Sky-high in 2017: 2017 set a new record for the most new skyscrapers in a single year.
Reducing violations: Seattle’s pilot private dockless rental bike program could lead to new regulations digitally restricting bike parking.
Retrofitting retail: With retail collapsing in much of the country, there may be new opportunities to retrofit dying malls.
Housing for in-need: Everett is seeing immense interest ($) in building low-barrier ($) and supportive housing ($).
Safety in numbers: Crime in New York City continues to plummet to new lows ($) since records have been kept in all the major categories.
Uber failure: Forbes explains why Uber can’t make money ($).
Unite for rights: New minimum wage and sick leave rights ($) will become effective in the new year for Washington workers.
Fifth Avenue incident: Six pedestrians were injured this week ($) as an airporter driver jumped the curb after suffering medical conditions behind the wheel.
Failure to govern: The New York Times laid out a blistering exposé on the absurd tunneling costs for transit in New York City, which is largely the fault of poor oversight and mismanagement by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Maps of 2017: In 13 maps, CityLab highlights the best of 2017.
Flagler’s line reborn: A new higher-speed rail line on the Florida East Coast will open for passenger service on the week of January 8th.
Crisis continues: Seattle is now in its third year of the homeless crisis, so what happens next?
2018 initiatives: An initiative called “De-Escalate Washington” turned in signatures hoping to qualify for the general election ballot next year. Meanwhile, Tim Eyman’s anti-Sound Transit 3 initiative failed to get enough signatures to even be considered for qualification.
Tall neighbor: A 28-story tower next to Trinity Parish on First Hill is headed to design review.
Recipe for success: In Whistler, parking costs were increased and bus fares were reduced leading to a huge jump in ridership.
Sums up 2017: The rich got massively richer in 2017.
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.