Tessera
Folgen

Ryan Packer

@typewriteralley.bsky.social

Pedestrian Reporting at The Urbanist as Contributing Editor Transportation advocate Probably covering a random public meeting (they-them) 📍Puget Sound https://www.patreon.com/typewriteralley

12643 Posts12879 Follower535 Folgt
Yonah Freemark@yonahfreemark.com · 48m ago

The typical project currently awaiting federal transit capital funding faces: —15 months (or more!) in delays to actually getting a signed agreement from the federal government —an 18% increase in cost as the delays mount Track all transit projects nationwide seeking federal funding:

US Federal Project Tracker | Open Lines | The Transport Politic

thetransportpolitic.com

Yonah Freemark@yonahfreemark.com · 2h ago

What's the status of transit projects awaiting federal funds? I built a tracker: www.thetransportpolitic.com/openlines/fe... There are 20 transit projects that should have been funded by the Trump administration by now... but are waiting. For each project, you can see delays & cost increases ⏬

Project cost increases and delays for the Veirs Mill Road BRT project in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 2h ago

The tiny enclave of Beaux Arts Village (pop. 310) is on the cusp of triggering the Builder's Remedy next week, unless the town council approves interim zoning changes that get the city into compliance with the Growth Management Act.

If the town is not able to adopt interim regulations consistent with the HAA requirements by October 13, 2026, the Builder’s Remedy in RCW 36.70A.835(11) will go into effect in the Town of Beaux Arts Village. It will remain in effect until the town submits an adopted comprehensive plan and development regulations that are consistent with the HAA requirements and Commerce issues a decision of compliance. We extend our continued support to the Town of Beaux Arts Village in achieving the goals of growth management.
Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 5h ago

Jockeying is underway in Bellevue when it comes to how the city will use funding from a 0.1% sales tax increase and a $20 car tab, with business leaders to pushing for more spending on vehicle mobility as councilmembers signal more support for safety projects. www.theurbanist.org/tug-of-war-o...

Tug-of-War Over New Transportation Funding Heats Up in Bellevue

Spending scenarios this week presented to the Bellevue City Council would put a potential 0.1% sales tax and new $20 car tab to use funding transportation investments. While the approach is framed as ...

theurbanist.org

Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 19h ago

Next Wednesday, the Pioneer Square Preservation Board is set to discuss commenting on Alexis Mercedes Rinck's amendment (approved in committee last month but awaiting final approval) that gave the City Traffic Engineer the power to circumvent historic boards in specific instances.

101426.4 BOARD BUSINESS 60 minutes Discussion of possible Board written comment regarding amendment 16 to the Seattle City Council Bill No 121296
Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · yesterday

I was visiting Open Books and came across Plainwater on the shelf...and then water actually started leaking through a light fixture in the ceiling (it wasn't even raining outside!). I knew I had to buy it, which turned out to be a great decision. That was my first Anne Carson.

Alexander Chee@alexanderchee.bsky.social · yesterday

I found Anne Carson first through her essay "Kinds of Water," published first through the wonderful journal Grand Street. It is now in her book Plainwater. I read the essay at least once a year for a decade: www.jstor.org/stable/25007...

Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 2d ago

So Bellevue is really going to spend $22 million widening three intersections and this is apparently not enough vehicle spending for the Chamber.

Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 2d ago

The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce is on board with increasing the sales tax and adding a car tab, with conditions: -Keep funding the $75M Spring Boulevard project -Increase the "Underperforming Intersections fund" -Protect "vehicular capacity" projects -Keep sales tax revenue out of neighborhoods

Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 2d ago

The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce is on board with increasing the sales tax and adding a car tab, with conditions: -Keep funding the $75M Spring Boulevard project -Increase the "Underperforming Intersections fund" -Protect "vehicular capacity" projects -Keep sales tax revenue out of neighborhoods

The Bellevue Chamber’s support is conditioned on the following being retained and enhanced within the Scenario 3 package: • Growth Corridor capital projects remain funded. TBD funding for Spring Blvd. Zone 3, 120th Ave. NE Stage 4, and the Bellevue Grand Connection should remain at levels sufficient to enable completion when combined with other funding sources. • The Underperforming Intersections fund is increased and focused on the Growth Corridor. Current funding appears sufficient for further analysis and environmental review, but not tomove several priority intersections through design and construction. We ask the Council to increase the fund and scope it to underperforming arterial intersections in the Growth Corridor, including the three named in our September 15 letter: 112th Ave./NE 10th St. (TFP-314), 116th Ave. NE/NE 4th St. (TFP-315), and 116th Ave. SE/SE 1st St. (TFP-316). Because the City’s revenue estimates have historically been conservative, we recommend dedicating the first $10 million of any sales tax collections above projection to the fund. • Vehicular capacity and existing transportation funding are protected. As Council has repeatedly directed, general vehicular capacity should not be reduced when adding bicycle facilities, except as a last resort, and the new revenue should not be used to redirect existing general transportation funding elsewhere. • Sales tax revenue is not shifted to neighborhood mobility programs. The added neighborhood investments in Scenario 3 should be paid for with car tab revenue. None of the Growth Corridor or arterial-intersection funding in Scenario 2 should be reduced or redirected to cover them.
Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 3d ago

The Bellevue Council is considering a potential 0.1% sales tax and $20 car tab for transportation in a budget work session tonight. Kemper Development is here asking for those new dollars to be focused on road capacity, calling bike and pedestrian improvements "lower demand infrastructure."

Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 2d ago

Siemens is showing off potential designs for the extra long Series 3 light rail vehicles that Sound Transit is in the process of procuring. An actual award isn't expected until next fall. www.trains.com/pro/passenge...

Longer trains could be one feature of next Siemens light rail equipment - Trains

CHICAGO — The next generation of Siemens light rail equipment could be substantially more, well, substantial than its precedessors. Siemens is preparing for the successor to its S700 light rail vehicle, the three-unit articulated trainset operating in Houston; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Portland, Ore.; Seattle; Sacramento, Calif.; and elsewhere. And one significant difference could be much longer [...]Read More...

trains.com

Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 3d ago

One takeaway from tonight: just one Bellevue CM (Jared Nieuwenhuis) thinks that the city spending 29% of new transportation revenue on pedestrian and bike infrastructure is too much.

Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 3d ago

The Bellevue Council is considering a potential 0.1% sales tax and $20 car tab for transportation in a budget work session tonight. Kemper Development is here asking for those new dollars to be focused on road capacity, calling bike and pedestrian improvements "lower demand infrastructure."

Ryan Packer@typewriteralley.bsky.social · 3d ago

The Bellevue Council is considering a potential 0.1% sales tax and $20 car tab for transportation in a budget work session tonight. Kemper Development is here asking for those new dollars to be focused on road capacity, calling bike and pedestrian improvements "lower demand infrastructure."