Ryan Packer
Ryan Packer has been writing for The Urbanist since 2015, and currently reports full-time as Contributing Editor. Their beats are transportation, land use, public space, traffic safety, and obscure community meetings. Packer has also reported for other regional outlets including BikePortland, Seattle Met, and PubliCola. They live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.
In announcing his 100-person transition team, King County Executive-elect Girmay Zahilay put housing issues front-and-center. He faces a short runway as the first new leader elected at the county level since 2009, and will take office on November 25.
The contentious proposal, approved by a 6-3 vote in March, legalized residential uses in a small slice of SoDo. But a state board pointed out several areas where the City cut corners ahead of that vote, nullifying the change.
Lowering speed limits on residential streets to 20 mph has already been implemented in cities like Seattle, Portland, and Tacoma, and has been associated with a significant drop in high-end speeding. The Bothell City Council endorsed making the change citywide, pushing back on the idea of implementing a limited pilot program first.
The $433 million contract with MV Transportation extends through 2032, and includes full start-up costs for the three Stride lines. It's the first time that Sound Transit has contracted with a private operator for core transit services.
On the whole, there were bright spots for urbanist candidates all around the region, with major gains seen in Burien, Redmond, and Tacoma. There was also some backsliding in places like Sammamish and Bainbridge Island.
From Bremerton to Issaquah and Tacoma, key races are on the ballot around the region that loom large for urbanist priorities. The outcome could determine where things are headed.
Focused on transit and street upgrades, budget amendments this week will be the subject of behind-the-scenes wrangling as Budget Committee Chair Dan Strauss assembles an initial balancing package for the council to debate next week.
In four different races, Kirkland voters face a choice between pro-growth candidates interested in fostering additional types of housing throughout the city, and candidates looking for the city to be way less aggressive in fighting the region's affordable housing crisis.