Staff Biography
Ryan Packer
Senior EditorRyan Packer lives in the Summit Slope neighborhood of Capitol Hill. They are on the board of the Friends of Pike Place Market and write about transportation issues at Capitol Hill Seattle. They believe in using Seattle’s history to attain the vibrant, diverse city that we wish to inhabit. Follow them on Twitter @typewriteralley or email at ryan [at] theurbanist [dot] org.
Recent Articles
Kirkland to Study the Future of Pedestrianized Park Lane
In June of 2020, the Kirkland City Council voted to create more space for restaurants and other businesses by closing one block of business-lined Park Lane in Downtown to vehicle traffic every night starting...
Seattle Seeks $5 Million Upgrade for Greenwood Signals to Save 1 Minute in Travel...
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) spends millions of dollars per year maintaining and replacing equipment on its traffic signal system, which consists of signals at over 1,100 intersections. Frequently, the department embarks on...
Lynnwood Considers Toothless Complete Streets Ordinance
A relative flood of new grant opportunities for tribes, cities, towns and counties is on its way as a result of the passage of the Move Ahead Washington state transportation package this spring. One...
Harrell Picks LA’s Gregory Spotts To Be Next SDOT Director
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced Wednesday that he has selected Gregory Spotts to be the next director of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) following a national candidate search.
Spotts leaves his previous job...
SR 99 Tunnel is Bleeding Money as Toll Revenue Forecasts Plunge
The state treasurer's office brought some bad news to the Washington Transportation Commission this week regarding the revenue forecast for the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) SR 99 tunnel underneath downtown Seattle. Given...