Transit operator wellbeing: The first King County Metro bus operator has died of COVID-19 ($). Transit operators across the country are demanding safer working conditions.
Protecting Washington Renters: Washington Governor Jay Inslee has imposed additional eviction and rental increase freezes ($). But landlords continue to try and break moratorium restrictions.
Supporting business: The Seattle City Council has taken additional actions to support local businesses.
Sued for violations: Washington is suing Facebook for routinely violating the state’s campaign finance laws.
Closed: The West Seattle Bridge could wind up closed for a very long time ($).
Keep traffic down: Streetsblog says that Americans shouldn’t let driving levels rebound after COVID-19 is defeated.
X marks a monument: A big X monument will appear in the Capitol Hill Station plaza, but what is the story behind it?
Legislative vacancies: A long time Democratic state senator from Snohomish County, John McCoy, is stepping down from office ($). Meanwhile, Democrat Jared Mead is leaving the state legislature for a vacant seat on the Snohomish County Council ($).
Office conversions: Could working from home lead to office-to-residential conversions?
Shrinking construction industry: Layoffs are expanding across the construction industry like wildfire.
Death cult: Far right car activists are now using their vehicles to fight for killing Americans with COVID-19.
2020 Green stimulus: In 2009, America passed a clean energy stimulus. Could that happen this year?
Farmers markets return: Some farmers markets are returning to Seattle albeit with changes. Other farmers markets in Washington are reopening, too.
Enhanced benefits: Expanded unemployment benefits are coming to Washington this weekend, but the filing website will temporarily be down on Saturday.
Mail voting works: Washington’s successful vote-by-mail system wasn’t built overnight, but it is working well and is a model for other states.
Expand rental assistance: Expanding Housing Choice Vouchers could improve the social safety net during the coronavirus epidemic.
Superstars will return: Superstar cities may be struggling now with the coronavirus epidemic, but they probably will rebound better economically than other places.
Protect the USPS: Instead of privatizing the United States Postal Service, what other ideas are out there to actually improve it?
Census delayed: The United States 2020 Census is due for an in-person counting delay to ensure public safety ($) during the coronavirus epidemic.
Youth need relief: Young adults are disproportionately getting very hard hit financially by the coronavirus epidemic economic fallout ($) in Washington.
People streets: Residents in Washington, D.C. are taking matters into their own hands to open streets for people to safely walk and bike.
Reopening WA: When can Washington reopen, sorta? The University of Washington has modeled that ($).
Maps of the Week: Take a gander at a 1942 map of Washington, D.C.’s bus and streetcar network as well as lockdown life maps.
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.