NEW STORY // WSDOT Eyes Major Transformation for SR 99 in Snohomish County Story by Ryan Packer via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/06/w...

After becoming infamous in the Washington state senate as a backstop against progressive legislation from 2012 to 2024, Mark Mullet is now Issaquah's mayor.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson is again focused on cuts to close a state budget shortfall, estimated at $2.3 billion for 2026. While he did signal support for an income tax on millionaires, his proposal would not begin collecting revenue until 2029. Story: www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/05/f...

Police chief Shon Barnes just appointed Sarah Smith, a top public safety advisor to former mayor Bruce Harrell (and a deputy of Harrell's public safety director Natalie Walton-Anderson) as his Chief Operating Officer, replacing Brian Maxey.

Of course Mayor Wilson is spending her first Monday in office cleaning up a media mess created by SPOG and Solan. What a shock.

The 2019 library levy promised an extension of open hours to 9pm at most branches four days a week, but we never got there.

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I'm back at work! In this piece I analyze Governor Ferguson's proposed 2026 supplemental budget, which is balanced with cuts cuts cuts and a little help from the state's emergency fund and climate dollars.

More good news: Sales at Pike Place Market were up 7.2% in October! Or to quote the PDA's own words the market has had "exceptional sales performance of our tenants." (pikeplacemarket.community.highbond.com/document/fd1...) 📈 So far every month of the pedestrianization pilot sales have been up!

HB 2100 would prevent these deep cuts to healthcare and higher education; and last week I confirmed with Washington’s Employment Security Department that it could be implemented as soon as 2026. We can’t wait.

NEW STORY // Ferguson’s 2026 Budget Queues Steep Cuts, Pushes Millionaires Tax to 2029 Story by Amy Sundberg via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/05/f...

NEW // Sunday Video: The 15 Million Home Vacancy Conspiracy Theory Debunked Sunday video: www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/04/s...

NEW // Sunday Video: The 15 Million Home Vacancy Conspiracy Theory Debunked Sunday video: www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/04/s...

My writeup on yesterday: Katie Wilson Takes Office as Seattle’s Unabashed Urbanist Mayor www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/03/k...

NEW STORY // Katie Wilson Takes Office as Seattle’s Unabashed Urbanist Mayor Story by Ryan Packer via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/03/k...

Most of the costs of operating the streetcar network are now hidden inside the Seattle Transit Measure, and it will fall to Katie Wilson to decide whether to keep it that way. Or use that funding for other transit projects.

It's wild that the First Hill Streetcar was a consolation prize for losing a light rail station but Sound Transit only agreed to pitch in on the cost of operating it for less than a full decade.

“Tacoma is eyeing impact fees to pay for portions of long-planned street upgrades that would have a big impact on the ability for city residents and visitors to get around without a car, including pedestrian and bicycle upgrades…”

This is your city — that means that you belong here, you have a right to be here and to live a dignified life, whatever your background and whatever your income. wilson.seattle.gov/2026/01/02/m...

Tacoma's new impact fee regime will charge developers based on expected generation of car trips. Despite work to delicately calibrate the new fees, the proposal still drew criticism when it comes to adding costs to needed housing development. Story: www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/02/t...

"A city that values the pursuits that create beauty and community, whether or not they ever turn into careers. A city that thinks you should have time to read a book and lay on the grass looking up at the clouds." -Katie Wilson

"The thing about cities is that there is never just one story to be told about them." - @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social

Katie B. Wilson has just taken her oath of office and been sworn in as Seattle’s 58th mayor.

a Somali PhD student and transit activist is the first speaker ahead of mayor @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social inauguration — beautiful stuff

You can join online for the livestream swearing-in ceremony of Seattle Mayor Katie B. Wilson. Livestream link: youtube.com/watch?v=NC98EINot1k&pp=uAQw

Good morning from Seattle City Hall, where we're just over an hour away from Katie Wilson being sworn in as the city's mayor.

The Mayor of Seattle website cutover seems to have been completed. It now shows Katie Wilson as mayor. seattle.gov/mayor

NEW STORY // Tacoma Turns to Builder Impact Fees to Bolster Transportation Funding Story by Ryan Packer via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/02/t...

If you can't make it down to City Hall, you can watch live here starting at 10am: seattlechannel.org/watch-live

Who'll be administering the oath of office today? Pauline Van Senus, also known as Seattle's Transit Fairy.

Zohran is singlehandedly killing left-NIMBYism we love to see it

The Urbanist covered a lot of ground in 2025 from high-speed rail advancement and new shared street laws to housing growth appeals and parking mandates reform. Doug Trumm runs through our most popular stories of the year. 2025 in review: www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/01/t...

NEW STORY // The Urbanist’s Most Popular Stories of 2025 Story by Doug Trumm via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/01/t...

Seattle is not mayorless; Katie Wilson officially took office automatically at midnight, but her ceremonial swearing-in isn't until tomorrow morning so this is a weird liminal time.

Wikipedia users got to work quick on updating Seattle mayoral details. The change on the Seattle page was made at 8:20am GMT today (12:20am local time). (And no, we didn't do it.)

Happy New Year’s Eve! 🎇 ⏰ It’s a good day and night for transit! We have a rundown on transit options for today and tomorrow. 🚌 🚎 🚃 🚊 🚆 🚝 Have a safe evening and treat yourself well as we move into the New Year! 🕊️ Details: www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/31/p...

The legislature asked WSDOT to pilot Wi-Fi service at Washington State Ferries, and the department is moving forward with plans to try out service at the Bremerton terminal as well as on board the MV Chimacum. wsdot.wa.gov/sites/defaul...

Happy New Year’s Eve! 🎇 ⏰ It’s a good day and night for transit! We have a rundown on transit options for today and tomorrow. 🚌 🚎 🚃 🚊 🚆 🚝 Have a safe evening and treat yourself well as we move into the New Year! 🕊️ Details: www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/31/p...

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In late January, there will be a two-day hearing to determine whether buildings with 100% affordable housing in Bainbridge Island should be allowed to be slightly taller than otherwise allowed. This is tying up an actual project. www.theurbanist.org/2025/10/24/b...

NEW STORY // Puget Sound Agencies Offer Fare-Free Transit on New Year’s Eve Story by Stephen Fesler via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/31/p...

I'm reading through WSDOT's evaluation of its highway work zone speed camera pilot, and this part jumped out at me: they saw I-5 speeds drop just after putting out a trailer and holding media events to discuss future camera usage.

Seattle’s next Mayor, Katie Wilson, joined Today, Explained for an interview last week. www.vox.com/podcasts/473...

It’s December 30th. Pike Place Market is packed with people awkwardly standing or sitting on the curb to eat treats from vendors. Removing the street seating for the winter was a mistake. Seattle has a mild climate with days where people want to sit and linger year round

2025 was a pivotal year for the Seattle region and for The Urbanist. Voters elected more urbanists to office than ever before, and The Urbanist also made strides as an organization. Let's look back on the year that was, as we forge ahead. Story: www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/29/l...

NEW STORY // Looking Back on The Urbanist’s 2025 Story by Doug Trumm via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/29/l...

Transit unlocks housing. Freeways destroy it.

NEW // Op-Ed: Seattle’s Path to Fund Inclusionary Zoning and Boost Homebuilding Op-ed by Ron Davis // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/30/o...

Apparently the Yakima streetcar system may not survive into 2026 after its operating agreement expires at the end of this year. The Yakima Council declined to take action on this issue earlier this month, pushing it off into the new year.