Washington

Bus Rapid Transit Upgrade Coming to Tacoma-Spanaway Route

Pierce Transit has committed to bus rapid transit to replace convention bus service on Route 1 between the two cities in Pierce County, Washington.

July 16, 2018 - The Urbanist

Washington State Capital

Zoning Changes for the 'Missing Middle' Take a Step Forward in Olympia

Olympia, Washington joins the ranks of cities making new incentives for the creation of missing middle housing.

July 15, 2018 - The Olympian

Electric-Assist Bike

In Defense of Electric-Assist Bikes

Electric-assist bikes, also known as e-bikes, will make it easier for more people to ride bikes, according to this opinion piece.

July 14, 2018 - The Urbanist

Portland Interchange

Advisory Committee Recommends Complete Tolling of Portland Interstates

A Portland regional value pricing committee recommended that the state transportation department operate two pilot programs to toll all the lanes on two interstate highways in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area.

July 9, 2018 - KGW

Community Meeting

Seattle Rolls Out New Community Engagement Framework

Under the new guidelines, developers will need to implement specific community engagement strategies, at times based on a neighborhood's demographics.

July 7, 2018 - The Urbanist

Seattle Beats San Francisco to Plastic Straw and Utensil Ban

Seattle's ban took effect Sunday, while San Franciso's proposed legislation, if successful, would begin July 1, 2019. Other cities have plastic straw restrictions, but Seattle's is the first outright ban. Compostable alternatives are permitted.

July 6, 2018 - Huffington Post

Seattle

5 Ideas for Getting Cars Off the Road in Seattle

The Seattle Department of Transportation is searching for ways to remove 3,000 cars from the roads every day.

July 6, 2018 - Crosscut

Freewways

Nine Highway Expansions Identified as Worst Boondoggles of 2018

In a new report, U.S. PIRG and the Frontier Group describe nine costly highway projects amounting to $30 billion in their fourth annual "Highway Boondoggles" report. All share the theme of induced travel demand.

July 2, 2018 - Frontier Group

Homeless

The 'Find It, Fix It' App Increasingly Used to Roust the Homeless

Seattle's Find It, Fix It app plays a telling role in the city's approach to its homeless population. The question is whether the app is fixing anything for the people living on the street.

July 1, 2018 - The Atlantic

South Lake Union

Seattle Landlords Scrambling to Fill Growing Number of Empty Apartments

Vacancy rates are up to 7.5 percent in greater Seattle, and many landlords are offering deals like a month's free rent.

July 1, 2018 - The Seattle Times

Transit Board Votes Against Bus Fares

A 3-2 vote determined that Whidbey Island, north of Seattle, will continue to offer rides for free.

June 30, 2018 - South Whidbey Register

King County Metro Transit

Seattle Ready to Give Free Transit Passes to All High School Students

About 16,000 Seattle students would get free transit passes when school starts again in the fall under a plan approved by the Seattle City Council yesterday.

June 26, 2018 - Seattle Times

First Protected Bike Lanes Coming Soon to Bellevue

Bellevue, Washington is adding its first protected bike lanes, and is planning a lot more bike infrastructure to come.

June 25, 2018 - The Urbanist

Twin Peaks

Even in the Pacific Northwest, Developments Conflict With Water

The Seattle region would seem to have plenty of water to go around. That doesn't mean there aren't environmental consequences for more development.

June 25, 2018 - KUOW

Seattle, Washington

The 'Head Tax' Failed in Seattle; Cities Still Want the Tax to Support Housing, Transit

If your city was home to some of the wealthiest, largest companies in the country, would you tax them to raise money for more housing and transit service?

June 13, 2018 - The Seattle Times

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

Seattle Transit Planning

Big BRT Plans Underway in Seattle and Environs

The Urbanist details on of the big bus rapid transit routes on the table in Seattle.

June 11, 2018 - The Urbanist

Seattle Mariners

Critics Pounce on $190 Million Proposed for Seattle Mariners Stadium Support

A city grappling with a homeless crisis might rethink its spending habits.

June 10, 2018 - The Stranger

Suburban Seattle

Everett's New Downtown Plan Ready for Scrutiny

A public hearing offers a chance to analyze the zoning changes proposed by the "Metro Everett" downtown plan.

June 7, 2018 - The Urbanist

Don't Forget the Green Benefits of Accessory Dwelling Units

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) don't just help mitigate housing supply and affordability issues, they also offer significant sustainability benefits.

June 6, 2018 - Sightline Institute

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.

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.