Yearly Archives: 2025

Seattle's human population is growing fast, but its car population has stalled out. Between 2017 and 2023, Seattle added 35,000 households and about 80,000 residents, but just 3,300 cars, new Census data has revealed -- in news that is music to urbanist ears.

Take the 11th installment of The Urbanist's crossword series, which runs every two weeks. If you love to take a contemplative moment with a brain-teasing puzzle, but you’re tired of nationally syndicated crosswords with no local flair or stance on high-capacity transit, you’re right where you need to be.

While the primary debate over the remade Seattle waterfront has focused on the size of Alaskan Way, a whole slate of potential public space improvements also ended up on the cutting room floor. Those include a festival pier, a pool barge, and a pedestrian street.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge James Robart granted the motion to terminate Seattle’s consent decree, ending a saga of federal police oversight that began 15 years ago. Community safety advocates say issues remain at the Seattle Police Department and more reforms are needed.

The Series 3 cars, set to go into service starting in 2033, would boost passenger capacity by between 5% and 13% while being 10% cheaper. Other details, including passenger layout and amenities, remain to be determined as Sound Transit continues planning.

Faced with an agency-wide budget gap approaching $30 billion for the next wave of expansion plans, Sound Transit boardmembers are retreating to their corners and doubling down on parochialism. Clearly, a more holistic approach is needed, driven by outcomes and regional cooperation.

A press event in Ballard Tuesday was intended to bolster support for getting Seattle's next two light rail lines across the finish line. But rhetoric won't change the dynamics on the Sound Transit board, which feature suburban leaders just as dug in to prioritize the spine from Tacoma to Everett.

This September, The Urbanist is blending community-building with political advocacy as we head into the thick of Seattle Comprehensive Plan and election season. Beyond our social meetups, join us at a Comp Plan-themed Madison Valley walking tour September 10 or a bike scavenger hunt on September 28.