I got to witness the creation of a 2 Line hype video today, and my week is officially made.

Sounds like the launch of Sound Transit's full overnight service network is likely to be delayed, after the initial pilot of service between Downtown and SeaTac on Saturday. ST's contractors like Community Transit aren't yet prepared to run overnight service, and may not be ready until Q3 2027.

The Sound Transit board room is packed this afternoon with folks who want to keep ST3 on track.

Both Teresa Mosqueda and Katie Wilson are wearing shades of Issaquah purple at this Sound Transit board meeting. Coincidence?

Notably, the board isn't actually set to discuss the three cost cutting "approaches" put on the table during last week's retreat today. It looks like that will happen next week, in Dave Somers' Executive Committee.

Transit advocates have shown up to today's Sound Transit board meeting with a clear message to the board around keeping all ST3 projects on track. King County CM Teresa Mosqueda was among them, along with labor leaders.

What if we kissed...on the Twin Peaks streetcar?

2 Line Crosslake press ride is happening right now. Grand opening is Saturday!

This is the 2 Line, to Lynnwood City Center.

Good morning from Mercer Island station. Every reporter from the entire Seattle metropolitan region is about to cross a floating bridge on a light rail train for the first time ever.

When I moved to Seattle in 2006, there was no regional rail connection to anywhere. In two days, we open a connection that unites TWO LINES together into a full network. Progress is possible.

I still can't believe I'm going to be riding a light rail train across I-90 later today.

"There is no one walking on [Pike Place] in January or Feburary."

it always amazes me how much talk radio is just guys who have no fucking idea what they're talking about confidently asserting that they know more than every expert on every subject. doesn't matter what subject, they've "run the numbers" and confirmed their boring uninformed opinion

The Q&A is starting out with "more of a comment than a question" from a Highland Park resident who says HPW needs four lanes because the neighborhood is "growing growing growing." "You need to give precedence to the cars over the bikes, I'm sorry!" she says.

Good evening from the Southwest branch library where SDOT is attending a community meeting on the Highland Park Way SW safety project.

Tonight the Pike Place Market historical commission is approving SDOT's temporary vehicle barrier plan for the World Cup. "We've been told by our leadership that they want to make this permanent soon after the World Cup," SDOT's Radcliffe Dacanay just told the commission.

It's been a pretty nice day, I thought.

Today Bainbridge Island's hearing examiner dismissed an appeal that had been standing in the way of an ordinance permitting affordable housing projects close to the Winslow ferry terminal to be slightly larger than currently allowed. This decision opens a path for LIHI's project at 625 Winslow Way.

These are new.

If you're going to get paid to talk about Sound Transit, I'm going to expect you to know that a Smith Cove terminus for Ballard Link would not be "earlier" than a Seattle Center one. Talk radio punditry is such a wasteland. mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion...

I would legalize housing

The person trying to fly a kite right now at Cal Anderson is a great example of why I love my neighborhood.

SDOT has added a *third* option into the mix for Highland Park Way at W Marginal, which seems to seek to make everyone happy. The email touts "Increased Intersection Capacity", along with protection for the bike lane that extends to the intersection.

When is Portland Union Station going to get the glow up that it so richly deserves?

AI "reporters" reading out survey responses generated from synthetic respondents. We can all go home!

One of my strongest beliefs is that local elected officials should be expected to robustly review presentation materials ahead of public meetings, and the bulk of those meetings should be spent on follow-up questions and sustained discussion.

My latest about Mayor Wilson's surveillance announcement last week and the new state license plate reader bill.

Poor DuPont, voted yes on ST3 and is almost certainly getting its Sounder extension deferred.

Can't wait for Saturday.

I'm a lot less worried about finding the cost savings and finance tools that will allow us to build all of Ballard Link than I am about Seattle's frequent bus routes being cut to 30 minute service in 2032 because of Metro's reserves running out.

King County has produced a more complete picture of what the sales tax changes included in the Millionaires' Tax bill look like for county revenue: a $93 million hit in 2029 that ultimately grows from there. As you can see, Metro is the largest county division that would be impacted by this hit.

Meanwhile, over in Mercer Island, residents are arguing they should be able to opt out of state-mandated parking reforms because the streets in their neighborhood are too narrow. One resident last week argued off-street parking should be mandated because of a "pedestrian heavy culture."

Washington's elevator reform bill is getting signed this morning.

According to the Wallingford Community Council, there's a new "networking organization" for the heads of Seattle's community councils currently being formed called the Seattle Neighborhood Alliance. "There is no political alignment at this time."

In which we report Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin's comments on deferring West Seattle Link because of her perceptions of the area's demographics, despite the fact that there's clearly no conflict between getting to West Seattle and getting to Everett right now.

The headlines coming out of last week's Sound Transit board retreat were bleak, no doubt about it. But the work to prioritize shovel-ready projects and get ST3 back on track is getting less attention. www.theurbanist.org/three-more-t...

Another support beam of our free society falls into the nonconstitutional wood chipper of qualified immunity

Me, watching the Paris election results: I wish we had more Emmanuel Grégoires in the US. Them: we have a Gregoire at home. The Gregoire at home:

Paris 🤝 Pioneer Square

I really think the Portland Art Museum may have lapped the Seattle Art Museum with their most recent renovation.

THE BIG ONE: The left has kept Paris. Emmanuel Gregoire has won a 3-way runoff, beating conservative challenger Rachida Dati. Gregoire is from the center-left PS, the party of the retiring incumbent Anne Hidalgo (well known among US urbanists).

I love Mike's incisive commentary

We have our first look at potential shared street signage in Seattle, from SDOT's plan for Pike Place after the legislation implementing SB 5595 is approved by the city council. [FOR DISCUSSION ONLY]

Today at 10:45am, another child was struck by a driver in this intersection in Federal Way. Hit-and-run and sounds like injuries were minor. That is at least the fourth child struck in this intersection in the last five months.

Howdy, Portland.

"My view is that Oregon and Washington freeway fighters should see the project phasing as an opportunity, not a victory."

The second round of Washington's e-bike rebate program is opening for applications on March 30. links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2...

That's not the only effort! There's a whole register of financial changes Sound Transit is considering. They do know if they ask the legislature for money they'll get told to pound sand.

The Sound Transit news this week is absolutely not great. But there are actually reasons to be optimistic. -The board (apart from Cassie Franklin) is clearly wary of pulling projects out of the current planning queue. If West Seattle stays on track, that bodes well for the future of ST3 overall.