King County's medical center campus expansion plan approved by voters in 2020 has ballooned from $1.74 billion to at least $2.25 billion, with the new tower at the heart of the plan pushed from 2028 to at least 2031. Numerous county councilmembers are voicing frustration and alarm.
Sound Transit's lofty Enterprise Initiative was aimed at getting ballooning budgets under control without cutting or delaying planned light rail projects. However, that may have been an overly ambitious goal, since the agency did have to resort to pulling those levers last month.
Last week, Community Transit operated its last bus to Seattle, with the retirement of Snohomish express commuter Route 424. The agency added the Bellevue-bound Route 908 to replace it, with six other routes seeing tweaks.
The Metro's Next Stop plan rolled out last week by King County Executive Girmay Zahilay eyes a 12% increase in bus service by 2038. But a presentation this week at the county council paints a more dire picture of Metro's financial outlook over the near term.
Support The Urbanist, connect with endorsed candidates, and celebrate the hard work of the Endorsements Committee as we approach the primary.
Lime is expecting a ridership surge on its e-bikes and scooters on par with the Super Bowl victory parade during Seattle's FIFA World Cup matches. Staff are gearing up to handle the demand.
Support The Urbanist, connect with endorsed candidates, and celebrate the hard work of the Endorsements Committee as we approach the primary.
Join The Urbanist for our June 10 housing forum and get your ticket for our Summer Endorsed Candidate Party on July 19. We're also hosting two social hours in June.
Join The Urbanist and other partners for a King County Candidate Forum on June 10th. The Assessor and District 2 races are both hotly contested.
Join The Urbanist for our Cross Kirkland biking tour on Sunday, May 17, and check out other events we have in the month ahead, including a King County housing forum on June 10.
One year in, the Wilburton rezone is becoming a regional model. Thanks to a funded inclusionary zoning program, Wilburton attracted applications for more than 2,300 apartments, more than Seattle logged citywide in 2025.
With the boost from the expanded 2 Line, Seattle's Link rail system is humming along at 160,000 daily riders, according to new April data. That makes it the busiest light rail system in the U.S.
Even though the 4 Line was delayed from 2044 to 2050, Issaquah leaders including Mayor Mark Mullet hosted a community celebration Monday night. Mullet sees staying on the calendar as the first step in getting the timeline for the Eastside's next light rail line moved up.
Last week, Community Transit operated its last bus to Seattle, with the retirement of Snohomish express commuter Route 424. The agency added the Bellevue-bound Route 908 to replace it, with six other routes seeing tweaks.
A proposal to close a $34.5 billion gap in the voter-approved ST3 plan is on a fast track to a Sound Transit board vote on May 28. Developed by Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, it would prioritize completing the regional rail "spine" while deferring and delaying multiple other major projects.
The City of Everett has maintained its own independent transit agency since 1969, but merging with Community Transit is likely to bring major benefits for the city's transit riders. Thanks to a 2025 change in state law, the move won't require a public vote.
Thanks to a 0.3% sales tax increase that voters could consider as soon as November, Pierce Transit is touting a plan that would result in 40% more transit service across South Sound. That increase would be a game-changer for a part of the region that has long lagged behind in transit service.
A proposal to close a $34.5 billion gap in the voter-approved ST3 plan is on a fast track to a Sound Transit board vote on May 28. Developed by Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, it would prioritize completing the regional rail "spine" while deferring and delaying multiple other major projects.
Pierce County is set to consider an ordinance on March 24 that would prohibit a new ICE detention facility within its unincorporated areas. On March 3, King County passed just such an emergency ordinance. Advocates hope officials can do more to block illegal detentions.
KUOW's Soundside recently did a special on Sound Transit system expansion deliberations that heavily featured Urbanist contributing editor Ryan Packer. It's a great primer on the debate about how to best close the agency's $34.5 billion budget gap. Give it a listen!
The Urbanist newsroom discusses April headlines, like Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson expanding Bicycle Weekends, 300 transit advocates marching to save Ballard light rail from the chopping block, and pushback against a Capitol Hill crisis case center.
The Urbanist newsroom discusses the big opening day for Sound Transit's crosslake 2 Line, how we got here, and what it means for the future of light rail expansion in the Seattle region.
