Midweek Roundup: Americans Want Walkability

Last week, Martin Pagel captured this picturesque scene from the I-90 floating bridge bike path. In it, we can see a contactor has parked a hi-rail box truck near one of the custom-designed railway hinges which allow the railway to safely flex with the movements of the floating bridge.Transit & Streets:

• $1 billion shortfall in WA transportation budget imperils projects (The Seattle Times, $). The budget hole is mostly due to rising construction costs, but partially due to declining gas tax revenues. Legislators are considering switching from gas taxes to a road use charge.
• WA State Legislature is considering a bill that would require speed limiters in cars of drivers with histories of racing or speeding (Washington State Standard)
• King County Metro reminds you that Metro, ORCA, Sound Transit and other ORCA transit agencies do not share customers' personal information with ICE or the TSA, and King County agents are prohibited by County Code from inquiring information on citizenship or immigration status (Metro Matters).
• Early data shows improved travel time for MTA commuters since implementation of congestion pricing (Mass Transit Magazine)

Land Use & Housing:

• WA State lawmakers will consider a bill limiting parking minimums today (KUOW)
• Harrell Growth Plan Would Produce Fewer Affordable Homes Than Alternative 5 (The Urbanist). The Urbanist also asks: How Much Housing Growth Should Seattle Be Targeting?
• Some Angelenos recently displaced by unprecedented wildfires are finding refuge in ADUs (Bloomberg CityLab)
• Data indicates most Americans actually want to live in dense, walkable communities. So why is unwalkable suburban sprawl the default for new construction? (Yale Climate Connections)
• Some San Francisco property owners are building autonomous vehicle charging lots instead of housing developments on the few lots where new housing is legal (Planetizen)

Other News & Commentary:

• SDOT bids an appreciated farewell to former SDOT Director Greg Spotts (SDOT Blog). Former Deputy Mayor Adiam Emery is now Interim Director of Transportation.
• Op-Ed: Prop 1A Is Seattle's Opportunity to Lead on Climate Justice (The Urbanist)
• 67 people were killed last week in the deadliest collision in American airspace since Nov. 12, 2001 (Seattle Times, $).
• WA's Senators split their vote during the confirmation of USDOT Secretary Duffy (Seattle Bike Blog)
• Former NY Congressman Marc Molinaro, a Foe of Congestion Pricing", to Head Federal Transit Administration (New York Times, gift link)
• Why Trump's DOT is Promising More Money to States With Higher Birth Rates (StreetsBlog USA)

This is an Open Thread. Interested in lending your voice to the Blog?Contact us.