Transit

Constantine Steps Aside, Balducci Launches Run for County Executive

King County Executive Dow Constantine is not seeking a fifth term, but County Councilmember Claudia Balducci is seeking to grab the baton and carry the initiatives he leaves behind over the finish line. She will face numerous challengers in what is sure to be a crowded primary.
A Route 7 bus comes down Rainier Avenue on a sunny day in a red bus lane

King County Metro Testing Onboard Cameras to Cite Bus-Lane Violators

King County Metro is testing out on-board cameras that capture license plates in order to issue citations for violations of bus only lanes. It's the first transit agency in Washington to try out this technology.
A photo of a RapidRide H bus at Burien Transit Center

King County Extends Metro Public Restroom Pilot, Considers Longer-Term Plan

Two bathrooms at King County Metro transit centers will keep operating into 2025 thanks to a new budget allocation. But whether the County can sustain and grow its public restroom program in the long-term is another question.

Sara Nelson Warns She Can Kill Any Transit Project She Wants

A budget amendment put forward by Council President Nelson asks for information on how and when the city creates priority space for buses, citing opposition to Route 40. At a meeting last week, Nelson suggested that if she had wanted to kill a controversial project she already could have done it.

Op-Ed: Abandoning Seattle’s First Avenue Streetcar Is Still Foolish

The Seattle City Council again voted against completing the Center City Streetcar. But it remains a prudent investment, vastly improving the Seattle Streetcar network and First Avenue walkability.

Council Affirms Support for SLU Streetcar, but Opposes Center City Extension

By a 5-3 vote last week, the Seattle City Council said it wasn't ready to plan for the decommissioning of the South Lake Union Streetcar. But unifying the city's two streetcar lines into one system seems less likely than ever before.

Sunday Video: How Elevated Rail Makes Cities Better

In North America, modern rail transit usually avoids conventional elevated lines in dense cities and even suburbs. Reece Martin of RMTransit discusses what makes elevated rail so good.

Sound Transit Study Bolsters Case Against CID Station at Fourth Avenue

A third-party consultant told the Sound Transit board this week that the Fourth Avenue station option in Chinatown is "not reasonably constructible," due to lengthy construction timelines and a laundry list of risks that come with construction next to a BNSF rail line.