University of Washington: A Resilient Future Starts Here. Online Master of Infrastructure Management and Planning. Apply Now.

Author: Ryan Packer

Pacific Northwest’s Largest Highway Project Ever Is in Deep Denial

Proponents of a $7.5 billion project to widen I-5 and replace the Columbia River bridge are ignoring induced demand, creating faulty traffic models that obscure its real environmental impact.

Why Ballard Link Is Still Trapped in Planning Limbo

Ballard Link is still in planning, eight years after the passage of Sound Transit 3. With the environmental review process essentially starting over, major action on the project isn't expected until 2025.

Tacoma Set to Slash ‘Vision Zero’ Road Safety Budget by 90%

Tacoma's $900,000 budget for Vision Zero is set to be slashed to $90,000 as the City prioritizes other areas for funding, leaving the Grit City without a dedicated revenue source for safety upgrades.

Updated Seattle Growth Plan Adds Five Neighborhood Anchors, Bigger Fourplexes

An updated version of Seattle's 20-year growth plan includes additional opportunities for housing density, but mostly retains the city's longstanding pattern of walling off lower-density areas of the city.

Seattle Finalizes Design for Expanded Elliott Bay Trail in Belltown

The privately funded project to upgrade pedestrian and bike facilities in Seattle's north downtown waterfront has reached final design. Here's what's planned.

Will Puget Sound’s Official Transportation Plan Get a Badly Needed Refresh?

Several high profile officials are pushing for the next update to the central Puget Sound's Regional Transportation Plan to be more transformative than it might otherwise have been. The plan sways which projects get grants.

The Urbanist Breaks the Stories You Care About Around The Region

The Urbanist is in the midst of our fall membership drive. The coming months are some of the most pivotal the region has seen in recent memory.

King County Metro Faces Looming Fiscal Cliff

King County Metro is projecting a significant budget shortfall by 2028 if its current spending plan is maintained, thanks to lagging sales tax revenue, increased costs, and ambitious fleet electrification plans.