Push The Needle
@pushtheneedle.bsky.social
the closer we are physically, the closer we are socially.
Pinned
we shouldn’t divide our cities like TV dinners with zoning. we should plan cities like salads and mix everything up
Reposted by Push The Needle
We already allow mid-rise, single-stair, cross-ventilated, attached point access blocks with open stairways, sometimes even with small elevators! You just have to buy a giant townhouse to get it.
Cool 2015 development in Houston: 12 townhouses oriented around a brick courtyard on a 30,000 square foot lot, and right next to a row of mansions.
December 14, 2025 at 4:04 PM
We already allow mid-rise, single-stair, cross-ventilated, attached point access blocks with open stairways, sometimes even with small elevators! You just have to buy a giant townhouse to get it.
Reposted by Push The Needle
My least popular (and most correct) view is that cars should be automatically limited to the local speed limit. Put the pedal to the floor and you still can't go over 25mph in a residential area.
(15 in Manhattan btw)
(15 in Manhattan btw)
There is no possible justification for limiting e-bikes to 15mph but not cars.
New York Has a New E-Bike Speed Limit—and No Way to Enforce It
August 9, 2025 at 4:47 PM
My least popular (and most correct) view is that cars should be automatically limited to the local speed limit. Put the pedal to the floor and you still can't go over 25mph in a residential area.
(15 in Manhattan btw)
(15 in Manhattan btw)
Why don’t we send drivers on the “parallel side streets”? Who is more Yuppie, a driver or a guy on his bicycle pictured?
There's like a million parallel side streets that nobody is ever in, too... I mean yeah you get bottlenecked once or twice but...
Fucking yuppy asshole...
Fucking yuppy asshole...
December 14, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Why don’t we send drivers on the “parallel side streets”? Who is more Yuppie, a driver or a guy on his bicycle pictured?
This is a public street in Seattle.
December 13, 2025 at 9:30 PM
This is a public street in Seattle.
Case closed. Time to reform the codes to make infill midrise housing better and safer. Otherwise what’s the point of them?
Consultants contracted by Minnesota found that an eight-story single-stair building with 6,000 sq. ft. per floor (building 4) has dramatically lower fire risk than a same-height code-compliant two-stair building with a larger floor plate (building 1) www.dli.mn.gov/sites/defaul...
December 13, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Case closed. Time to reform the codes to make infill midrise housing better and safer. Otherwise what’s the point of them?
Biking on Aurora Avenue. Amazes me what infrastructure we accept as a city.
December 13, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Biking on Aurora Avenue. Amazes me what infrastructure we accept as a city.
I have also noticed that as a homeowner myself, I would get listened to because of that but then get disregarded by city staff and NIMBYs the moment I said I supported more apartments and infill housing. Every community meeting.
Housing affordability is important, but the idea that renters have less of a stake in their community and the country’s future is absolutely insidious and offensive.
Flagging this from the Douthat interview with Charlie Kirk’s confidant/podcast replacement. The right sees this too! And he gets: It’s both financial and psychological.
December 13, 2025 at 9:09 PM
I have also noticed that as a homeowner myself, I would get listened to because of that but then get disregarded by city staff and NIMBYs the moment I said I supported more apartments and infill housing. Every community meeting.
Finally have an explanation for Seattle NIMBYism
Narcissism + desire to be unique = conspiracy beliefs.
Yep, that fits.
Study: "...national narcissism is related to group-attributed need for uniqueness that goes hand in hand with conspiracy beliefs..."
Yep, that fits.
Study: "...national narcissism is related to group-attributed need for uniqueness that goes hand in hand with conspiracy beliefs..."
December 13, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Finally have an explanation for Seattle NIMBYism
Stop making fun of me
"Local safe streets advocate has more photos of bike lanes, crosswalks and intersections than of his family from recent vacation."
www.creativebyrovelo.com/therovelorec...
www.creativebyrovelo.com/therovelorec...
December 13, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Stop making fun of me
The Ballard line will generate 220,000 riders and will be the lowest cost per rider for any of the expansions. But of course transit always has to sacrifice rider experience to save $. Meanwhile, we are building a $10B dollar bridge between WA and OR nobody is talking about value engineering
NEW STORY // Eliminating Second Seattle Rail Tunnel Could Save $4.5B, But With Major Impacts, Delays
Story by Ryan Packer via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/13/e...
Story by Ryan Packer via @theurbanist.org // 🔗 www.theurbanist.org/2025/12/13/e...
Eliminating Second Seattle Rail Tunnel Could Save $4.5B, But With Major Impacts, Delays » The Urbanist
# The analysis, prompted by a request from King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci, looks at ways to get to Ballard without a new tunnel under Downtown Seattle. While the potential cost savings are...
www.theurbanist.org
December 13, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The Ballard line will generate 220,000 riders and will be the lowest cost per rider for any of the expansions. But of course transit always has to sacrifice rider experience to save $. Meanwhile, we are building a $10B dollar bridge between WA and OR nobody is talking about value engineering
Reposted by Push The Needle
This used to be a car park
December 13, 2025 at 4:17 PM
This used to be a car park
Because planners want you spread out into detached homes so their own homes they bought 30 years ago in walkable rediscovered urban cores become exclusive and more valuable.
American planning will micromanage the facade materials of infill five-over-one developments—something that is trivial and easy to change—and then sign off on junk like this—poor street and public space plans that will undermine the quality of life of residents for generations.
December 13, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Because planners want you spread out into detached homes so their own homes they bought 30 years ago in walkable rediscovered urban cores become exclusive and more valuable.
The best shared street is the one that doesn’t share itself with cars
A well-designed shared street can easily be upgraded to a fully pedestrian one.
December 13, 2025 at 5:29 AM
The best shared street is the one that doesn’t share itself with cars
Reposted by Push The Needle
US building codes requiring two stairs in multifamily buildings: not only worse living environments, but also more dangerous in fires! What a combination.
Consultants contracted by Minnesota found that an eight-story single-stair building with 6,000 sq. ft. per floor (building 4) has dramatically lower fire risk than a same-height code-compliant two-stair building with a larger floor plate (building 1) www.dli.mn.gov/sites/defaul...
December 12, 2025 at 10:58 PM
US building codes requiring two stairs in multifamily buildings: not only worse living environments, but also more dangerous in fires! What a combination.
We need a bypass track
December 12, 2025 at 10:42 PM
We need a bypass track
Isn’t “downtown” Federal Way just a mall?
Let’s just add “downtown Seattle” to the sign for funsies. Oops all downtowns!
December 12, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Isn’t “downtown” Federal Way just a mall?
Holy crap
Also, why aren’t regional airlines getting into regional HSR? If I saw those numbers I’d be like we need to diversify our portfolio
Also, why aren’t regional airlines getting into regional HSR? If I saw those numbers I’d be like we need to diversify our portfolio
I read this morning that Penn Station serves more than 2x passengers per day as Atlanta Hartfield, the country’s busiest airport. So I had to map them at the same scale. 🤯
December 12, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Holy crap
Also, why aren’t regional airlines getting into regional HSR? If I saw those numbers I’d be like we need to diversify our portfolio
Also, why aren’t regional airlines getting into regional HSR? If I saw those numbers I’d be like we need to diversify our portfolio
“I’m just here so I don’t get fined”
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell currently has his camera off during this discussion on the largest infrastructure project in city history, Ballard Link and its second downtown tunnel.
December 12, 2025 at 3:16 PM
“I’m just here so I don’t get fined”
Reposted by Push The Needle
Look at the central city riverfront of Portland. It's just so shocking and embarrassing that we tolerate this.
December 11, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Look at the central city riverfront of Portland. It's just so shocking and embarrassing that we tolerate this.
No zoning
No community review
No process
And looks great.
No community review
No process
And looks great.
Report on Sen̓áḵw progress from my morning ride into downtown, the crane for the second tower is getting taken down and now only serves the small round structure between tower two and three.
December 12, 2025 at 3:07 AM
No zoning
No community review
No process
And looks great.
No community review
No process
And looks great.
The street sucks, agree, but this park is completely lifeless and the city could change that.
It doesn't help that just to get there you need to cross 12+ lines of heavy traffic, tram line and a parking lot.
If I think about leisure activities; going through 24 lines of Mercer traffic is not it.
Aurora direction is not much better.
If I think about leisure activities; going through 24 lines of Mercer traffic is not it.
Aurora direction is not much better.
December 11, 2025 at 10:19 PM
The street sucks, agree, but this park is completely lifeless and the city could change that.
Yep. This is Seattle big time. Lake Union Park has great metaphors from a drone shot that nobody at ground level sees. It is completely lifeless, devoid of activity and recreation. Imagine if it had a huge playground, basketball & pickleball courts, and a mini soccer pitch?
December 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Yep. This is Seattle big time. Lake Union Park has great metaphors from a drone shot that nobody at ground level sees. It is completely lifeless, devoid of activity and recreation. Imagine if it had a huge playground, basketball & pickleball courts, and a mini soccer pitch?
The creative economy includes the architecture profession. Lower & mid level staff struggle to live here and actively have to work within parameters of pleasing permitting bureaucrats or face professional backlash, forcing support of design review and zoning—2 things that make Seatte unaffordable
Seattle's creative economy drives 18% of city GDP but artists can't afford to live here.
Randy Engstrom, co-leading Mayor-Elect Wilson's arts transition team, argues culture must be central to solving housing, education, and economic challenges - not treated as expendable when budgets get tight.
Randy Engstrom, co-leading Mayor-Elect Wilson's arts transition team, argues culture must be central to solving housing, education, and economic challenges - not treated as expendable when budgets get tight.
Seattle's Creative Economy at a Crossroads
Seattle's creative economy drives 18% of city GDP but artists can't afford to live here. Randy Engstrom, co-leading Mayor-Elect Wilson's arts transition team, argues culture must be central to solving...
www.officialhacksandwonks.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The creative economy includes the architecture profession. Lower & mid level staff struggle to live here and actively have to work within parameters of pleasing permitting bureaucrats or face professional backlash, forcing support of design review and zoning—2 things that make Seatte unaffordable
Can we stop calling everyone in the tech industry an ‘architect’?
Time Magazine puts the "architects of AI" on its Person of the Year cover time.com/7339685/pers...
December 11, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Can we stop calling everyone in the tech industry an ‘architect’?