Hotel on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Cherry Street in Seattle.
Hotel on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Cherry Street in Seattle.

The Emergency: A national emergency has been declared over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and the Washington State Legislature has passed $200 million in emergency funding to deal with it.

Cancelled: With the novel coronavirus spreading, it is causing a wave of closures and cancellations, including elective surgery, the cruise season, large gatherings and schools, libraries, and other community programs.

Eviction moratorium: A moratorium on residential evictions will be imposed in Seattle.

Struggling: Many industries begin to feel the pain of closures due to the novel coronavirus with layoffs in the food industry and even The Stranger.

Slow-walking progress: The Washington State Legislature failed to adopt a clean fuel standard even though it is not controversial and has the backing of many local officials. But a common-sense bill requiring an increase the sale of electric vehicles as a share of car sales has been passed, though advocates want to go much further.

Bigger Charm City: How much bigger could Baltimore have been?

A new path: A new bike path under SR-520 in Montlake has now opened.

Don’t be Philly: Why are parades and pandemics a really bad mix?

Families first: A major bill to provide sick time, testing, unemployment benefits, and food has passed the nation’s House of Representatives to deal with the novel coronavirus.

Go by bike: Bike commuting is on the rise in New York City ($) as the novel coronavirus takes hold.

San Francisco: What happened to San Francisco’s Market Street after it went car free?

Mega-city: The creation of a very large city of urban unincorporated areas ($) of Pierce County will be studied.

Lucrative slots: In the midst of falling demand, why are airlines running empty or near empty “ghost planes”?

Upheld: Portland’s comprehensive plan through 2035 has made it through a big legal hurdle.

A new hope: Progressive Sherae Lascelles is taking on long-time Representative Frank Chopp (D-Seattle) for the 43rd Legislative District.

Trees are good: London’s trees are delivering immense economic, environmental, and social benefits.

Decline and impacts: Transit ridership is cratering across the globe and could have a lasting impact on funding due to the novel coronavirus.

The bike bridge: Construction of the world’s longest bike bridge has begun in The Netherlands.

Freeways are revolting: There could be a new age of freeway revolts in places like Texas and Portland.

Article Author

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.