NPI's Cascadia Advocate

Offering commentary and analysis from Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's uplifting perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Category Archives: Public Planning

NPI poll finds that most likely Seattle City Council #3 voters feel safe in their community

Excerpt: 64% of 327 likely November 2023 voters surveyed from Tuesday, October 31st, until Friday, November 3rd told NPI they feel safe in their neighborhood community.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Sound Transit begins pre-revenue light rail testing on the Eastside, opens RTS garage

Excerpt: In the latest sign that the Eastside's long wait for light rail service is nearing an end, Sound Transit this week began pre-revenue testing on the future 2 Line between Bellevue and Redmond and invited the public to begin using the Redmond Technology Station garage in the heart of the Microsoft campus.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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An ethnolinguistic view of King County’s evolution over the last two hundred years

Excerpt: King County is a place that encompasses not just land but the stories of diverse lives that have shaped its past and continue to shape its present and future. Nestled in the heart of Washington state, King County holds within its boundaries the bustling metropolis of Seattle, a city known not only for the iconic Space Needle but also for its role as a melting pot of cultures, ideas, and histories.
Written by:Subhadra Vadlamannati
Other Categories:Civil Liberties, Policy Topics
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Sound Transit opens Hilltop Link extension to riders on sun-filled Saturday in Tacoma

Excerpt: Experience or relive the ribbon cutting for Hilltop Link, an extension of the T-Line streetcar system in the City of Destiny.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Trainspotting with NPI: Light rail vehicles roll into Redmond for daytime Line 2 testing

Excerpt: View some incredible videos of trains rolling into Redmond for daytime Link light rail testing - and get ready to travel light in 2024!
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Taking Hilltop Link for a test spin: This is what it was like to ride up to St. Joseph in Tacoma

Excerpt: In advance of the grand opening on Saturday morning, Sound Transit kindly offered a preview ride for agency boardmembers and representatives of media organizations. CEO Julie Timm and senior agency staff were present to talk about the new streetcar vehicles and stations, and did a great job explaining the history of the project and the obstacles Sound Transit overcame to get it built.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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A public bank could help Washington tackle the growing threat of climate damage

Excerpt: If Washington is going to deal seriously with the impacts of global warming, including making the necessary investments throughout the state, then it should embrace the promise and potential of public banking.
Written by:Marco Rosaire Rossi
Other Categories:Economic Security, Policy Topics
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Sound Transit Board agrees to open Redmond to Bellevue segment of East Link in 2024

Excerpt: The East Link extension, approved as part of Sound Transit Phase II in 2008, will connect Bellevue and Redmond to Mercer Island and Seattle when complete. Defective construction on the cross-lake segment (which is necessitating a do-over of some work) prompted the agency to rethink the original opening plans.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Medical Lake ordered to evacuate as fast-spreading Gray Fire consumes structures

Excerpt: The blaze was one of three fires burning in Eastern Washington near Spokane as the weekend of August 18th-20th, 2023 began.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Breaking News, Our Environment, Policy Topics
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Must-read InvestigateWest story documents how Master Builders influenced the drafting of Seattle’s latest tree ordinance

Excerpt: Read NPI's commentary on a lengthy expose published by InvestigateWest that documents how the Master Builders influenced the drafting and development of Seattle's 2023 tree ordinance.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Our Environment, Policy Topics
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Spokane inaugurates service on City Line, its first bus rapid transit route

Excerpt: The service is a six-mile long bus rapid transit line that begins in Browne’s Addition, a historic neighborhood near Spokane’s Downtown area, and winds through downtown and the Gonzaga University District, all the way to Spokane Falls Community College.
Written by:Caya Berndt
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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A new Seattle-area airport isn’t feasible — let’s focus on conservation and high speed rail

Excerpt: There is no "acceptable site" for a big brand new airport anywhere in this region, and no amount of research, planning, or consultation can change that. The state could spend a fortune on more studies and outreach and it wouldn't make a difference.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Seattle voters favor multifamily apartments anywhere in the city for social housing

Excerpt: 65% of 651 likely special election voters surveyed by Change Research for NPI in advance of Seattle's February 2023 special election said they are strongly or somewhat supportive of allowing multifamily apartment buildings to be built anywhere in the city to provide housing for people working in professions like teaching, while 30% said they were opposed. 5% said that they were not sure.
Written by:Andrew Villeneuve
Other Categories:Policy Topics
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Housing policy leaders discuss ways to get people into homes at 2023 YDWA Convention

Excerpt: Read a recap of the 2023 Young Democrats of Washington Convention's housing-focused panel, which brought together local and state leaders in Spokane for a conversation moderated by NPI's Kamil Zaidi.
Written by:Caya Berndt
Other Categories:Events, Policy Topics
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