Yearly Archives: 2024
Why Climate Advocates Should Be Urbanists, Part 2
Part 2 of this four-part series examines arguments against focusing on land use in climate policy and provides counter arguments. Ignoring land use changes and relying on electrification alone is a slower and riskier path to decarbonization.
Op-Ed: Ban Bus Wraps and Spare Riders the Barrage of Advertisements
You don’t have to detest all advertising or be a wild-eyed radical to agree that windows are for seeing through. Metro should discontinue bus wraps that obscure windows.
Shoreline Touts Infrastructure Investments Under Construction Near 148th Street Station
When Shoreline's south light rail station opens on August 30, two major projects intended to connect riders to the station will still be under construction. They will boost station connectivity once open.
Single Family Zones Are Biggest Culprits in Displacement of Black Seattleites
Seattle's single family areas have seen their Black population plummet by 9,126 since 1990. Meanwhile, "urban village" neighborhood have added more than 8,000 Black residents in that span. Why then is low-density zoning expected to blunt displacement?
Op-Ed: Cross-Lake Service Needs More Emphasis in East Link Bus Restructure
Ahead of the full opening of East Link light rail, King County Metro and Sound Transit have queued up a bus restructure for the Eastside, but they have planned insufficient cross-lake service to replace the deleted Route 271. Frequencies crater in the evening, which will leave riders in the lurch.
Affordable U District Tower Will Be Seattle’s Tallest Mass Timber Building
The Low Income Housing Institute won the bid to develop Sound Transit's surplus site near U District Station. The project will bring 160 affordable homes in a 12-story tower that is slated to be the state's tallest mass timber building.
Metro Adding Hydrogen Buses, Auditor Casts Doubt on Fleet Electrification Strategy
King County Metro unveiled plans to test out hydrogen-powered buses by 2026. The news comes on the heels of a King County Auditor report casting doubt on Metro's plans to rely heavily on battery buses to meets its goal of a fully electric fleet by 2035.
Transportation Levy Amendments Would Fund Missing Link, Ballard Avenue, and More
Seattle councilmembers are seeking to amend the $1.55 billion transportation levy proposal in a number of ways, including boosting sidewalk repair funds, closing a few gaps in protected bike routes, and further revamping the Ballard Avenue cafe street. Council will discuss amendments Tuesday in committee.