Underground Sneak Peak: Northgate-UW Tunnel Dig Almost Finished

Seattle Times | Mike Lindblom | August 17

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/northgate-uw-tunnel-dig-almost-finished/

“Sound Transit’s contractors are only 650 feet from the finish line of a seven-mile marathon dig to extend its light-rail tunnel from the University of Washington to Northgate. A tunnel-boring machine is crawling south under the Burke-Gilman Trail and should emerge next to Husky Stadium in about 10 days, project director Brad Cowles said Wednesday, shouting over the roar of conveyor belts moving out dirt at the site. Digging began in mid-2014. The 4.3-mile corridor, which includes a short elevated section, twin tunnels and three stations — U District, Roosevelt and Northgate — is scheduled to open in September 2021.”

 

City of Seattle Awards $320,000 to Programs Bringing Tech to Underserved Communities

GeekWire | Clare McGrane | August 18

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/city-seattle-awards-320000-programs-bringing-tech-underserved-communities/

“While Seattle is renowned for its role as a global tech hub, many communities in the city still have little or no access to technology. For citizens who are homeless, members of refugee communities, or simply down on their luck, accessing technology developed just down the street can be a huge struggle. Two years ago, the City of Seattle launched theDigital Equity initiative to combat this tech gap, and today the city announced the most recent addition to that initiative. The city will award $320,000 to 10 programs aimed at increasing digital equity among underrepresented Seattle citizens, as part of the annual Technology Matching Fund.”

 

Seattle Tech Salaries Among Highest in U.S., When Adjusted for Housing

Puget Sound Business Journal | Casey Coombs | August 16

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/techflash/2016/08/seattle-tech-salaries-among-highest-in-u-s-when.html

“Seattle tech salaries are among the highest in the nation when adjusted for cost of living, according to a new report. The Indeed.com report compares income before and after housing adjustments in 15 tech towns. San Francisco has the highest average tech salary at $113,497, with Seattle ranked fifth at $98,215. After cost of living adjustments, however, Seattle ranks second at $91,242, just ahead of third-ranked San Francisco at $90,457.”

 

Seattle Council Passes Historic Affordable Housing Legislation

Puget Sound Business Journal | Marc Stiles | August 16

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2016/08/16/seattle-council-passes-historic-affordable-housing.html

“The Seattle City Council on Monday passed the basic framework for new rules that will require apartment and condo developers to build or fund housing that members of the working class can afford. The measure passed 8-0 but developers won’t have to start complying until later this year and next after the council increases development capacity in various neighborhoods. This new zoning will let developers build bigger projects…City officials estimate this will generate $196 million and result in the construction of around 2,400 units that are affordable to people who make 60 percent of the area median income, or $43,380 a year for a family of two.”

 

In Washington, Average College Debt is lower than Most Other States

Seattle Times | Katherine Long | August 15

http://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/washington-state-ranks-40th-in-average-college-debt-per-student/

“Although Washington students borrow more money to go to college than they did a decade ago, they still borrow less than their counterparts in neighboring states, according to a new study. The latest data, from a company that provides information about student loan refinancing, shows that the average undergraduate student who graduated from a Washington public or private college in 2015 borrowed $24,997 to complete college. About 56 percent of grads had debt upon graduation. Among all states, Washington ranked 40th in terms of debt per borrower — that’s a good ranking, according to the study by LendEDU.”