Safe-streets investments do not need to be expensive or take a long time to construct. In this case, Spokane used flexposts to create a curb bulbout. The result? A much safer crossing experience for pedestrians at an extremely low cost!

Chicanes are a prime example of self-enforcing infrastructure design. ​Unlike a speed limit sign, which relies on voluntary compliance, a chicane uses physical geometry to dictate safe speeds. It removes the choice to speed.

I've been looking through old state transit reports recently, and was astounded at the fact that in 1976 Washington's intercity bus network carried 30 million passengers, half as many as every transit agency in the state at that time. Spokane had nearly 40 daily one way trips to different cities.

The Bike Walk Roll Summit is back Apr 1-3, 2026 in Wenatchee WA! We're so excited for our expert keynotes, Dr. Destiny Thomas and Wes Marshall @wesmars.bsky.social. Learn from our distinguished speakers how to create thriving communities. Register here: cascade.org/rides-events...

Grateful to #Spokane Council for approving 27 by 27.

transit riders on transit boards

"Mobility on Demand" is a means for local governments to subsidize their poor land use decisions with precious transit agency funds. To illustrate, operating cost per passenger @ Spokane Transit Authority in 2024 was $9.42. Fixed-route service efficiency increases as ridership does, MoD does not.

I am continually surprised by the impact and reach our little organization seems to have.

Thank you so much!

Nevada Street has seen three fatal crashes this year.

One of the most baffling things I’ve had to come to terms with since starting my advocacy journey is how invested local business leaders are in shooting themselves in the foot.

Wooooo!

Winning is always nice, but winning against such vehement opposition is next level. I’m going to be riding this high for a while.

I feel like it’s getting lost that driving downtown is a *CHOICE.* If you don’t want to pay a modest parking tax, don’t drive downtown! Take the bus! Walk! Bike! Take a scooter!

Hunter DePriest seems to be in favor of the tax because our current tax structure encourage land speculation - people buying plots of land, paying little to no tax on it, and sitting on it while waiting for it to increase in value so they can sell it. Parking lot owners "hold hostage," downtown land

And they openly admit that they’re just gonna pass it on to consumers anyway!

Lowe also said he thinks comments about the office vacancy rate are disingenuous because most of those vacancies are in three large buildings. "Sounds like a skill issue on the part of the business owners, none of which are located in WA state."

I’ve noticed that the loudest voices urging City Council to vote no on the Local Option Transportation Tax are wealthy property owners. They warn it will cut into their profit margin even though they make plenty from their flat parking lots already.

It is essential that our downtown leaders start telling a more positive, exciting, and forward-thinking vision for downtown, instead of focusing so often on what is wrong with it.

If you can make it, please come to tonight's Spokane City Council meeting at 6 PM at 808 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard.

My comments for tonight's city council meeting regarding the proposed commercial parking tax. It will be interesting to see if the council is able to pass this measure despite the overwhelming amount of pushback from Spokane's parking lot operators and reactionary business community.

Spokane’s streetcar system, circa 1923.

Cars are a policy failure.

More than 25% of downtown is parking, so City Council is proposing a commercial parking tax to help internalize the associated externalities—things like poor walkability and antisocial behavior. They vote next week. Please send them a quick note here urging their support!

"Iowa City eliminated bus fares in August 2023 with a goal of lowering emissions from cars and encouraging people to take public transit... Ridership has surpassed prepandemic levels by 18 percent. Bus drivers say they’re navigating less congested streets."

Free buses in Iowa City in the NYT! I was there a couple weeks ago and was surprised at how packed and how frequent the buses were for a city that size www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/c...

My comments for today's Spokane Transit Authority Board of Directors meeting:

You gotta pay more for houses with walkability because we don't build nearly enough of them... Walkability shouldn't be a "perk" It should be the default

While Spokane can’t yet levy a Land Value Tax due to state law, the city is trying to levy a sort of hyper-specific LVT on just the commercial parking facilities. Lots in our urban core are leeches on our municipal budget, paying pennies in property taxes compared to productive lots.

It’s fine and good to flag concerns if you’re working to address them. But the balance in too many cities has gotten out of whack. We see it all the time in Spokane. DSP should be downtown’s biggest boosters. But too often they’re in the media for the negative things they say about downtown.

If you’re wondering how the debate is going on the city’s parking tax ordinance, it’s this

It sure is neat to see the impact @spokanereimagined.org has had on the public discourse over the last two years.

@nondriver.bsky.social, Ilona Lohrey (GSBA), and I asked in the Seattle Times today for: "A parking corral system where, in busy areas around town, shared bikes and scooters must be parked in designated zones located on the street whenever physically possible." www.seattletimes.com/opinion/ok-c...

A place is a self fulfilling prophecy. Urban real estate tycoons used to know this when they sold bold visions of a place to the opposite end of 1000 mile railroad line

Despite the delayed vote, I'm glad to see Spokane's City Council isn't losing its resolve. www.spokesman.com/stories/2025...

Downtown business leaders’ hyperbolic reaction is what might deter customers, not the fact of the parking tax itself. I wrote about this phenomenon, in which these leaders are their own worst enemies, for the @inlander.com here:

Incredible that so many business leaders won’t pay for parking or subsidize transit for their employees.

My comments for tonight’s city council meeting regarding the proposed commercial parking tax. I sincerely hope the rumors I’ve heard of a delayed vote are incorrect.

More than 25% of downtown’s land area is parking. City Council is expected to vote TODAY on a new commercial parking tax that would help incentivize redevelopment and keep our transportation budget whole in a difficult budget year. Please send a quick note to them NOW urging a swift “yes” vote.

Use this tool to send a quick note to Spokane City Council urging them to pass a modest tax on commercial parking. Revenues will support our forward-thinking transportation program and help close our budget gap. (Yes, I know the sharing card has a typo, it’s unfixable unfortunately.)

Spokane’s City Council is debating a modest commercial parking tax to incentivize redevelopment downtown and hopefully help close a city budget deficit. Predictably, it has attracted a lot of hyperbolic opposition. Please send a quick note urging support:

Spokane is working on passing a new tax on commercial parking, which would help incentivize redevelopment and raise desperately-needed money for our forward-thinking transportation program. Please sign up to speak or send a quick note to your Councilmember!

You can sign up to speak via my.spokanecity.org/citycouncil/...

The message we just sent our mailing list asking members to join Spokane Reimagined in encouraging the city council to approve the proposed tax on commercial parking lots.

My latest for @rangemedia.co is an analysis of the ordinance Surface parking lots - aren’t housing - don’t create jobs or culture - pay almost no property tax - ruin walkability - are ugly - attract crime - send revenue out of our economy So yes, let’s tax them out of existence.

The Fed must set different interest rates in Spokane

Spokane has been killing it with housing reforms: eliminating parking minimums near transit increasing height maximums Reducing lot minimums THE RESULTS? The proof is in the puddin':

After three days of counting, it appears the $450 million Spokane Together bond-levy package is headed toward voter approval. SCHOOLS BOND (60% required): Yes: 34,238 (61.2%) No: 21,749 (38.9%) PARKS LEVY (50% required): Yes: 29,210 (55.2%) No: 23,734 (44.8%)