Seattle

Fall Sprawl

If Housing Affordability Is Top Concern, Let Metro Regions Sprawl

Research from BuildZoom, a San Francisco-based contractors' website, shows that housing affordability increases with a region's ability to build outwards, as opposed to upwards. Densification largely has not accompanied efforts to curb sprawl.

September 16, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal

20's Plenty

Sweeping Speed Limit Reductions Proposed for Seattle's Streets

Two Seattle councilmembers are proposing a large, necessary step toward slowing drivers enough to eliminate traffic deaths in the city.

September 15, 2016 - The Urbanist

Seattle

Roads Not Taken: Reimagining a Different Seattle

In 1851 the City of Seattle could have been a vastly different place if alternative development decisions had been made that took the original inhabitants, nature, and topography into consideration.

September 14, 2016 - Crosscut

Seattle Homeless

Seattle's 'Pathway Home' Initiative Seeks Housing First Strategy for Homeless

'Housing first' has become a policy buzzword of sorts to describe an approach to homeless services. A pair of new reports on the homelessness situation in Seattle finds consensus on the need for a housing first policy.

September 11, 2016 - Capitol Hill Seattle Blog

Voting

This November, Four Major Transportation Measures at Stake

If you live in Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle, or Los Angeles, you have more to look forward to in November than choosing Donald or Hillary. Major decisions concerning regional transportation are on the line.

August 31, 2016 - Governing

Seattle

Critiquing the Implementation of Seattle's Pedestrian Master Plan

A status update of the Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan leaves a writer wondering if the backlog of pedestrian infrastructure maintenance will grow while only a few planned projects get built.

August 23, 2016 - The Urbanist

Seattle

Reviewing Potential Amendments to the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan

The Seattle City Council is currently considering the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan. The plan could change significantly from Mayor Ed Murray's proposed draft to the final, approved version.

August 17, 2016 - The Urbanist

Seattle Transit

Light Rail Ridership Takes Off in Seattle After Expansion

Besting all expectations, ridership numbers have increased 83 percent since Seattle's Sound Transit light rail system added two new stations, connecting downtown to the city's Capitol Hill neighborhood and the University of Washington.

August 14, 2016 - Next City

Seattle

Debating Seattle's Growth

There's plenty to talk about in a city where rents have increased by 51 percent since 2010.

August 12, 2016 - Publicola

Seattle Waterfront Condos

Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning Gets Committee Approval in Seattle

A key component of the city of Seattle's Housing Affordability and and Livability Agenda moved forward earlier this week.

August 6, 2016 - KUOW

Seattle Light Rail Construction

Details of the Seattle's Big ST3 Light Rail Plan

The $54 billion ST3 plan would add 62 miles of light rail over 25 years.

August 5, 2016 - Seattle Transit Blog

Car Share

Good News on Car Sharing

Car sharing networks that allow the vehicle to be returned to any location were found to have the impact of removing seven cars for each rented car in San Diego in a three-year study released July 19.

July 27, 2016 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Architect Declares the End of Micro-Housing in Seattle

Though housing advocates consider micro-housing units a helpful tool in keeping housing affordable, the city of Seattle has nonetheless produced a series of regulations making such projects harder and harder to build.

July 24, 2016 - Neiman Taber

Alaskan Way Viaduct

Bertha Effect: Tunnel Project Delayed Until 2019, Plus $223 Million in Overruns

The chickens have come home to roost in Seattle, where the state has tallied up the cost and time overruns for the Highway 99 tunnel project.

July 23, 2016 - The Seattle Times

Pac-Man

Friday Funny: Seattle Street to Pay Homage to Pac-Man

The people's choice: Pac-Man.

July 22, 2016 - CityLab

Seattle City Council

Seattle Mayor Proposes a More Inclusive Department of Neighborhoods

The leadership at the city of Seattle has noticed that the people representing neighborhoods on the city's district councils don't reflect the population of the city.

July 14, 2016 - Publicola

Apartments for rent signage

Op-Ed: We Shouldn't Rush to Regulate Airbnb

Is Airbnb a prime target for regulation, or is it just another way to expand the marketplace for bedrooms? Dan Bertolet urges caution. After all, couldn't less Airbnb just mean more hotels?

July 11, 2016 - Sightline Institute

Seattle

Rezoning Proposed for Seattle's University District

Intended to make the most of a planned light rail station, the city of Seattle has proposed a zoning overhaul for the University District.

June 24, 2016 - The Urbanist

Los Angeles

West Coast Cities Redefining Height With Batch of New Skyscrapers

The title of tallest building west of the Mississippi, property of the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles since 1989, will soon go to another building. What does that say about the post-recession of West Coast cities?

June 22, 2016 - The Architect's Newspaper

Nuclear Reactor Building

University of Washington Prevails in Preservation Battle Over its 'Nuclear Reactor Building'

It's a story of Goliath beating David in a preservationist fight in Seattle, but not before raising questions about how a university fits intot he city's regulatory environment.

June 19, 2016 - Crosscut

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.