San Diego’s South Bay Annexation of 1957: Water Insecurity, Territorial Expansion, and the Making of a US-Mexico Border City
Editor’s note: In anticipation of the Society for American City and Regional Planning History’s (SACRPH) 2024 conference to be held in San Diego on the campus of the University of Calif…
State House Proposes Postponing Seattle’s 520 Lid and Trail Extension Indefinitely - The Urbanist
State House leaders want to delay a freeway lid and multi-use trail in order to bring the overall SR 520 bridge replacement project under budget. Building those elements later would ultimately cost more and risk them being abandoned altogether.
Rooftop solar has technical potential to meet 45% of U.S. electricity demand
Today, it only represents about 1.5% of the electricity used. A report from Environment America shows how installed rooftop solar increased 1000% in the past decade, and how it has a long runway of growth ahead.
Amtrak’s Long-Distance Expansion Plan Includes Two New Pacific Northwest Routes - The Urbanist
Yakima, Boise, Missoula, and Pocatello could see Amtrak service again under a new federal plan that adds a daily route from Seattle to Denver and another running to Chicago on a modified alignment from Amtrak's Empire Builder.
History: The Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway, 1910-1939 - My Edmonds News
After publishing the articles Edmonds: Entering the automobile age and the Edmonds 1911 Monorail, I was asked by several people to write about the Seattle-Everett Interurban Railway regarding when it was...
Ownership matters. From the climate crisis to concentrated corporate power, ownership shapes how our economy operates and in whose interest. Only by reimagining it can we build an economy that's democratic and sustainable by design.
A Review of the Long-Awaited Revised Edition of Public Transit's Bible
When I'm working on a non-fiction book, there sometimes comes a moment when I realize that there's somebody out there who has already reached many of the conclusions that I've been fumbling, in my non-expert way, to grasp. In
The White Castle System of Eating Houses - 99% Invisible
White Castle has its own take on fast food hamburgers. For starters, the patties are square, with five holes in each patty. And they’re small, too –- two-and-a-half inch sliders. Just big enough to fit into the palm of your hand. And since they’re steamed on a bed of onions, everything is infused with this
Bellevue Hits the Brakes on Bike Bellevue Corridor Upgrades - The Urbanist
Plans to create room for people biking on 11 corridors across BelRed, Wilburton, and Downtown Bellevue have been paused. Staff said it's a routine step to address an ethics complaint, but opponents are hoping to make the pause permanent.
Sunday Video: Could Toronto’s Kensington Market Be A Solution to Gentrification? - The Urbanist
Uytae Lee of About Here highlights Kensington Market, a very diverse district in Toronto steeped in history. It’s increasingly become a popular area of the city for redevelopment interest. Lee highlights how the community is trying to move forward while having a stronger stake in decisions around how the neighborhood changes through a community land
The new “Happy to Chat” seats in the Trade Center Plaza had an impact on me. While there are plenty of people who will ignore the nudges prompted by the seating, the seats are fun, whimsical, and fairly inexpensive pieces of civic infrastructure.
Calls Mount to End the Era of Unquestioned Highway Expansion - The Urbanist
Washington continues to build new highways even as maintenance, safety, and community needs continue to grow. America Walks is pushing for a nationwide reconsideration of continued highway expansion.
Seen from above, Sofia, Bulgaria, looks less like a city and more like a forest. Large “interblock park” green spaces between big apartment structures are a defining characteristic of the city. They’re not so much “parks” in the formal sense, with fences and gates, just open green areas growing up in interstitial spaces left behind.
State Improves Model Code to Promote Middle Housing - The Urbanist
The state responded to feedback from urbanists and homebuilders by finetuning its draft model code for missing middle housing to be more generous around lot coverage, floor area ratio, setbacks, and design standards.
Ryan Mello Has a Clear Vision for Pierce County - The Urbanist
A vocal critic of highway expansion, Mello's urbanist vision includes "parks and open space trails, a good transportation network, safe places to walk and bike." He's running for County Executive to seek to implement that vision.
Sound Transit Teases New Paid Parking Strategy Still Well Short of True Cost - The Urbanist
Sound Transit is weighing parking rate structures as it works to expand its fledgling paid parking program to a projected 21 facilities along Link and Sounder lines by 2026.
It Could Be the End of Line for the Seattle Streetcar - The Urbanist
Support is dwindling for the Center City Streetcar project. Failing to connect two disconnected streetcar lines could spell a death spiral for Seattle streetcars, which are limping along without the central link.
Everett Transit Still Studying Merger, Outlines Service Growth Strategy - The Urbanist
Everett Transit's possible consolidation with Community Transit is advancing slower than anticipated, but emerging details suggest that transit riders in Everett could be better off if the city department folded into Snohomish County's larger transit service provider. Under today's paradigm, Everett Transit has just 10 city bus routes with only three of those offering all-day