Doug MacDonald is a pedestrian activist who lives in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood. He served as the Secretary of Transportation for Washington state from 2001 until his retirement in 2007.
There are some encouraging signs, but tolls can't work as well as possible without more flexibility and wider adoption. And cross-lake efficiencies also require much more flexibility in transit than reliance on light rail.
One of our deep-dive writers makes a pitch: "For the reading and the writing I thirst for, Crosscut is unique and, I fear, irreplaceable."
An international conference in Seattle gathers ideas about how roads and the environment interact. One big takeaway: pay more attention to the needs of wildlife to cross the mighty web of roadways.
The old Milwaukee Road tunnel under Snoqualmie Pass, thought to be closed for good, reopens on July 5 to hikers. It's the longest railway tunnel in the country that is a recreational trail. Here's a preview, as well as a review of railroad and cross-Cascades lore.
Two political problems this good idea faces: getting carpoolers to pay for express lanes, since they now ride free; and finding the political staying power to let an innovative idea prove itself.
