Washington

Seattle Recalculates Walk Signal Timing to Make Crossings Safer for Pedestrians
The new formulas for calculating the length of walk signals are designed to give people more time to safely cross the street.

Opinion: Washington State Should Stop Funding Freeways
The Urbanist's editorial board calls for an end to highway widening and an increased focus on walking, biking, and transit.

Seattle's 'Electrification Blueprint' Sets Ambitious Goals
The city's new transportation plan focuses on eliminating carbon emissions in its transportation sector, reducing congestion, and boosting public transit.

Tacoma Plan Would Eliminate Single-Family Zoning in Favor of 'Missing Middle' Housing
If implemented, Home in Tacoma would create new housing categories to encourage more multi-family buildings.

Bus Stop Balancing, Explained
Pierce Transit, which serves Pierce County in Washington State, is undertaking a bus stop balancing project intended to speed up bus service. They're also doing the work of explaining why a reduction of bus stops is desirable, or even necessary.

Opinion: Gas Taxes Are 'Redlining on Wheels'
With dwindling revenue and a narrow scope for funding projects, it may be time for Washington State to re-evaluate its gas tax in favor of more sustainable revenue sources.

Home-Based Businesses Could Save the Post-Pandemic Economy
Seattle's city council considers reducing 'arbitrary' and 'exclusionary' limits on home-based businesses.

Opinion: Stop Paving Seattle Playgrounds for Parking Lots
Seattle schools are often forced to reduce their playground space in favor of parking and circulation for private cars, but altering the city code could change that.

The Need for Social Housing in Seattle
Seattle trails international peer cities in its social housing stock, but there are steps city leaders can take to produce more units and increase affordability.

Pedestrian Improvements Planned for Washington State Highway
New medians, dedicated turn lanes, and signalized crosswalks are aimed at improving pedestrian safety along the busy corridor.

Washington State Considering New Gas Tax, Transit and Bike Fees
The state legislature is weighing three proposals that seek to fund improvements to aging infrastructure and upgrade the state's transportation network.

Study Calls Seattle Nation's 'Most Economically Integrated' City
A study of real estate values in Seattle found that townhomes have helped diversify neighborhoods and increase affordability.

Higher Lot Coverage to Boost Density
A proposal in Snohomish County, Washington could raise the lot coverage limits in medium density residential zones to allow for more usable square footage.

Historic Preservation as a Tool of Exclusion
The push for historic preservation districts often amounts to exclusionary zoning that exacerbates the housing affordability crisis.

Opinion: To Reduce Emissions, Listen to Those Who Don't Drive
An initiative to promote pedestrian-oriented infrastructure investments in Washington state highlights the lessons that policymakers can learn from people who rely on walking and public transit.

Seattle Limits Natural Gas in New Construction
More cities are banning the use of natural gas in new buildings. Seattle is the latest example.

I-5 Study Shows Benefits of Capping Urban Freeways
Putting a lid on the interstate through downtown Seattle could create new space for parks and housing, reduce pollution, and reconnect the disrupted street grid.

Housing and Land Use on Washington's Legislative Agenda
The Washington State legislature will consider a number of bills this session that would alter planning and development in a state grappling with population growth and rising housing costs.

Upping Tacoma's Missing Middle Housing Game
Tacoma is looking to expand on the accessory dwelling unit reforms of the Home in Tacoma project by planning for new residential density along the city's transit routes.

Bike and Pedestrian Improvements Proposed for Seattle Light Rail Stations
Anticipating the opening of two new stations in 2024, the Seattle Department of Transportation released a study prioritizing bike infrastructure in the surrounding areas.
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