Washington

Capitol Hill

Funds Directed to Transit Projects in 2017 Budget May Not Be Allocated

Funding for Caltrain electrification, which Transportation Secretary Chao approved May 22, is one of 21 transit projects receiving funding in the omnibus spending bill that may be contingent on approval from the Trump Administration.

May 30, 2017 - The Washington Post

The Sonic Bloom display at Seattle Center

Seattle Kicks the Tires on the Seattle Center Again

Proposals to revamp the Seattle Center seem to arise with every mayoral administration in Seattle. This time, however, the Seattle Center is at the literal center of an explosion of growth.

May 28, 2017 - Crosscut

Artificial Turf

Bad Science Linked to Fears of Fake Grass

A college soccer coach's disproved theory that claims artificial truf causes cancer refuses to die.

May 25, 2017 - The Boston Globe

Mountain river

Court Decision Makes it Final: Washington State Owes $2 Billion for Culvert Repairs

When it refused to reconsider a 2016 ruling that mandated the state of Washington to broken culverts around the state, the 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals put to rest a legal controversy ongoing since 2001.

May 23, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Alaskan Way Seawall Construction

Seattle's New Seawall: An Experiment in Climate Adaptation and Habitat Restoration

Engineers and scientists in Seattle are testing a new generation of shoreline infrastructure that hopefully can do a better job of letting people and wild animals—in this case salmon—coexist.

May 20, 2017 - EarthFix

Columbia River

Vancouver, Washington Ready to Adopt a Complete Streets Policy

According to Smart Growth America, more than 1,000 local, regional, and state agencies have adopted Complete Streets policies, which means many suburban communities, like Vancouver, Washington, are focusing on safety for all users.

May 19, 2017 - The Columbian

Kirkland, Washington

Amazon to House Homeless in Seattle Headquarters

Headquarters campus of Amazon will include housing for homeless who would have been displaced by the company’s purchase of the hotel that included their shelter.

May 17, 2017 - Next City

Earthquake damage

Idea Worth Copying: Japan's Theme-Park-Style Disaster Preparation Centers

Visitors to Japan’s theme-park-style disaster preparation centers can experience simulated quakes, typhoons, and fires. Perhaps a similar idea would be helpful in part of the United States?

May 16, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Seattle the Newest 'Urban Bird Treaty City'

A gap in the "Pacific Flyway" has been filled, after the city of Seattle has agreed to protect the migratory routes of birds.

May 15, 2017 - KUOW

Suburban House

Millennials Leading a Decline in Car Ownership in Some U.S. Cities

The young and the recently arrived in Seattle are less and less likely to own a car, according to new Seattle Times analysis of Census data.

May 13, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Bridge Bike Lane

Wet and Soggy, Maybe—Pacific Northwest Cities Lead in Bike Infrastructure Anyway

Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver have all prioritized the design and implementation of bike infrastructure. A study of how each is implementing its goals reveals the many ways cities can decide to make healthy, active transportation a priority.

May 4, 2017 - Sightline Institute

Oil Rig

President Trump Signs Executive Order to Reverse Obama's Coastal Drilling Ban

So much for that so-called "permanent" ban that President Obama enacted by President Obama in December to end oil and gas drilling in the Arctic Ocean and off the central-northern Atlantic coast.

May 3, 2017 - The Washington Post

Seattle Skyline from Kerry Park

Proposed Regulations to Create Affordable Housing for Seattle's Uptown

Draft ordinance regulating urban design in Seattle's Uptown would mean big changes for the neighborhood’s affordable housing requirements.

May 1, 2017 - The Urbanist

Seattle skyline

Seattle Getting Shortchanged by Incentive Zoning Program

An audit has found discrepancies in the amount of funds collected as part of Seattle's Incentive Zoning program due to weaknesses in enforcement and accounting practices.

April 30, 2017 - The Urbanist

Seattle Waterfront Condos

Rent Control: Illegal in Seattle Since 1981

For a long time now, rent control hasn't been an option to control housing prices in Washington state. Whether rent control works is another question entirely.

April 28, 2017 - KUOW

Visualizing Compatible Density

Density is a controversial subject. This blog post demonstrates that good streetscapes, vehicular-access elements, and building design are all components that make developments appear less dense, more livable, and attractive.

April 24, 2017 - MRSC Insight

Mt. Rainier

Seattle Upzones its Urban Core

A large swatch of downtown and an adjacent neighborhood can develop taller and denser after the Seattle City Council approved zoning changes this week.

April 16, 2017 - The Seattle Times

Lower Colorado River

America's 'Most Endangered Rivers' Face New Threats in 2017

The American Rivers advocacy group has released its annual report on the country's most endangered rivers, paying special attention to the threats posed to the country's waterways in new federal policies and budget plans.

April 12, 2017 - American Rivers

Pacific Northwest

A New Earthquake Warning System for the Pacific Northwest

Oregon and Washington are implementing sensors that can detect and report an earthquake to communities with as much as a minute or two of warning.

April 11, 2017 - KUOW

Seattle

How Seattle Is Curbing the Power of Neighborhood Groups

In Seattle, City Hall wants to open the neighborhood planning process to new demographics. The changes have rattled traditional neighborhood councils.

April 8, 2017 - Next City

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.