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Passage of Seattle's transportation levy was all but assured Tuesday night, after initial returns showed two-thirds of voters in support.
Recent Posts
Join The Urbanist for Our Monthly Meetup on November 19th
The Urbanist next monthly meetup is Tuesday, November 19th at TeKu Tavern + Cafe in Seattle from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
Early Washington State Election Results Are Favorable for Progressives
Progressives are off to a fast start in Washington state early returns. All four Republican-backed statewide initiative repealing progressive legislation are in trouble. Urbanist-endorsed Shaun Scott and Alexis Mercedes Rinck are up big, and urbanist Ryan Mello has a lead in the Pierce County Executive race.
What’s at Stake in Seattle and Washington State Elections
Election Day 2024 is upon us, and the outcome will have a huge impact on the lives of residents in Seattle and Washington state. Here's a quick rundown of what's on the ballot and what the outcome could mean.
Sleepy Bainbridge Island Decides How To Grow Up
Bainbridge Island and its picturesque downtown of Winslow is poised to see significant changes thanks to new state laws, as the Bainbridge council grapples with how to plan housing growth for the coming decades.
Sunday Video: Replacing I-5 Lanes with Cascadia High Speed Rail
Lucid Stew's "Taking Back The Streets Cascadia Edition" analyzes the idea of repurposing I-5 lanes to create a high speed rail line between Eugene and Vancouver, BC, connecting Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and a handful of other cities along the way. A two-hour trip from Seattle to Portland or Vancouver, BC would be possible.
Progressive PAC Helps Rinck Keep Fundraising Pace in Seattle Council Race
A pro-Woo PAC pumped $70,000 into the race Friday as a last ditch effort to swing the election. So far, Alexis Mercedes Rinck had been able to keep pace, with help from the Progressive People Power PAC.
Louisa Hotel Tenants Speak Out, Calling Councilmember Woo ‘Slumlord’
Tanya Woo has brandished her affordable housing credentials as owner of the Louisa Hotel in Chinatown. However, some of her tenants portray her as a 'slumlord' based on the practices of building management, including frequently pressuring eviction and letting issues like a broken elevator go long unresolved.
Join The Urbanist for Our Monthly Meetup on November 19th
The Urbanist next monthly meetup is Tuesday, November 19th at TeKu Tavern + Cafe in Seattle from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
Join Us December 5th for The Urbanist’s 10th Anniversary Celebration
Join The Urbanist on December 5 at the historic Stimson-Green Mansion for an evening of celebration, reflection, and community. Space is limited. Get your tickets now!
The Urbanist Teams Up with Eastside Urbanism for October Monthly Meetup...
We’re headed to Redmond for our October meetup while we hunt for a new Seattle venue for our monthly socials.
Please join The Urbanist and...
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Bellevue Reveals Initial Designs for Pedestrian Bridge over I-405
Plans for a new connection between Wilburton and Downtown Bellevue are coming into view, as the City starts to look at how it can keep the project moving forward.
Bellevue Greenlights Downtown Bike Detour Proposed by Kemper Development
The Bike Bellevue plan was set to repurpose a lane on a minor downtown street to create a safe space for people on bikes. Then Kemper Development got involved.
The Urbanist Teams Up with Eastside Urbanism for October Monthly Meetup...
We’re headed to Redmond for our October meetup while we hunt for a new Seattle venue for our monthly socials.
Please join The Urbanist and...
More Eastside Coverage posts »
Updated Seattle Growth Plan Adds Five Neighborhood Anchors, Bigger Fourplexes
An updated version of Seattle's 20-year growth plan includes additional opportunities for housing density, but mostly retains the city's longstanding pattern of walling off lower-density areas of the city.
Seattle’s Growth Plan Keeps Most of the City Unaffordable, County Committee...
Seattle's 20-year growth plan doesn't do enough to ensure that lower income residents will be able to access the vast majority of the city's residential neighborhoods, according to King County's Affordable Housing Committee.
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?
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Transportation
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Land Use/Housing
Commentary
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Ryan Packer Talks Vision Zero, Traffic Safety on Hacks and Wonks...
Ryan Packer broke down local "Vision Zero" traffic safety campaigns on a recent episode of the Hacks and Wonks podcast.
Rian Watt Talks Primary Results on Hack and Wonks Podcast
The Urbanist's Senior Advisor Rian Watt discussed primary election results and the latest happenings at Seattle City Hall on a August 9 episode of...
Urbanist Publisher Doug Trumm Discusses Transportation Levy on Hacks & Wonks...
The Urbanist’s Publisher Doug Trumm was recently on Crystal Fincher's Hacks and Wonks podcast to discuss the Seattle transportation levy proposal, which came in well short of where safe streets advocates were pushing the mayor to go. The episode is a good primer on the levy debate.
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