Increasing rate: The car ownership rate in America is higher now than it was before the Great Recession.
Beg buttons: An anonymous group has posted many stickers on beg buttons in Seattle pointing out that pedestrians have to beg lights to cross streets.
Large scale development: A massive $125 million development in Tacoma broke ground this week.
Rural mobility: Rural transit use could see a renaissance in America.
Tourism remorse: Amsterdam is taking back their city from tourists by putting new rules in place barring new touristy stores.
Sonoma devastation: Electrical poles falling during a massive wind storm this week could have been a key cause in Sonoma fires.
Cooperative development: Africatown is partnering with local affordable housing operator Capitol Hill Housing for redevelopment at MidTown Center.
A suburban challenge: A new study further affirms that suburban environments have much higher rates of obesity.
Artistic land banking: Newburgh, New York is trying out a new land bank arts program to help rejuvenate the struggling, deindustrialized city.
Shelter options: In Bellevue, there is an active effort to site a men’s homeless shelter. One option is to place it on Sound Transit-owned property, but the agency isn’t keen on the idea.
Munibroadband: Municipal broadband could be back on the table in Seattle if the issue gets funded this budget season.
Melrose Promenade: New vibrant, colorful community crosswalks are headed to Melrose Avenue in Capitol Hill.
Cannibalizing transit: Ride-hailing services like Lyft and Uber are cannibalizing transit use and increasing traffic.
Road rage: In a threatening maneauver, a motorist nearly mowed down David Seater, a local safe streets advocate in Capitol Hill, while he was riding his bike. Seater caught the attempt on video but Seattle Police appear unlikely to charge the motorist.
Not stopped yet: Opponents to a new youth jail in Squire Park may have been successful in court against the project, but King County is moving ahead with construction.
Collective disaster relief: Crowdsourcing maps are helping with disaster relief efforts.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.