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The Urbanist

The Urbanist

The Urbanist 70 Episodes Apr 23, 2026

Amy Sundberg, Ryan Packer, and Doug Trumm of The Urbanist discuss the latest news and ideas related to improving cities and quality of life with a special focus on Seattle and the Puget Sound region.

Episodes

Bike Weekends, Ballard Marches, and Crisis Care Apr 23, 2026 3355 The Urbanist newsroom discusses the April headlines, including Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announcing a greatly expanded Bicycle Weekend schedule on Lake Washington Boulevard, hundreds of transit advocates marching to save Ballard light rail from the chopping block, and behind-the-scenes pushback against a Capitol Hill crisis case center from prominent landlords and business owners.
Crosslake 2 Line Opening Extravaganza Apr 3, 2026 3216 The Urbanist newsroom (Ryan Packer, Amy Sundberg, and Doug Trumm) discusses the big opening day for Sound Transit's crosslake 2 Line and what it means for the future of light rail expansion in the Seattle region. In a series of speeches from Sound Transit leaders, officials waxed poetic on the significance of the day and some argued it provided momentum as the agency heads into the next round
Final Push in Olympia and Candidate Launch Updates Mar 12, 2026 3017 The Urbanist's Ryan Packer, Amy Sundberg, and Doug Trumm discuss recent news out of Olympia, candidate campaign rollouts, and King County transportation funding woes. The crew also gives their recommendations for favorite outdoor festivals or seasonal events.Our latest dispatches on the Washington State Legislature include:Mosquito Fleet Act Runs Into Choppy Seas in the State SenateSound Tran
Social Housing and Wilson's Four Pillars of Affordability Feb 26, 2026 3358 The Urbanist’s newsroom — Doug Trumm, Ryan Packer, and Amy Sundberg — dive into recent headlines in a podcast episode covering:Katie Wilson's State of the City speech. (Read our story)An update on which bills are moving and which are dying at the Washington State Legislation.The Seattle Social Housing Developer's big moves, including huge proceeds in its first year with a dedicated reven
Crosslake Light Rail + Constitutional Crisis Feb 17, 2026 3400 In this episode of The Urbanist Podcast, our newsroom discusses what the 2 Line opening scheduled for March 28 means for the region, and what removing former committee chair Claudia Balducci from Systems Expansions Committee and Executive Committee means for Sound Transit.Hosts Ryan Packer, Amy Sundberg, and Doug Trumm also discuss the constitutional crisis created by a Department of Homeland Secu
Olympia Preview and a Highway Boondoggle Jan 22, 2026 3181 Ryan Packer, Amy Sundberg, and Doug Trumm of The Urbanist newsroom preview the session now underway at the Washington State Legislature in Olympia and break down the huge setback that the I-5 Interstate Bridge Replacement project was just dealt, via a massive cost jump pushing the budget near $20 billion.  Ryan recently covered a myriad of housing bills working their way through Olympia. Bills all
New Year, New Mayor, New Budget Jan 8, 2026 3180 The Urbanist’s Ryan Packer, Amy Sundberg, and Doug Trumm kick off the new year by breaking down Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson's inauguration ceremony and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson's supplemental budget proposal, which included deep cuts to public education, while also queuing up a millionaires income tax for 2029. The trio also make a few new year predictions and flag some big storie
A Light Rail Opening, a Police Accountability Door Closing, and Wilson's Transition Dec 18, 2025 3362 The Urbanist's newsroom dissects the biggest headlines of the last few weeks. Ryan Packer, Amy Sundberg, and Doug Trumm discuss the Federal Way Link light rail opening in early December, Katie Wilson's transition team and early hires, and the Seattle City Council's vote to approve a controversial labor contract with the Seattle Police Officers Guild. The contract again punts on long
Election Extravaganza: Puget Sound Progressives Prevail Nov 27, 2025 3024 The Urbanist Podcast is back after a hiatus, just in time to break down 2025 election results. Urbanist-endorsed Katie Wilson pulled off a comeback in late returns to win the Seattle Mayor race. In this episode, Urbanist publisher Doug Trumm and reporter Amy Sundberg discuss results in Seattle and other interesting races across the region, including Tacoma, Bellevue, Kirkland, and a progressive sw
The Urbanist's Future of Seattle Housing Panel Apr 29, 2025 6564 The Urbanist hosted a “Future of Seattle Housing” panel discussion on April 23rd, alongside Seattle YIMBY, at El Centro de la Raza in Beacon Hill. The panel was moderated by Doug Trumm, The Urbanist’s publisher, and our panelists are housing leaders in the private, non-profit, and public sectors:Patrick Cobb, developer, architect, and a founding partner of Stack, a firm specializing in urban infil
November Election Endorsements (and a fond farewell) Oct 6, 2023 2364 It's time to vote for Seattle City Council, a housing levy, and elected positions all over King County. The Urbanist has published its general election endorsements. Get out your ballots, use the endorsements to pick the best candidates, and make sure they're returned by November 7.In this episode, co-hosts Natalie Argerious and Ray Dubicki break down the issues facing Seattle in this el
All About 2023 Primary Endorsements Jul 14, 2023 2401 Primary election ballots are arriving in the mail and due by August 1st. In the run up The Urbanist Elections Committee has been hard at work prepping endorsements for what is shaping to be an exciting (and consequential) primary election. In this podcast episode, host and reporter Ray Dubicki chats with Election Committee members Rian Watt, Urbanist executive director, and Maya Ramakrishnan, evic

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