Go vote: Go vote in the King County Conservation District election.
Cameras save: New data from Chicago shows that red light cameras can save lives.
MD monorail?: A monorail could be feasible on the I-270 corridor in Maryland ($).
Less asphalt: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says that city transportation should “right-size” asphalt use.
Debating Safe Routes: Oregon lawmakers hear strong opposition to a Safe Routes to School bill despite support.
Bozeman at crossroads: Bozeman’s only racially diverse neighborhood could soon fall away if trends continue.
Concerning trend: Like Seattle, Portland experienced an usually high number of traffic-related fatalities in 2020.
Green banks: What are green banks?
Gulf Stream tells: In the Atlantic Ocean, small changes in the Gulf Stream hint at monumental climate change problems ($).
Downtown’s future?: Jon Talton opines on how Downtown Seattle will come back ($).
Free transit: Los Angeles’ Metro will allow low-income and school-aged riders take transit for free next year.
Stalled out: Crosscut reports that the “poverty defense” legislation for Seattle has stalled out.
Dump the ICC: The International Code Council won’t let local governments vote on engergy code amendments because developer interests kicked them out.
Ventilating schools: The New York Times explains why ventilation is important to reopening schools ($).
The Bogue Plan: What was the 1912 Bogue Plan that Seattle voters shot down?
Better policy: The United States Department of Transportation is changing a grant program by prioritizing projects that address climate change and environmental justice.
Conserving water: Arizona water rights have been amended and could lead to better conservation.
Vaccinating Seattle: Seattle is opening a mass vaccination site and well on its way to meeting vaccination goals.
Privatize the NEC?: A private consortium wants to operate new passenger rail service on Amtrak’s profitable and well-traveled Northeast Corridor.
Natural gas wars: What’s happening in the battle to ban natural gas ($)?
Unequal impacts: Mapping the impact of climate change shows how unequal it is to communities in Washington.
Cars not welcome: The New York Times looks at Bahnstadt, a new district of Heidelberg, Germany, that is a walking, biking, and transit paradise ($).
Safer vehicles: Why are the new Postal Service vehicles so good?
Clamping down: San Diego could adopt tighter regulations for short term vacation rentals.
Mount Baker’s next play: Changes are coming to MLK Way and Rainier Avenue as soon as 2022, but what comes next for the Mount Baker neighborhood?
Post-pandemic hospitals: In the post-pandemic era, what could the modern hospital look like?
Motorcoach biz woes: While public transit is getting another round of financial assistance from the government, the private motorcoach industry may get left out in the rain.
Seniors left out: How is the “new mobility” revolution leaving seniors out?
100% affordable zoning: Berkeley looks toward a 100% affordable housing zoning overlay.
Ugly buildings: Charles Mudede opines Seattle’s history of ugly buildings.
Banning gas stations: Petaluma is California’s first city to ban the gas station.
PBLs: In Capitol Hill, E Union St should get new protected bike lanes by summer.
Ending affirmative action?: Vox explains the case that could end affirmative action in America.
Bargain hunters: With rents plunging, many people are seeking out digs in their dream cities.
Saved: Dallas almost killed off a streetcar, but it’s been saved for now.
Taking down walls: Barricades at Seattle’s West Precinct police station have been taken down, is the East Precinct next?
Parks in crisis: Rubén Casas talks about how parks can better serve the Puget Sound region during times of crisis.
Latino cultural district: Long Beach, California is considering creation of a Latino cultural district.
Shrinking inventory: America’s housing inventory has shrunk precipitously ($).
City bills: Streetsblog covers four bills that could loosen the grip of cars in American cities.
Suing the island: Sound Transit is appealing permit conditions that Mercer Island, a city that has long been transit-combative, is imposing.
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.