Staff Biography
Ryan Packer
Senior EditorRyan Packer lives in the Summit Slope neighborhood of Capitol Hill. They are on the board of the Friends of Pike Place Market and write about transportation issues at Capitol Hill Seattle. They believe in using Seattle’s history to attain the vibrant, diverse city that we wish to inhabit. Follow them on Twitter @typewriteralley or email at ryan [at] theurbanist [dot] org.
var block_tdi_615 = new tdBlock(); block_tdi_615.id = "tdi_615"; block_tdi_615.atts = '{"custom_title":"Recent Articles","block_template_id":"td_block_template_8","border_color":"#000000","f_header_font_family":"471","f_header_font_weight":"400","f_header_font_style":"oblique","f_header_font_size":"32","ajax_pagination":"load_more","autors_id":"64","block_type":"td_block_12","separator":"","custom_url":"","m11_tl":"","m11_el":"","post_ids":"","category_id":"","taxonomies":"","category_ids":"","in_all_terms":"","tag_slug":"","installed_post_types":"","include_cf_posts":"","exclude_cf_posts":"","sort":"","popular_by_date":"","linked_posts":"","favourite_only":"","limit":"5","offset":"","open_in_new_window":"","show_modified_date":"","time_ago":"","time_ago_add_txt":"ago","time_ago_txt_pos":"","review_source":"","el_class":"","td_ajax_filter_type":"","td_ajax_filter_ids":"","td_filter_default_txt":"All","td_ajax_preloading":"","f_header_font_header":"","f_header_font_title":"Block header","f_header_font_settings":"","f_header_font_line_height":"","f_header_font_transform":"","f_header_font_spacing":"","f_header_":"","f_ajax_font_title":"Ajax categories","f_ajax_font_settings":"","f_ajax_font_family":"","f_ajax_font_size":"","f_ajax_font_line_height":"","f_ajax_font_style":"","f_ajax_font_weight":"","f_ajax_font_transform":"","f_ajax_font_spacing":"","f_ajax_":"","f_more_font_title":"Load more button","f_more_font_settings":"","f_more_font_family":"","f_more_font_size":"","f_more_font_line_height":"","f_more_font_style":"","f_more_font_weight":"","f_more_font_transform":"","f_more_font_spacing":"","f_more_":"","m11f_title_font_header":"","m11f_title_font_title":"Article title","m11f_title_font_settings":"","m11f_title_font_family":"","m11f_title_font_size":"","m11f_title_font_line_height":"","m11f_title_font_style":"","m11f_title_font_weight":"","m11f_title_font_transform":"","m11f_title_font_spacing":"","m11f_title_":"","m11f_cat_font_title":"Article category tag","m11f_cat_font_settings":"","m11f_cat_font_family":"","m11f_cat_font_size":"","m11f_cat_font_line_height":"","m11f_cat_font_style":"","m11f_cat_font_weight":"","m11f_cat_font_transform":"","m11f_cat_font_spacing":"","m11f_cat_":"","m11f_meta_font_title":"Article meta info","m11f_meta_font_settings":"","m11f_meta_font_family":"","m11f_meta_font_size":"","m11f_meta_font_line_height":"","m11f_meta_font_style":"","m11f_meta_font_weight":"","m11f_meta_font_transform":"","m11f_meta_font_spacing":"","m11f_meta_":"","m11f_ex_font_title":"Article excerpt","m11f_ex_font_settings":"","m11f_ex_font_family":"","m11f_ex_font_size":"","m11f_ex_font_line_height":"","m11f_ex_font_style":"","m11f_ex_font_weight":"","m11f_ex_font_transform":"","m11f_ex_font_spacing":"","m11f_ex_":"","m11f_btn_font_title":"Article read more button","m11f_btn_font_settings":"","m11f_btn_font_family":"","m11f_btn_font_size":"","m11f_btn_font_line_height":"","m11f_btn_font_style":"","m11f_btn_font_weight":"","m11f_btn_font_transform":"","m11f_btn_font_spacing":"","m11f_btn_":"","ajax_pagination_next_prev_swipe":"","ajax_pagination_infinite_stop":"","css":"","tdc_css":"","td_column_number":3,"header_color":"","color_preset":"","border_top":"","class":"tdi_615","tdc_css_class":"tdi_615","tdc_css_class_style":"tdi_615_rand_style"}'; block_tdi_615.td_column_number = "3"; block_tdi_615.block_type = "td_block_12"; block_tdi_615.post_count = "5"; block_tdi_615.found_posts = "978"; block_tdi_615.header_color = ""; block_tdi_615.ajax_pagination_infinite_stop = ""; block_tdi_615.max_num_pages = "196"; tdBlocksArray.push(block_tdi_615);
Recent Articles
Mosquito Fleet Act Runs Into Choppy Seas in the State Senate Ryan Packer - March 8, 2026 Ferry advocates had been hoping that expanded authority to create passenger ferry districts could allow them to supplement state ferry service in more areas. But changes to the bill in the state Senate could significantly undermine that goal. Read more
Sound Transit’s Bid to Unlock 75-Year Bonds Finds Second Wind Ryan Packer - March 6, 2026 After House transportation chair Jake Fey blocked a bill giving Sound Transit's authority to issue longer-term bonds up to 75 years in length, the sponsor in the state Senate amended the provision into a different bill that remains alive, giving the effort a new lease on life. Read more
Former Seattle Council Candidate Ron Davis Challenges Longtime Legislator Gerry Pollet Ryan Packer - March 5, 2026 Taking on an incumbent who has been in office since 2011, Ron Davis is eyeing tax changes, housing reforms, and a more robust state response to federal overreach as major planks of his platform. Read more
WSDOT Advances Plan to Tame I-90 Ramps at Judkins Park Station Ryan Packer - March 4, 2026 WSDOT's concept would remove the northbound ramp from I-90 onto Rainier Avenue and improve safety at the other freeway ramps. A clear step in the right direction, the unfunded plan is not as bold as some transportation advocates would like to see near such an important light rail station. Read more