Washington

In a pair of articles, four Wall Street Journal writers delve deeper into the May 24 collapse of the I-5, Skagit Valley Bridge in Washington state and its relationship to our nation's aging transportation infrastructure.

May 28, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Chuck Wolfe suggests we all have the inspiration within us to envision how to remake our cities--from the conjecture of a Seattle restauranteur about Seattle's monorail to neighborhood examples of "we used this before, let's use it again".

May 26, 2013 - Crosscut

Two cars plunged off the I-5 truss bridge, 60 miles north of Seattle, into the frigid Skagit River at the end of Thursday's commute, but no deaths nor serious injuries occurred. The likely cause appears to be a big-rig hitting the 58-year-old bridge.

May 24, 2013 - Washington State Bridge Collapse - No Fatalities

NJ legislation highlights the need to ensure that those who drive EVs pay their fair share of taxes to keep roads in good repair. A bill that would have charged a mileage fee for all vehicles was scrapped for a $50 flat registration fee for EVs.

May 22, 2013 - Green Car Reports

House Republicans object to further funding of the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program - largely due to California's expectation to receive $42 billion in federal funding - yet less ambitious projects have shown much promise.

May 8, 2013 - Governing Magazine

Parking regulations are generally formulated as uniform standards that apply to hundreds or thousands of parcels equally, often resulting in overbuilt supply. But what if planners could anticipate the parking demand down to the parcel?

April 27, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Although its inward-facing corporate design may be loathed by architects and planners, L.A. Live's success in helping to draw redevelopment and activity to South Park is indisputable. Can its successes be replicated in Seattle?

April 22, 2013 - The Seattle Times

Using data from the Women’s Health Initiative, a new study reveals that a walkable environment may not be enough to get people to walk more.

April 8, 2013 - KPLU

In what is certainly one of the most polite forms of civil disobedience we've ever encountered, a small group of guerrilla urbanists installed bike lane protectors along a Seattle street one recent night. They kindly made them easy to remove.

April 7, 2013 - Seattle Bike Blog

David Moser pens a compelling essay that examines the ways in which sprawling auto-dependent land use patterns exacerbate poverty. As more low-income individuals and families are pushed to the suburbs, "this problem is gaining urgency."

March 13, 2013 - Citytank

According to a new report, U.S. transit ridership increased to 10.5 billion rides in 2012 - a 1.5% increase over 2011, despite transit shutdowns and reductions caused by Superstorm Sandy. High gas prices, and their volatility, was a major cause.

March 12, 2013 - USA Today

A proposed $10 billion transportation package introduced by legislators in Washington state includes a controversial $25 sales fee on bicycles that cost more than $500. Eric Jaffe explains why such a tax might not be a bad idea.

February 28, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Pike Place Market, one of Seattle's most visited tourist sites, and one of the prime models for the rediscovered allure of America's public markets, is primed for a significant expansion thanks to a recently approved agreement.

February 24, 2013 - Crosscut

Back in December, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced his aim of attracting Seattle's bikers and tech jobs while opening a new protected bike lane downtown. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn isn't taking Emanuel's entreaties lightly.

February 21, 2013 - Seattle Bike Blog

Using two paradigms addressing synergies of nature and the city, Chuck Wolfe contrasts gradually merging animal and human habitats in the United States with calculated greening of city spaces overseas.

February 18, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

How does each of us perceive the city? Using photos of pedestrians in Seattle crosswalks and the highly walkable Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Chuck Wolfe challenges readers to think for themselves about what they see.

February 8, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

When the new headquarters for the Bullitt Foundation opens this April in Seattle, it will be among the first to meet the Living Building Challenge - "the most stringent green standard around." But getting there isn't easy, and may be illegal.

January 25, 2013 - Architizer

A recent survey gives statistical heft to what many already believe - that despite the rhetorical exuberance of anti-bicycle and anti-transit types, the supposed "war on cars" is just a tired trope that is "wearing a bit thin."

January 24, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Employing material gathered for his forthcoming book, Chuck Wolfe argues for layered, historical illustrations of how people relate to built and sociocultural communities around them, and offers 5 principles and companion lessons for placemaking.

January 16, 2013 - myurbanist

In a photo essay on small homes and the people who love them, Sightline Fellow Alyse Nelson explains the attraction of compact living and the ways in which small homeowners are living it up by scaling down.

January 3, 2013 - Sightline Daily