Seattle

Seattle May Revise Bike Plan, Already

Mike Linbom cites the popularity of greenways for why the city is considering spending $100,000 more than the original plan's cost to update it, after just four years.

November 3, 2011 - The Seattle Times

Nations Largest and Most Expensive Expansion Program

Seattle's East Link light rail extension project is said to be completed in 2023 and will attract about 50,000 riders a day, says Yonah Freemark. In addition, the city council wants a section of the line to be tunneled under Downtown Bellevue.

November 2, 2011 - the transport politic

In Seattle, Feelings are Mixed on Extra Perks for "Ultra-Green" Building Standards

Under the "living building" pilot program, a handful of developments get to bypass the usual zoning for sticking to some of the most stringent building standards in the world. But one developer wants an additional 10 feet of height for it.

October 21, 2011 - The Seattle Times

More Streetcars for Seattle?

An upcoming ballot measure will create $204 million for new transit. The most controversial part of the measure would be an allotment for planning and and possibly building a new streetcar line.

October 10, 2011 - The Seattle Times

"Living Building" Vision Comes to Life

In a bold move to secure its place as the bastion of sustainability, Seattle sets out to build a series of the "greenest commercial building on earth."

September 2, 2011 - The Los Angeles Times

Seattle's South Lake Union a Jobs Bonanza

When city leaders proposed redeveloping the South Lake Union area of Seattle, they made big promises for job growth. Just a few years in, their expectations have already been exceeded.

August 30, 2011 - The Seattle Times

Reconsidering the Urban Alley

Alyse Nelson takes a look at a handful of alleys that were transformed from crusty dumping grounds into beautiful urban spaces.

August 27, 2011 - SightlineDaily

Seattle Land Use Code Book Review: Do It Over

Roger Valdez set out to read and review the entire land use code of the city of Seattle. Now that he's done, he says it's time to rewrite the whole thing.

August 25, 2011 - Crosscut

Tunnel Wins Vote in Seattle

A long simmering debate over how to deal with a damaged inner city freeway has seemingly found a conclusion as voters in Seattle have approved a plan to begin work on replacing the freeway with a tunnel.

August 18, 2011 - The Seattle Times

Seattle to Eliminate Downtown Ride Free Area

A recent "political compromise" forces Metro to phase out the City's highly popular free bus service that serves over 10 million riders per year.

August 13, 2011 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Seattle Plays a Zero-Sum Emissions Game

Aspiring to become carbon-neutral by 2050, the Emerald City commits to an ambitious plan that relies on a 10% purchase of carbon offsets.

August 12, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Neighborhood Sustainability the Focus of New Code Ideas in Seattle

A set of recommendations for changes to land-use regulations in Seattle is being highlighted by Mayor Mike McGinn as a way to both create sustainable neighborhoods and jobs. One of the authors of the recommendations explains.

July 19, 2011 - Crosscut

More In My Back Yard

MIMBYs? Seattle plans to build a one-story light-rail station in the Roosevelt neighborhood's commercial district, but locals are fighting for greater density and reducing zoning restrictions on the site.

July 18, 2011 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The Uneasy Transition in Post-Recession Seattle

While some have pigeonholed him as anti-business, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn is taking the city through the recovery of the economy in a positive but potentially hard-to-swallow way, according to this column.

July 12, 2011 - The Seattle Times

Injured Cyclists Team Up to Fund Fix for Heavy Accident Area

An accident-prone section of bike path in Seattle has prompted dozens of lawsuits and resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to injured cyclists. Now the cyclists themselves are trying to fix the infrastructural problem.

July 2, 2011 - The Seattle Times

Seattle Considers Car Fee to Fund Transit

Facing $60 million in deficits over the next year, transportation officials in metropolitan Seattle are pushing a plan to ask voters to approve an increase in the price of registering cars in the area to create a transportation fund.

June 22, 2011 - The Seattle Times

Cities Try New Approaches to Fund Streetcars

As federal transportation funding grows increasingly uncertain, cities across the country are trying new approaches to generate funds for their planned streetcar projects.

June 17, 2011 - Urban Land

Three Model Cities Seattle Can Learn From

Los Angeles, Cincinnati and San Francisco are tackling major urban problems quickly and effectively. This post argues that Seattle can learn much from these efforts.

June 12, 2011 - Crosscut

Bikeable and Walkable, But Room to Improve

Seattle has been named one of the nation's safest p[laces to walk or bike. But some question whether that success will translate into any further improvements in bike and pedestrian infrastructure spending.

May 26, 2011 - Publicola

Public Bleakness in Seattle

Seattle is growing more dense, which is underlining the importance of the city's public spaces. But as this piece from Crosscut argues, the city's public spaces are mostly bleak and underused.

May 19, 2011 - Crosscut

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

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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.