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.
More than one-third of WSDOT's two-year budget is set to go toward highway widenings and extensions, in the face of a significant maintenance backlog impacting Washington's state and local roads.
The final recommendation from the commission took sixplexes off the table near neighborhood commercial centers and near frequent bus lines. The final decision rests with the Bellevue City Council.
The Washington State Legislature approved a 7% to 10% cap on rent hikes Sunday, after the proposal faced a rollercoaster of obstacles over the course of the 105-day session.
Rent increases would be capped between 7% and 10% under the compromise measure approved by a conference committee Thursday night. It still needs to advance back through both chambers by Sunday night to reach the Governor's desk.
The new housing growth framework in Edmonds allows some additional density around existing commercial hubs and centers. But with one neighborhood already getting a second look, the entire plan could unravel in the face of opposition.
Car access to Pike Place's main corridor will be restricted to loading vehicles, emergency access, and people accessing ADA parking. The Market is calling the move a "test and learn" opportunity that could open the door to long-term pedestrianization.
New types of traffic cameras allowed by the state legislature have the potential to lead to big safety gains in Seattle -- but a potential clash over how those cameras are deployed could be on the horizon. SDOT and transportation chair Rob Saka are not seeing eye to eye.
The Washington House and Senate aren't in alignment on whether funding for extra passenger ferry trips should continue. Dozens of weekly trips across the King County Water Taxi and Kitsap Fast Ferry would be slashed if the state Senate's version of the transportation budget prevails.