Features

The Urbanist Elections Committee is excited to announce our 2025 primary election endorsements, which span the region from Tacoma to Everett. Be sure to vote by August 5.

Light rail riders are poised to be able to take 1 Line trains all the way to Downtown Federal Way before the end of 2025, thanks to work accelerating the grand opening. That will pave the way for a full opening of the 2 Line across Lake Washington by spring of 2026.

Seattle has officially surpassed the 800,000 population mark, setting a record high of 816,600 residents in new state estimates released Friday. That marks the fifth year in a row that the Emerald City's growth rate has exceeded 2%, making Seattle one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.

All 1 Line stations in Downtown Seattle will be closed Saturday June 21 to Sunday June 22, after Sound Transit discovered a section of rail in need of replacement near Westlake. The agency plans to run shuttle buses to bridge the gap every 30-60 minutes. Alternate transit routes may best serve riders.

After navigating through a number of major issues that added years of delay, the Sound Transit board is poised to adopt a new preferred alternative for Tacoma Dome Link. The project isn't slated to reach full design until 2027 and to open until 2035.

Councilmember Maritza Rivera's last-minute proposal would require additional public outreach and documentation for light rail permit applications. The underlying bill had been intended to cut red rape. After pushback from Councilmembers Rinck and Strauss, the vote was delayed a week.

To meet a state deadline, the Seattle City Council legalized fourplexes or sixplexes across the entire city via the adoption of an interim code Tuesday. The move is just a prelude to a bigger fight over urban density, as Council advances Mayor Bruce Harrell's broader growth plan.

Cities in Washington will have the legal authority to create shared streets, which feature much lower speed limits and put pedestrians first, under Senate Bill 5595. Governor Bob Ferguson signed the bill into law Saturday. It will go into effect on July 27.