Eastside

Kirkland, Bellevue Sign Off on Proposed RapidRide K Bus Improvements

The local endorsement of a preferred alternative means King County Metro can work toward full design. The agency hopes to secure federal funding at a time of great uncertainty around federal support for public transit projects.

Bellevue Primes Wilburton for a Potential Urban Transformation

The vision that Bellevue has for parking-dominated Wilburton is thousands of new homes close to transit and trail connections. The question now is getting the details right so that development can be fostered, rather than stifled.
A woman leads a lass which is sitting around folding tables in the parking lot of the tool library building, and its rows of garage doors.

Op-Ed: Why Your City Needs a Tool Library

Nearly a dozen tool libraries are operating in the Puget Sound region and Kirkland is aiming to join the club. Here's what tool libraries add to communities.

Newcastle Mayor Pushed to Scrub Climate Change, Equity from City’s Growth Plan

Newcastle Mayor Robert Clark pushed to remove references to promoting racial and social equity as "vague," "subjective," and "irrelevant," and called climate change "subjective." Many of his recommendations were adopted by the Newcastle Planning Commission.
A red bus lane in the Rainier Valley with a sign reading "buses only, right turns permitted"

Bellevue Pushes to Open Up Bus-Only Lanes to Private Shuttles

Framed as a way to increase the efficiency of new transit lanes being eyed for the RapidRide K Line, the move could give transit agencies across the state less control over one of the biggest tools they have to increase speed and reliability.
A line of eight officials stand in front of banners that say Maintain, Enhance, and Expand.

Constantine’s King County Parks Levy Proposal Would Expand Trails, Programming

On Tuesday, King County Executive Dow Constantine unveiled his $1.5 billion proposal to renew the King County Parks Levy, which expires at year's end. The levy funds parks and regional trail expansions, educational programming at partner organizations, and operations and maintenance.
Big Time is an orange building and a turquoise door.

Join The Urbanist for Our February Social Events

Join The Urbanist for our February social events in Seattle, Redmond, and Shoreline. Next up is our Big Time Brewery meetup on February 20.
Mercer Island's light rail station, in the median of I-90, being constructed. Parking lots and low density development is visible on the periphery

Mercer Island’s Growth Plan Doesn’t Meet State Standards, Appeal Alleges

Futurewise is challenging the validity of Mercer Island's Comprehensive Plan, alleging it's out of alignment with a number of state housing policies, including a requirement to maximize the area around its forthcoming light rail station.