Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Seattle

Seattle Added 45,000 Jobs and Hardly Any Car Commuters

By Angie Schmitt | Feb 10, 2017 | No Comments

Transforming from a car city to a transit city is no easy task. Just ask Denver and Los Angeles, which have spent billions to build rail systems but struggled to reduce solo car commuting rates. But Seattle shows it can be done: The share of downtown commuters who drive alone dropped from 35 percent in 2010 to 30 percent last year.

To Make Streets Safer, Seattle May Get Rid of Traffic Signals

By Angie Schmitt | Feb 9, 2017 | No Comments

Signalized intersections carry special risks. Drivers often accelerate during the yellow phase to "beat the light," leading to high-speed crashes. Federal officials warn that improperly placed signals can "significantly increase collisions." So Seattle is reviewing 10 intersections to see if traffic signals should be replaced with stop signs.

The Case for a Tax on Parking Lots

By Angie Schmitt | Jan 18, 2017 | No Comments

Parking lots make cities less walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly. They crowd out space for housing. But with a parking lot tax, incentives change and using parking as a placeholder becomes a lot less attractive.

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Seattle: America’s Next Top Transit City

By Clarence Eckerson Jr. | Jan 4, 2017 | No Comments

Seattle is making bold investments to ensure most residents live within walking distance of frequent transit, and its efforts are paying off. Both bus and rail ridership have seen huge gains in recent years, and 70 percent of trips to downtown Seattle are not in private vehicles.

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