Following the death of cyclist James Phillips along Bellevue Way SE on October 15, the issue of safety on Bellevue streets is now top of mind. Over the coming weeks, city leaders will be deciding how much new funding to put to traffic safety over the coming decade.
A bill amended to give SDOT more authority to implement changes relating to traffic safety within Seattle's eight historic districts currently sits in limbo. Without a final vote scheduled, preservation advocates have continued to push against the change.
More than four years after receiving a state commitment for $50 million to upgrade Seattle's deadliest road, planning remains underway on any potential overhaul. A recent email exchange involving Rep. Julia Reed brings frustrations around the city's approach to the project fully into the open.
Compared to plans presented earlier this year laying out how the existing Route 7 would be converted into a RapidRide line, designs released this week only include two new bus stop pairs. That adjustment is unlikely to assuage concerns around decreasing access to transit in the Rainier Valley.
Between safety upgrades and proposed new bus route, one of Tacoma’s most dangerous roads may see a safer future. The changes are a long time in the making.
Spending scenarios this week presented to the Bellevue City Council would put a potential 0.1% sales tax and new $20 car tab to use funding transportation investments. While the approach is framed as "balanced", business groups are pushing to maintain a focus on cars.
With data showing high demand for curb space in both Alaska Junction and Upper Queen Anne, a curbside pricing program is intended to help businesses by increasing parking turnover. That message isn't necessarily going over well in either neighborhood.
Bellevue should reconsider plans to extend NE Spring Boulevard. An alternative bike and pedestrian trail would be much cheaper and complementary to the future BelRed park the boulevard would cut through.
Pinehurst Station opened today as a new light rail stop between Northgate and South Shoreline. While a new crosstown bus and street upgrades preceded the station, neighborhood upzones are tied up in legal appeals, stunting housing and business growth in the vicinity.
Without major action, the Seattle Department of Transportation would have been looking at a $113 million deficit in its transportation fund by 2028, department leaders said Monday. Cuts that are already underway will impact road and bridge maintenance but not Vision Zero work.
The new Airo trains, which will be running on every trip on Amtrak Cascades by next spring, bring a bevy of new passenger features from upgraded seats to overhauled restrooms. The first trips are scheduled to start rolling out of King Street Station on September 30.
Pierce County transit advocates are confident that this is the year they can overcome the history of voters not getting on board with adding bus service funding in the South Sound. If Prop 1 is successful, Pierce Transit plans to ramp up service by 49% in the coming years.
If approved in early November, Community Transit would take over Everett Transit operations on April 1, 2027, with the existing Everett Transit network as its service baseline. A 50% increase in bus service would follow, to be fully implemented by 2030.
After a new 0.1% sales tax for county roads was approved in June, County Executive Girmay Zahilay has proposed to fold the independent transportation benefit district fully into county government. But questions remain about whether the county council would be trading away oversight.
The four new camera locations, set to be implemented in 2027, will be Seattle's first 24/7 speed cameras after decades of enforcing speeds in school zones. The locations were chosen based on a prevalence of speeding and serious crashes.
The package would add authority for SDOT officials to address traffic safety, and ask for recommendations on faster post-crash review and potential safety upgrades for City contractors. But a mad dash to pass the legislation before fall budget season is leading Saka to cut some corners.
Bus travel times are up to three times faster along a troublesome stretch of Denny Way after SDOT installed red bus lanes all the way to I-5. On Tuesday, Mayor Katie Wilson joined transit fans for a reprise of last year's 'Race the L8'... with very different results this time.
Resilience describes the ability of a transportation system to prepare for disruptions, withstand their effects, continue providing essential mobility, recover quickly, and adapt to changing conditions. It asks whether people can still meet their needs when part of the system fails.
Minneapolis's urban infrastructure continued to impress CityNerd in his latest visit. Check out his interesting video tour across the city.
A 2.75-mile repaving project will only see around 0.8 miles of new bike facilities, despite a new requirement to repair gaps along the state highway network along with maintenance work. The project illustrates the limitations of that 2022 law.
Pinehurst Station now has a launch date: September 30. The infill light rail stop will serve a projected 3,400 daily riders between Northgate and South Shoreline and provide a new location for bus-rail transfers.
Tacoma officials are queuing up outreach and planning efforts to invest $320 million in transportation funding that voters approved last month. Advocates hope the levy can help the Grit City take a leap forward on safe streets.
Two aging bridges along S Jackson Street carry more than 1,400 buses every weekday, and are past the end of their design life. A new SDOT study confirms that major changes would need to be implemented if the City of Seattle ever pursued their replacement.
An ordinance from Rod Dembowski would have thrown a wrench into King County Metro's next service change, set for August 29, by restoring Route 372 without any funding to do so. Ultimately, the move seemed to be symbolic to show support for impacted riders.
On Thursday afternoon, Mayor Katie Wilson and Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck made the trip up to Denny Way to put the final touches on a Route 8 bus lane being installed this weekend at a major bottleneck near I-5.
With Sound Transit's failure to deliver light rail to Ballard by 2035 as originally promised, now is the moment for Sound Transit and Seattle to build a no-frills, quick-build station near the Ballard Locks to connect people to Sounder commuter rail service that’s already up and running.
Sound Transit's expected opening date for West Seattle light rail has slipped three years to 2035, agency top brass confirmed Thursday. The board is set to allocate $765 million later this month to advance property acquisitions along the route.
On top of concerns about lack of city resources, officials in Lynnwood have cited a relatively low number of road fatalities compared to other cities and an inability to make a difference in impaired and distracted driving as reasons to shy away from a Vision Zero action plan.
The proposal would spend $6 million planning and designing fare gates at 14 Link stations, with a future Sound Transit board vote expected to allocate the full $87 million construction cost. The agency expects this targeted gate program to pay for itself within two to three years.
Bus routes across North, South, and East King County will see adjustments starting August 29, with most intended to improve connectivity with light rail. The biggest changes are set to happen in South King County, where weekend service levels will dramatically increase.
America Walks is urging Congress to block federal transportation funding reauthorization until the Whitehouse can prove that it is following the law and disbursing funding Congress has allocated to transit, bike, and pedestrian projects.
The new 2060 timeline for light rail stations in Interbay and Ballard assumes Sound Transit isn't able to unearth any major cost savings or unlock additional financial tools. But the agency painted an optimistic picture about being able to make inroads in those areas, pushing the opening to 2042.
The R Line is set to replace the Route 7 by 2032, with County Executive Girmay Zahilay promising to "fast track" the RapidRide project last year. But amid the bleak federal transit funding landscape, Metro won't count on those dollars any longer.
Sound Transit is weighing a cut to light rail service spans to allow larger maintenance windows and is proposing to drop the Seattle-tail of Route 560 to boost frequency on the remainder of the route. The agency’s survey on its service proposal is open through July 26.
If approved in November, the 0.3% sales tax measure will ramp up city-funded Metro bus service on 10 to 15 additional routes on top of maintaining extra service that exists today. Signing the measure would mark a full-circle moment for Mayor Katie Wilson.
Long-awaited upgrades to one of the city's busiest bus corridors are just a few days away, with SDOT set to permanently close the often-clogged slip lane onto Yale Avenue on August 1. A full eastbound bus lane will be installed by the end of August.
While amendments from the Council did make a mark on the Seattle Transit Measure renewal, it still largely resembles Wilson's initial proposal. Amendments that would have scaled it back in scope and duration were both defeated Thursday.
Councilmember Bob Kettle's proposal to slash the Seattle Transit Measure renewal by one-third drew significant pushback this week at a public hearing on potential amendments. Among those strongly advocating against the move was the Seattle Transit Advisory Board and the Amalgamated Transit Union.
The 0.3% sales tax bump going onto the November ballot would increase service by around 40% by the mid-2030s, the biggest expansion of transit service in Pierce County in decades. Since May, the proposal has been tweaked to include free rides for seniors.
The I-5 Interstate Bridge Replacement project has completed its federal environmental review and the first phase of work is marching toward construction. Does that mean internal strife over major elements of the program is in the rearview mirror? Far from it.
A surge of World Cup fans for the U.S. vs. Belgium match pushed Sound Transit to new heights on July 6, with a whopping 309,000 light rail boardings. The agency also beat its monthly ridership record in June.
The ruling is the latest legal hurdle tripping up a proposal to close a 1.4-mile gap in the Burke-Gilman Trail, which a group of Ballard businesses has been fighting since 2008. Delays have heightened scrutiny of state environmental laws more broadly.
SDOT recently released 60% designs for a two-way protected bike lane along Leary Way NW and invited feedback in a survey open through July 15. Dan Strauss has touted the connection as a way to finally fill the Missing Link, but not everyone is on board with the idea.
Spokane County voters have an opportunity to fund transit service with a 0.2% sales tax renewal on their August 4th ballot. Here's how you can help put the measure over the top.
By far the most impactful amendment set to be considered to Katie Wilson's proposed transit measure renewal, Kettle's proposal would lead to more than 1 million fewer service hours over the course of 10 years.
National publications have ranked Seattle at the top of the list among World Cup 2026 host cities, commending the city's centrally located, well-integrated stadium next door to a bounty of urban attractions.
The state passed a shared streets law in 2025, and it's time for Seattle to seize the opportunity and reclaim streets for people. Half measures aren't cutting it.
A $406 million budget amendment approved Thursday is intended to get West Seattle Link ready for construction, a key promise in the wake of a Sound Transit board vote last month to rebalance the ST3 plan. Another $16 million advances design work on Ballard Link.
Starting downtown in early 2027, 84% of Bellevue streets that currently have a speed limit of 30 mph or higher will see reductions. This widely supported change sets the groundwork for broader street upgrades, likely to be more contentious.
Sound Transit set a new light rail ridership record on Friday, June 19, collecting an estimated 280,000 boardings as Seattle hosted a World Cup soccer match. Lime also set a new record for scooter and bikeshare usage.
In remarks to a transportation advisory committee, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin painted a clear picture of the need to increase bus frequencies in the city as Sound Transit advances plans for light rail and the city accommodates significant population growth in the coming years.
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.
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.
The Move All Seattle Sustainability Coalition is calling on City Council to approve Mayor Katie Wilson's proposed Seattle Transit Measure renewal to fund vastly more bus service and expand fare subsidies to the lowest income Seattleites. Here's why.
Around $90 million per year in additional funding will bolster King County's roads division thanks to the 5-4 vote, with a small pass-through program providing a slice of the pie to local cities and towns. A provision capping Seattle's cut of that funding was ultimately defeated.
New U.S. customs prescreening protocols being carried out before Amtrak departures from Vancouver are allowing trains to skip an extra stop at the Canadian border, cutting trip times by at least 10 minutes. Larger time savings may be achievable soon.
A press briefing this week with CEO Dow Constantine clearly sought to assuage concerns that Sound Transit wouldn't be able to get all the way to Ballard. With a six- or seven-year "runway" to close a $7 to $9 billion gap, the pressure is clearly on to follow through on that commitment.
Sound Transit's first head of "megaproject delivery" will depart after just over two years in the role. Terri Mestas' departure comes at a critical time, with significant attention on how Sound Transit will get the full voter-approved ST3 portfolio on track.
With a 0.15% sales tax bump, Seattle would be poised to see 100,000 more bus trips per year, boosting popular routes like the D Line and the 36. At a meeting Thursday, councilmembers got a deeper look at possible investments.
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.
While hesitant to alter plans or go back to voters for funding, Sound Transit board members approved a "Request for Information" that could unearth more affordable plans for light rail to Ballard. Even so, the path to get the project back on schedule remains murky at best.
The City of Seattle's investment in King County Metro service would jump by 60% over the life of the proposed 10-year renewal of the Seattle Transit Measure. While backed by a sales tax increase, Wilson framed the measure as a path to affordability and access.
The Sound Transit board voted Thursday to overhaul expansion plans, prioritizing the rail spine from Tacoma to Everett, while deferring indefinitely stations in Tukwila, Interbay, and Ballard. Seattle leaders got Graham Street back into plans, but lamented the stations put on ice.
The long-promised Graham Street light rail station would go from limbo to back on track if Sound Transit board members approve an amendment advanced by Katie Wilson, Girmay Zahilay, and Teresa Mosqueda. The proposal promises "last in" funding from King County and Seattle.
Given obstacles from the Trump administration, West Seattle Link will not break ground anytime soon. Before any vote overhauling the Sound Transit 3 plan, the board owes the region revised, evidence-based dates for every project, Trevor Reed contends.
The Sound Transit Board will soon decide whether to deliver on the decades-old promise to South King County to build light rail stations at Boeing Access Road and Graham Street. They should not break their promise again, writes King County Councilmember Rhonda Lewis.
An amendment from boardmember Dan Strauss would direct Sound Transit to prioritize a "starter line" between Westlake and Ballard ahead of a new tunnel in Downtown Seattle, flipping the script on Ballard Link. With a vote on Thursday, the timeline to consider such a move will be brief.
Hundreds of Seattleites turned out Saturday to celebrate the start of the 2026 Bicycle Weekend schedule, scaled back up by Mayor Katie Wilson after being stifled under the previous administration.
Direct service between light rail stations in Seattle and Bellevue and several major Eastside trailheads starts Saturday, and runs on weekends and holidays through August 30. Seattle's transit funding measure provides a big source of the dollars to operate the shuttles.
A bill quietly approved this week establishes a range of paid parking hourly rates between $1 and $8, with the actual fee charged to drivers based on the demand for curb access on that block. Bellevue is currently a major outlier when it comes to providing free on-street parking citywide.
A commitment to reduce barriers standing in the way of future 4 Line light rail is the latest move by Issaquah leaders to get their project moving. Later this month, the Sound Transit board is set to approve a new six-year delay for the project.
On Saturday, Amtrak delivered its first ‘Airo’ class trainset to Seattle for testing and deployment on Amtrak Cascades this fall. The trickle of train photos is already building anticipation for the enhanced service they will provide.
An amendment put forward by King County Councilmember Steffanie Fain would cap Seattle's participation in a new pass-through funding program to well below the city's proportional share, resulting in millions less going to the city.
Local leaders plugged expanded transit options for Seattle's World Cup matches this summer and shared their goal for 80% of fans to arrive without a personal vehicle. Here's what is planned.
Seattle leaders have been urging Sound Transit to provide a date estimating light rail's arrival to Ballard in light of plans to defer the station indefinitely, but the agency is insisting it doesn't know. This has not sat well with advocates.
At a rally Monday near Seattle’s future Graham Street infill light rail station, advocates demanded Sound Transit not cut two long-planned infill stations as it rebalances ST3 plans. Speakers flagged issues with racial equity and restoring trust with voters.
The "affordable ST3" plan still leaves $11-$13 billion in projects unfunded, as Sound Transit board members vow to look for additional revenue and cost savings. With a May 28 board vote fast approaching, the rebalancing proposal looks mostly baked at this point.
Riding the bus regularly can help officials make better policy decisions. Nondrivers Alliance wants your help to invite them to participate in the annual Week Without Driving this fall.
At a Tuesday forum, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, and Seattle Councilmember Dan Strauss pushed back hard against Sound Transit's proposal to defer Seattle light rail stations in Ballard, Interbay, and Hillman City.
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.
"It may take a few generations to solve the problem," Walsh told his colleagues, seeming to blame people hit by drivers while walking in Federal Way. His comments are far from being an outlier in the pedestrian-hostile city.
Bellevue Transportation Director Andrew Singelakis told city councilmembers he'd like to see spending on vehicle mobility ramp up from 10% to 25% of the city's spending on transportation. That looks to be at odds with Council, which is focused on safety investments.
Facing a cost-cutting scenario from Sound Transit that may see trains stop short of Tacoma, South Sound leaders on the board look to be laser focused on delivering that light rail connection. The agency might need to get creative with other projects in South Sound.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the biggest rail project in the Sound Transit pipeline is months overdue, with delays stemming from a Federal Transit Administration review to blame. Until that document is released, the board can't advance the project into final design.
A plan to add 21 on-street bike and scooter corrals in a joint effort to keep sidewalks clear and maintain visibility at intersections has been reduced to just 3 corrals. Neighborhood business advocates raised concerns around aesthetics and parking removal, despite a limited impact on legal spots.
While on Sound Transit's chopping block, the Ballard and Interbay neighborhoods made it clear at a 300-strong rally and four-mile march Sunday they are not going down without a fight. Advocates wants to see all light rail projects promised in ST3 built.
A new eastbound transit lane will go in on Denny Way between 5th Avenue and Stewart Street this August, in addition to a permanent closure of an infamously congested slip lane at Yale Avenue. The improvements are sure to bring joy to Route 8 bus riders.
At an April 14 rally in Everett, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers and Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin repeatedly stressed that finishing the light rail "spine" to Everett and Tacoma would be their top priority, while backing a plan to defer getting to Ballard.
Despite committing to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on city roadways by 2030, the numbers in Seattle aren't declining. Though a recent call for a performance audit has attracted attention, it will ultimately fall to Katie Wilson to orient SDOT toward safety.
The Tacoma City Council voted Tuesday to put a new “Connect Tacoma" levy on the ballot. Scaled back from a proposal voters rejected last April, the package still aims to fulfill goals of safer, more pedestrian-friendly streets.
Riders will get a sneak peek of the new trail for a few hours on the first day of cruise ship season, providing a detour around Pier 66. The full stretch opens next Tuesday, providing a wide, comfortable path between downtown and the Olympic Sculpture Park.
Sound Transit can halve the cost of light rail to Ballard and West Seattle by building them as a connected automated light rail line with slimmer stations, according to two transit experts who have launched the Sound Transit Now campaign.
Amtrak's $300 million expansion of its SoDo trainyard hit the 50% complete mark this month and is on budget and on track to open in 2027. Officials welcomed local media for a tour of the facility on Thursday.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Tukwila Mayor Thomas McLeod have been sticking up for a pair of infill light rail stations that have been on the books for a long time, with a clear goal of making sure they don't fall through the cracks as Sound Transit makes budget cuts.
Transit advocates shared ideas to save Ballard Link light rail from being cut or severely delayed at a rally Saturday. A ballooning budget has Sound Transit considering drastic measures, but advocates see a path forward to get to Market Street.
All day for three Saturdays in May and June, one block of Seattle's University Way NE will become pedestrian-only, as a first step toward implementing a goal that advocates have been pushing for decades.
While broad agreement exists over the need to provide funding for King County's Road Services division, the issue of kicking back a portion of a new 0.1% sales tax to local cities caused more consternation. A one month delay is set to translate to six months of lost revenue.
The Washington State Department of Transportation has a public survey out on the 2025 State Rail Plan through April 24. Let them know that improving frequency, reliability, and connections for Amtrak service is a priority.