With expected costs jumping close to 75%, the Sound Transit board is still full steam ahead on West Seattle Link. @urbanistorg.bsky.socialwww.theurbanist.org/2024/09/30/s...
# Despite significantly increased costs, the Sound Transit board is full steam ahead on advancing West Seattle Link to full design. What could that mean for the entire Sound Transit 3 plan?
The head of Washington's public transit association is calling I-2117 the "biggest threat and risk factor" facing transit riders. If it passes, $2.39 billion in funding over 16 years is set to evaporate, turning back the clock on state support for transit. www.theurbanist.org/2024/09/27/w...
# If approved, Initiative 2117, repealing 2021's Climate Commitment Act, would put $2.39 billion in funding for transit agencies across the state over the next 16 years at severe risk of evaporating.
I think the most surreal moment in budget committee today was Dan Strauss bringing up "The Cable Guy" and the fact that people don't really have cable plans anymore and...that's why we need to lay off half of Seattle Channel's staff at the end of this year.
The budget proposed by Mayor Harrell yesterday disregards the spending priorities for the dedicated JumpStart payroll tax to focus on the administration's own priorities, diverting funding away from affordable housing and climate investments. www.theurbanist.org/2024/09/25/h...
# Under the budget for the next two years proposed by Mayor Bruce Harrell, around half of the dedicated funding initially earmarked for affordable housing and other investments would instead fund Harr...
In the hopes of jumpstarting development downtown, the Seattle Council approved a 3-year design review exemption yesterday by a 8-1 vote. The moratorium will also serve as an experiment in life without the much maligned design review process. www.theurbanist.org/2024/09/25/s...
# New office, hotel, and research science developments in Seattle's downtown core will be exempt from the onerous design review process for three years. Only Councilmember Cathy Moore voted against th...
When I found out the battery systems on Seattle's trolleybus fleet are getting an overhaul that will nearly triple their range, I had to get the full story. www.theurbanist.org/2024/09/21/s...
# King County Metro's entire trolleybus fleet is set to get upgrades to their batteries that will allow them to remain off-wire three times longer.
NEW: A plan for dozens of ad & info kiosks spread around Downtown and several other neighborhoods seemed to be sailing toward approval. But the Seattle Design Commission, citing a slate of concerns about the idea, declined to give it the green light. www.theurbanist.org/2024/09/20/s...
# In voting against the IKE digital advertising kiosks proposal, the Seattle Design Commission cited concerns about clutter and a lack of public buy-in. The Seattle City Council may ultimately approve...
If you've taken the RapidRide G over its first few days since the launch of service on Saturday, you may have had a frustrating experience. But Metro is working behind the scenes to fix issues, and we're already seeing gains for riders. www.theurbanist.org/2024/09/19/m...
# The G Line on Madison Street got off to a rocky start with significant bus bunching combined with major delays for riders. There are already signs of improvement.
Around its coming Sound Transit BRT station, Renton is set to encourage the creation of thousands of new homes in hopes of creating a walkable neighborhood. But parking requirements and legacy car infrastructure may stand in its way. www.theurbanist.org/2024/09/17/r...
# Renton wants to spur development around the planned Sound Transit bus rapid transit station in South Renton. But considerable hurdles stand int way of creating a truly multimodal neighborhood there.
Did you ride the G Line this weekend? www.theurbanist.org/2024/09/13/m...
# King County Metro's eighth RapidRide line, Madison Street's G Line, launches Saturday with some of the most robust speed and reliability features of any bus route in Puget Sound.