bertolet argues that Washington's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) has been co-opted in ways that run against its original purpose: protecting the environment.

November 19, 2017 - Sightline Institute

Seattle SUper Bowl Parade 12th Man Flag

Mandatory Housing Affordability Details Released in Seattle

Seattle has released the long-awaited environmental impact statement for the Mandatory Housing Affordability program—a final step in the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda process launched by former Mayor Ed Murray.

November 12, 2017 - Seattle Met

Sound Transit

Evaluating Two Years of Transit Investment in Seattle

Two funding sources for transit investments approved by Seattle voters in 2014 are paying dividends in 2017 in the form of improved, expanded service.

November 9, 2017 - The Urbanist

Seattle

Revisiting Single-Family Zoning After a Political Setback

Few cities have gone so far in considering drastic changes to single-family zoning as Seattle did in 2015. Still, the discussion about single-family zoning would have to go a lot further to turn into meaningful reform.

November 1, 2017 - The Urbanist

Seattle Councilmember Wants a Temporary Development Moratorium While Rezoning Proceeds

The vision for Aurora-Licton Springs includes more pedestrian-friendly housing developments—not the drive-in businesses, recycling and solid waste, vehicle sales, and mini-storage business that currently get permitted and built.

October 3, 2017 - The Urbanist

Seattle Sailboats

Could Seattle Be the U.S. Vancouver?

Seattle appears to be following the Vancouver, B.C. model by increasing population and residential density while investing in transit. If it works, traffic congestion will not deteriorate, and vehicle trips should drop.

September 29, 2017 - Governing

Seattle Streetcar

Doubts Raised About Revenue Model for Seattle's Expanded Streetcar

Can an expansion of Seattle's streetcar system somehow outperform its previous iterations, and all other public transit modes in the city?

September 26, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Street Musician

Buskers Welcome at Select Sound Transit Stations

A popular program to allow street performers (aka, buskers) into station areas on the Seattle region's Sound Transit system has been expanded.

September 21, 2017 - The Urbanist

Airbnb

They'll Help You Buy a House if You Airbnb It and Give Them a Cut

A Seattle company will give you $50,000 for a down payment if you'll continuously rent your extra room on Airbnb and give them most of the money.

September 20, 2017 - The New York Times

Seattle Apartments

Seattle Housing Not Family-Sized

As Seattle grows, families are finding it harder to find homes, because the city has a disproportionate number of one-bedrooms and studios compared to other American cities.

September 19, 2017 - Curbed Seattle

Parking Sign

Seattle-Area Park and Ride Costs Soar to $100,000 a Space

Charged with adding over 8,500 stalls, Sound Transit is facing rampant costs that call its park and ride strategy into question.

September 15, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Seattle & Mt. Rainier

CNU Report Combats Suburban Poverty

The Puget Sound region provides a case study for the spread of poverty to suburban areas, and some region-specific recommendations for how to combat the challenges that result.

September 11, 2017 - Public Square

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.

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.