In this podcast, The Urbanist newsroom previews Washington's state legislative session and breaks down the huge setback dealt to the I-5 Interstate Bridge Replacement project, a highway boondoggle with a ballooning budget. Plus, Amy and Doug recounted their first interview with Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson since she's been installed in office.

The reviews are the first to take place under the 2025 Housing Accountability Act, intended to spur housing construction by reducing barriers added at the local level. Growth plan reviews are one step in a process that could lead to ramifications for governments that don't make changes, including the much-discussed "builder's remedy."

With creative tools needed to get the entire Sound Transit 3 network across the finish line as planned, Sound Transit is turning to the idea of 75-year bonds. If the Washington State Legislature OKs the concept, the move would mean extending debt to finance light rail projects into the next century.

The Eastside's largest city could ultimately go much further than the new statewide baseline in providing flexibility for builders when it comes to costly off-street parking stalls. Recent elections in Bellevue have likely changed the conversation that's ahead.

The Washington State Legislature is considering a bill regulating the use of automatic license plate readers, responding to the revelation that ICE and other federal agents have accessed data for mass deportation purposes. Out-of-state law enforcement have also accessed data to hunt women pursuing abortion care in Washington.

Adding a light rail stop next to Bellevue's decommissioned airport could unlock more than 100 acres for dense urban development, boosting the potential of the planned line to Issaquah. Like Bel-Red or the Spring District, Eastgate could be the next Bellevue neighborhood to transform with transit-oriented development.

In this video, Uytae Lee of About Here teamed up with Seattle-based environmental thinktank Sightline Institute to talk about North America's elevator problem. Elevators have been made rare and costly by clunky regulations, which may be ripe for serious reform to make elevators affordable and desirable to install in smaller residential buildings.

Pierce County is facing financial challenges that are straining budgets, leading to health department layoffs and lagging transit service levels. Federal chaos could make the problem worse in years ahead.