Owen
@owenpick.bsky.social
Seattle based, (mostly) earnest poster.
This matches my experience and it's maddening because most of these elected roles are complete dead ends. These people aren't pivoting from mayor to Senate or something.
So what's the point if you don't want to do anything??
So what's the point if you don't want to do anything??
Mamdani seems like a prog willing to ruffle feathers to pass good government reforms.
Dean Preston was a prog who was unwilling to do this
Like 90% of local elected Dems are mod Dems unwilling to ruffle feathers.
Dean Preston was a prog who was unwilling to do this
Like 90% of local elected Dems are mod Dems unwilling to ruffle feathers.
November 30, 2025 at 2:14 AM
This matches my experience and it's maddening because most of these elected roles are complete dead ends. These people aren't pivoting from mayor to Senate or something.
So what's the point if you don't want to do anything??
So what's the point if you don't want to do anything??
Reposted by Owen
Somehow I'd never seen this visual representation of all of the different alignments for Federal Way Link along SR 99 that were under consideration, with the transitions between trenches and elevated segments shown so strikingly.
(We didn't pick any of these, and built it next to I-5 instead)
(We didn't pick any of these, and built it next to I-5 instead)
November 30, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Somehow I'd never seen this visual representation of all of the different alignments for Federal Way Link along SR 99 that were under consideration, with the transitions between trenches and elevated segments shown so strikingly.
(We didn't pick any of these, and built it next to I-5 instead)
(We didn't pick any of these, and built it next to I-5 instead)
Reposted by Owen
I feel like the two dimensional political compass for local elected democrats are:
1. Mod or Prog
2. Interested in solving any local problems whatsoever vs deferring to local gatekeeper assholes.
1. Mod or Prog
2. Interested in solving any local problems whatsoever vs deferring to local gatekeeper assholes.
It’s incredibly funny people flipped out about a guy running the most standard ass municipal government policy playbook imaginable.
Soon small businesses won’t have to wait for Small Business Saturday to get attention from their Mayor.
Some changes that they can look forward to:
Some changes that they can look forward to:
November 29, 2025 at 11:46 PM
I feel like the two dimensional political compass for local elected democrats are:
1. Mod or Prog
2. Interested in solving any local problems whatsoever vs deferring to local gatekeeper assholes.
1. Mod or Prog
2. Interested in solving any local problems whatsoever vs deferring to local gatekeeper assholes.
Reposted by Owen
Some people live in the 21st century.
Inter-city rail with charging for e-bikes on-board. Love you, Italy.
November 29, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Some people live in the 21st century.
Reposted by Owen
Oregon's new statewide model zoning code includes a huge density bonus for community land trust & limited or shared equity co-op homes if all are affordable at up to 120% of median income.
Putting land into shared ownership for 90+ years gives you 3 additional stories, up to a total of 6!
Putting land into shared ownership for 90+ years gives you 3 additional stories, up to a total of 6!
November 27, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Oregon's new statewide model zoning code includes a huge density bonus for community land trust & limited or shared equity co-op homes if all are affordable at up to 120% of median income.
Putting land into shared ownership for 90+ years gives you 3 additional stories, up to a total of 6!
Putting land into shared ownership for 90+ years gives you 3 additional stories, up to a total of 6!
Reposted by Owen
The assessed value of Broadmoor & Sandpoint Golf Courses has been <$1/sq ft since 1983 even while Seattle property has increased 2000-2400%. KCAssessor claimed value of private courses was transferred to the CC homes. It's not. We need to eminent domain the courses @councilmember-amr.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The assessed value of Broadmoor & Sandpoint Golf Courses has been <$1/sq ft since 1983 even while Seattle property has increased 2000-2400%. KCAssessor claimed value of private courses was transferred to the CC homes. It's not. We need to eminent domain the courses @councilmember-amr.bsky.social
In the same way immigration moderates a country's worst politics and directly improves material outcomes...
Urban housing construction has the same effects.
Urban housing construction has the same effects.
November 28, 2025 at 4:10 PM
In the same way immigration moderates a country's worst politics and directly improves material outcomes...
Urban housing construction has the same effects.
Urban housing construction has the same effects.
Moving chains research continues to be the most compelling research I've seen on the benefits of new housing.
The abstract benefits we talk about are captured with real examples of people getting direct and nearly immediate material improvements from privately constructed housing.
The abstract benefits we talk about are captured with real examples of people getting direct and nearly immediate material improvements from privately constructed housing.
Interesting new working paper that studies chains of movers after the construction of a new apartment building in Honolulu.
Paper finds that the project resulted in the opening up other, lower cost, housing on the island, benefiting the housing market overall.
Paper finds that the project resulted in the opening up other, lower cost, housing on the island, benefiting the housing market overall.
uhero.hawaii.edu
November 28, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Moving chains research continues to be the most compelling research I've seen on the benefits of new housing.
The abstract benefits we talk about are captured with real examples of people getting direct and nearly immediate material improvements from privately constructed housing.
The abstract benefits we talk about are captured with real examples of people getting direct and nearly immediate material improvements from privately constructed housing.
I think my ideal compromise outcome here would be...
1) some sort of state preemption on levels of business taxes -- like how we cap property and sales tax
2) with a meaningful state level progressive tax.
1) some sort of state preemption on levels of business taxes -- like how we cap property and sales tax
2) with a meaningful state level progressive tax.
Best outcome IMO would be local pressure leading to a compromise at the state or regional level.
November 28, 2025 at 3:13 PM
I think my ideal compromise outcome here would be...
1) some sort of state preemption on levels of business taxes -- like how we cap property and sales tax
2) with a meaningful state level progressive tax.
1) some sort of state preemption on levels of business taxes -- like how we cap property and sales tax
2) with a meaningful state level progressive tax.
The 36th continues to be Seattle's most confounding district IMO
If you were wondering about Seattle mayor results by district...
November 28, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The 36th continues to be Seattle's most confounding district IMO
We're having "whomst" discourse again.
This is apparently necessary when talking about building housing but unnecessary when blocking housing.
This is apparently necessary when talking about building housing but unnecessary when blocking housing.
While @resnikoff.bsky.social's article has some valid criticism, part of the challenge underscored here is that the YIMBY movement needs to continue to engage with justice orgs and listen to the lived experiences in dialogue. Swooping in and telling communities what to think is the wrong approach.
November 28, 2025 at 2:48 PM
We're having "whomst" discourse again.
This is apparently necessary when talking about building housing but unnecessary when blocking housing.
This is apparently necessary when talking about building housing but unnecessary when blocking housing.
Reposted by Owen
What's this? A new Urbanist podcast? 😉
@metropolitanglide.bsky.social and I talked about this month's election. Fair warning, we could have easily talked for another hour, there was so much to cover.
@metropolitanglide.bsky.social and I talked about this month's election. Fair warning, we could have easily talked for another hour, there was so much to cover.
We're excited to announce that The Urbanist has relaunched a podcast, in partnership with KVRU 105.7 FM.
In the first episode, @metropolitanglide.bsky.social and @amysundberg.bsky.social break down this month's election results.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/11/27/u...
In the first episode, @metropolitanglide.bsky.social and @amysundberg.bsky.social break down this month's election results.
www.theurbanist.org/2025/11/27/u...
Urbanist Podcast Election Extravaganza: Puget Sound Progressives Prevail » The Urbanist
# The Urbanist Podcast is back after a hiatus, just in time to break down 2025 election results. In this episode, Urbanist publisher Doug Trumm and reporter Amy Sundberg discuss what happened in Seatt...
www.theurbanist.org
November 27, 2025 at 7:44 PM
What's this? A new Urbanist podcast? 😉
@metropolitanglide.bsky.social and I talked about this month's election. Fair warning, we could have easily talked for another hour, there was so much to cover.
@metropolitanglide.bsky.social and I talked about this month's election. Fair warning, we could have easily talked for another hour, there was so much to cover.
Reposted by Owen
So @seattledot.bsky.social created a newly legal left turn for a driveway across a bus lane and consistently backed up car lane on Rainier. Their own stats show left turns are one of the most dangerous driving maneuvers. Was this project reviewed by the Vision Zero team?
November 26, 2025 at 4:20 PM
So @seattledot.bsky.social created a newly legal left turn for a driveway across a bus lane and consistently backed up car lane on Rainier. Their own stats show left turns are one of the most dangerous driving maneuvers. Was this project reviewed by the Vision Zero team?
NIMBYs oppose *all* housing -- often on aesthetic grounds. The difference with dense housing is that we don't permit it by right.
NEW PAPER w/ @cselmendorf.bsky.social & @jkalla.bsky.social:
An under-appreciated reason why voters oppose dense new housing, especially in less-dense neighborhoods: they think it looks ugly and want to prevent that, even in other neighborhoods.
Some of what we think is NIMBYism might not be!
An under-appreciated reason why voters oppose dense new housing, especially in less-dense neighborhoods: they think it looks ugly and want to prevent that, even in other neighborhoods.
Some of what we think is NIMBYism might not be!
November 26, 2025 at 3:49 AM
NIMBYs oppose *all* housing -- often on aesthetic grounds. The difference with dense housing is that we don't permit it by right.
Reposted by Owen
"And, in her most specific pledge, she wants a bus lane on Denny for the chronically late No. 8 Metro route."
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
Seattle’s next mayor is willing to meet with anyone, including Trump
Katie Wilson wants a mayor's office that reaches out proactively, that has open lines to grassroots organizations and that builds political support from the ground up.
www.seattletimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:26 PM
"And, in her most specific pledge, she wants a bus lane on Denny for the chronically late No. 8 Metro route."
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
The state now requires higher density housing around high quality transit.
If DOTs aren't designing streets to *reduce* traffic volume, transit investments are directly increasing the total VMT.
If DOTs aren't designing streets to *reduce* traffic volume, transit investments are directly increasing the total VMT.
November 25, 2025 at 7:40 PM
The state now requires higher density housing around high quality transit.
If DOTs aren't designing streets to *reduce* traffic volume, transit investments are directly increasing the total VMT.
If DOTs aren't designing streets to *reduce* traffic volume, transit investments are directly increasing the total VMT.
Cutting stuff seems pretty much inevitable at this point so the real question IMO is if the design will be flexible enough for future expansions.
My main takeaway from this event is that dropping Avalon Station is as good as a done deal.
I'm having a hard time figuring out who the audience for this West Seattle light rail visioning event is. After remarks by CM Mosqueda and Dow Constantine, Sound Transit is presenting board-level info (what's a "tail track"?).
This would be a good onboarding briefing for a new board member but...
This would be a good onboarding briefing for a new board member but...
November 25, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Cutting stuff seems pretty much inevitable at this point so the real question IMO is if the design will be flexible enough for future expansions.
Good thread on planning that's happening around Judkins park.
This illustrates how status quo planning results in billion dollar *transit* investments that actually *increase* the number of cars on the road.
This illustrates how status quo planning results in billion dollar *transit* investments that actually *increase* the number of cars on the road.
Why are we assuming that we want to maintain car volumes? To meet our climate, public health and road safety goals as a city, there is no reason any on or off ramp in #Seattle should require multiple lanes. #Rainier
If you want to be angry, watch (starts at 1:05): youtu.be/Lr-C4k0EEf4?...
If you want to be angry, watch (starts at 1:05): youtu.be/Lr-C4k0EEf4?...
Judkins Park Community Advisory Group Meeting 4
YouTube video by wsdot
youtu.be
November 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Good thread on planning that's happening around Judkins park.
This illustrates how status quo planning results in billion dollar *transit* investments that actually *increase* the number of cars on the road.
This illustrates how status quo planning results in billion dollar *transit* investments that actually *increase* the number of cars on the road.
Reposted by Owen
I know some of my more hawkish/R2P mutuals disagree with me here but I stand by this piece, especially with Venezuela ramping up
Regime Change Is Still Illiberal
Few words have become more loaded in the vocabulary of American international relations than ‘regime change’. As documents regarding the origins of the Iraq war became public, it became clear that it...
www.liberalcurrents.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:13 PM
I know some of my more hawkish/R2P mutuals disagree with me here but I stand by this piece, especially with Venezuela ramping up
As we talk about the next administration, I think this passage from @seattlebikeblog.com superbly articulates the stakes, opportunity and impact.
![Summary of pictured text:
vanished for the SDOT team working on the bike lane. They suddenly had access to a full-time project designer, and their calls to all the other teams within SDOT became priority calls. The mayor wanted this done in just five months, so every team at SDOT needed to work together to make it happen. "You need to have a director who gets it. You need a [city] council that gets it. You need a mayor that gets it," said Sam Woods, head of SDOT's Bicycle Program at the time, in an interview for this book. "Mayor Murray did more for biking in Seattle than any other mayor," she said.
... Woods was having a hard time figuring out if SDOT would be able to install bicycle traffic signals along with the new bike lane. ... it was important that people in cars trying to turn left would have a red light when the bike lane had a green light. But it wasn't clear whether the existing traffic signal system had the capacity to add a new set of signals. ... Woods's first couple of tries to get an answer from the sig-nals team didn't result in a clear answer. But when SDOT Director Scott Kubly called with Woods on the line, the signals team said they could make it happen. "You have to have, at the director level, that kind of support," said Woods. "Because that person was willing to jump through hoops for him, but not for me." People in any organization are going to answer more quickly to their boss than to someone else. "When you get that direction from the top, people fall in line."
It's hard to fully explain what it's like to ride in this new bike lane that was so transformational to Seattle. ... But in a video I shot on the new bike lane's opening day in September 2014, the street looked like it was from a different universe.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:udp5knsxol66kisgtzpll3ju/bafkreidicziisihrshdeuwtt7d3dujktqadutp5ou233h2t4vbvb7ukpj4@jpeg)
November 24, 2025 at 4:15 PM
As we talk about the next administration, I think this passage from @seattlebikeblog.com superbly articulates the stakes, opportunity and impact.
Reposted by Owen
November 23, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Reposted by Owen
Continuity can be good, and there are Harrell administration leaders who have earned a chance to continue, but @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social should accept Adiam Emery’s resignation, and appoint a new interim SDOT director to serve while she conducts a national search.
November 23, 2025 at 7:41 AM
Continuity can be good, and there are Harrell administration leaders who have earned a chance to continue, but @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social should accept Adiam Emery’s resignation, and appoint a new interim SDOT director to serve while she conducts a national search.
If people choose suburban housing because you get more space per dollar, what do these graphics tell you?
WATCH: If you STILL don’t understand how car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtown & all the urban parts of your city, watch this EXCELLENT video by @notjustbikes with @UrbanThree & @StrongTowns. And then please SHARE it as much as possible. youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI
November 22, 2025 at 5:58 PM
If people choose suburban housing because you get more space per dollar, what do these graphics tell you?
There's a broadly assumed trope that large projects make trade offs between being fast, cheap or high quality.
But I increasingly think that it's the opposite. Agencies that do things faster, also tend to get cheaper projects that are even better quality!
But I increasingly think that it's the opposite. Agencies that do things faster, also tend to get cheaper projects that are even better quality!
On the flip side, you can save significant money by reducing durations through shortening construction phasing.
November 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
There's a broadly assumed trope that large projects make trade offs between being fast, cheap or high quality.
But I increasingly think that it's the opposite. Agencies that do things faster, also tend to get cheaper projects that are even better quality!
But I increasingly think that it's the opposite. Agencies that do things faster, also tend to get cheaper projects that are even better quality!
Reposted by Owen
On the flip side, you can save significant money by reducing durations through shortening construction phasing.
November 22, 2025 at 2:26 PM
On the flip side, you can save significant money by reducing durations through shortening construction phasing.