Modern zoning, building and fire codes make it impossible to build many of the types of housing that people actually want to live in. Reforming those codes to allow for single-stair construction can help undo some of this damage.
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Build a bipartisan coalition. Launch a pilot project. Speak to the core issues facing your community. That’s how Spokane, Washington, was able to eliminate costly parking mandates. Here's the full story.
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The Interstate Bridge Replacement project, which is tasked with replacing a bridge that connects Washington and Oregon, is facing alarming delays, cost escalations and seemingly deceptive behavior from officials. These problems are symptoms of broader issues in North American transportation spending.
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Washington's Department of Transportation recently reported that they’re weight restricting another bridge because it’s becoming dangerously old. This is a symptom of a problem that stretches across North America: grossly misplaced priorities. It's time for a serious reevaluation of transportation spending priorities.
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Erik Lowe is the founder of Reimagine Spokane, a grassroots group calling for safer streets and better transit, and the designer of the “Spokane Reimagined” plan, a $1 billion proposal to improve safety and connectivity in Spokane, Washington, over 20 years.
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When Mike McGinn didn’t see any other mayoral candidates challenging a proposed highway expansion project in Seattle, he stepped up to the plate and won the election. This is the story of his ensuing fight to stop his city from making a costly mistake.
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A string of mistakes in one city shows how easily local rules can turn arbitrary and destructive.
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Spokane, WA, has finalized its year-long effort to legalize more housing choices across the city—and their new code is something other cities should be paying attention to.
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Wanting to encourage people toward using bikes for transportation is all fine and good, but not when it makes it harder for developers to build much-needed housing.
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How many zones does Seattle have? The answer might shock you! (And it reveals some uncomfortable truths about the city’s absurd land use regulation.)
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After a summer of public outreach, the Seattle Department of Transportation is hearing recurring themes people want for the future of a local street.
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On July 17, 2023, Spokane City Council adopted an interim ordinance that makes off-street parking optional for all housing that’s within half a mile of a transit stop.
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What lessons can we glean from a century-old solution to housing crises?
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A new bill, currently in committee in Washington’s House and Senate, is intended to spark development in places where parking minimums have hindered housing starts.
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Coté Soeren’s “Resistencia” coffee shop in Seattle is a space for community connection and support, not gentrification.
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The Seattle area is growing fast, and the suburbs are not going to be exempt from change. Data on the true costs of development is helping local advocates develop a vision for a more prosperous—and, yes, populous—future.
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State Route 99 was a long-anticipated project in Seattle, WA, but this multimillion-dollar highway expansion hasn’t recouped nearly enough money to make up for its costs.
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A hundred people gathered in Tacoma, WA, to mourn the death of 13-year-old Michael Weilert, who was recently killed while bicycling in his neighborhood. If we want to prevent more tragedies like this, then we must redesign our streets.
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Strong Towns member Spencer Gardner is the new planning director for the city of Spokane, WA, and he’s been helping his city take action on important housing issues.
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What was once a fringe idea to convince the state of Washington to turn a section of Highway 99 over to local control has grown into a publicly funded action.
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