Parochial ax-grinding: Mercer Island is fighting over planned facilities supporting light rail again.
Gentle density: A bill in California would allow duplexes on most urban single-family lots ($).
CLT in Spokane: Spokane is getting a new cross-laminated timber office building.
Trump’s elections tampering: A federal judge has ordered that the Postal Service provide details on changes in mail delivery ahead of election ($).
PAE’s back: Paine Field is back in business with passenger flights and Alaska Airlines has signaled more flights on the horizon ($).
Asphalt city: How did parking wind up eating the economic success of Kansas City?
Upgrades: A project in Portland will remake a transit center and bikeway.
Placemaking: How has Richmond, Virginia transformed Monument Avenue?
No special session: Washington has a big deficit but state legislators have good reasons for not rushing to deal with it.
We will ride: Can King County Metro survive the pandemic?
Bridging communities: A temporary passenger ferry service has been launched between Bellingham and Point Roberts, an enclave bordered directly by Canada.
Infill: Kent is getting a seven-story apartment building in downtown bringing 165 units.
Equity: How can cities create equitable pedestrian plans?
Death cult: Donald Trump is directly trying to sabotage coronavirus testing efforts.
Urban canopy: Chicago has not been good about replacing trees and then the derecho hit.
Postponed: Uber and Lyft are not yet shutting down in California ($).
Heat island: A new study reveals that Hong Kong needs better planning to deal with growing heat island effects.
Connecting service: Los Angeles is studying a high desert high-capacity rail connection to the future Xpresswest high-speed rail line from Victorville.
Shuttering: Seattle’s downtown IGA grocer is headed for closure.
Plane-train: An airline in China becomes the nation’s first to offer plane-train trips.
Heating up: The New York Times highlights the link to American redlining and disproportionate extreme heat in low-income communities and communities of color.
Affordable highrise: Seattle’s first affordable housing highrise building in 50 years is set to break ground.
Bleak: Losing production of the 787 could be a big deal for the Puget Sound region ($), Talton says.
Lacking affordable access: Over 500,000 children in Washington lack access to affordable childcare.
Market expands outside: Pike Place Market is now featuring outdoor dining options in street ($).
Subway crisis: Subway service may be cut to the bone in New York City if federal assistance doesn’t come through.
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.