Washington

Super Commuters Increasing in Seattle
More and more people are driving farther and farther to get to work in the Seattle region.

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.

Carbon Pricing Strategies Under Consideration in Seven States
Several states, and even the federal government, are considering adopting carbon pricing plans.

Are Environmentalists Turning Away From Carbon Taxes?
Economics 101: It's difficult to reduce an activity if there's no price attached to it, so why are many environmentalists increasingly turning away from wanting to price carbon emissions?

Seattle Needs More Housing Diversity and Less Single-Family Zoning
The city should look back to its past for lessons about creating more livable, affordable, and equitable neighborhoods, says a new report.

Interstate Highway Tolling Takes Major Step Forward in Pacific Northwest
The state that implemented the first gas tax and the first bike tax took a huge step on Thursday toward becoming the first, since 1956, to toll all lanes on an interstate highway by approving an application to the Federal Highway Administration.

Suburbs Encouraging Accessory Dwelling Units
Renton, a suburb of Seattle dealing with skyrocketing housing prices like many of the communities in the region, is allowing new density in residential neighborhoods in the form of backyard cottages.

Mapping the Pacific Northwest's Changing Population
The Oregonian has published a new interactive mapping feature that allows users to map demographic changes to the Census tract level through Oregon and Washington.

Friday Eye Candy: Painting to Memorialize Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct
Finding beauty, and questions, in the concrete.

Judge Upholds Seattle's Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, Clears the Way for Upzoning
Since a city judge determined the legality of the long controversial Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, Seattle has been able to move forward with the plan to allow new density around the city.

Virgin Trains, Formerly Brightline, Planning Eight Expansion Corridors
November's bombshell news about the partnership between Virgin and Brightline has now yielded ambitious plans for private investment in intercity rail service.

Substantial Changes for Move Seattle Plan
The reality of the Move Seattle is proving to be much less robust than the vision promised to voters who approved the $930 million levy in 2015.

Everett's New Downtown Plan
Digging into the city of Everett's recent overhaul of its zoning and development regulations in Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods.

Study Casts Doubt on Streetcars' Ability to Spur Development
Examining Portland and Seattle's much-talked-about systems, the authors highlight the importance of treating streetcars as a viable transport option, rather than just a means to stimulate development.

Neighborhood and School Integration Don't Always Go Hand in Hand, Study Finds
In cities across the U.S., the relationship between residential and school segregation isn’t always clear.

What's Next After Carbon Pricing Initiative Fails Twice?
Carbon pricing proponents in the U.S. saw their second defeat in two years in the same state when Washington voters soundly defeated I-1631, a carbon fee that would fund emission reductions. Unlike I-732 in 2016, environmentalists were unified.

Big Wins for Urbanism in Cascadia
"Yes we actually did that."

Op-Ed: Seattle Should Do More About Crime in Business Districts
To combat a rash of incivility and outright criminal acts, three Business Improvement Area directors argue that Seattle needs to commit more law enforcement resources to business districts.

Lime Jumping Into the Car Sharing Business
Liume, which formerly rented bikes and electric scooters, plans to have 1,500 cars to rent on the streets of Seattle early in 2019.

Sound Transit's Lynwood Link Gets the Federal Funding it Was Waiting For
A great sigh of relief from transit planners in the Pacific Northwest (and probably the rest of the country as well).
Pagination
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)