Downtown Seattle Turns in Strong 2017, Benefiting Entire Region

Seattle Times | Jon Talton | February 15
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/economy/downtown-seattle-turns-in-strong-2017-benefiting-entire-region/

“Jobs, residents, retail and entertainment numbers all moved up last year in downtown Seattle. For example, 11.2 million square feet of office space, 15,325 residential units, 3,147 hotel rooms and 122 buildings were completed or under construction in the central core in 2017. Downtown businesses contribute $3.2 billion in taxes, the lion’s share of the entire city…The data come from the 2018 State of Downtown report from the Downtown Seattle Association, which was unveiled Wednesday.”

Good News for Washington Lawmakers: State Revenue Forecast Jumps by $1.3B

Seattle Times | Rachel La Corte (AP) | February 15
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/good-news-for-washington-lawmakers-state-revenue-forecast-jumps-by-1-3b/

“As lawmakers prepare to unveil their supplemental budget proposals next week they received good news Thursday about state revenue projections that look to increase by about $1.3 billion more than expected through 2021. The numbers released by the Office of Financial Management at a meeting of the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council showed that since the last revenue forecast in November, overall state revenues increased by nearly $628 million for the current two-year budget that ends mid-2019, putting it at nearly $45 billion. Officials say it’s the largest quarterly increase for the state since before the 2008 recession. The projections for the next two-year budget that ends in mid-2021 also increase, by nearly $660 million, pushing the state budget up to $49.1 billion.”

Transit Ridership Continues to Grow in Central Seattle, While Solo Car Commutes Decline

Seattle Times | Mike Lindblom | February 14
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/transit-ridership-continues-to-grow-in-central-seattle-while-solo-car-commutes-decline/

“As public transit stagnates in most U.S. cities, central Seattle continued its rapid growth by adding roughly 10,000 morning transit commuters last year, new local data show. A total of 126,800 people, or 48.4 percent of a workforce of 262,000 employees, arrive using a bus, a train, or by walking onto ferries. The 2017 data are the first to fully account for light-rail stations that opened during 2016 at the University of Washington, Capitol Hill and Angle Lake. Those stops doubled overall train ridership, while regional bus use held steady — and some downtown routes overflowed.”

Light Rail Extension Meetings Begin Tuesday

KING 5 | Alex Rozier | February 13
http://www.king5.com/article/news/local/light-rail-extension-meetings-begin-tuesday/281-518138563

“Sound Transit is hoping to get community reaction to their plans for West Seattle and Ballard light rail extensions. Tuesday night will mark the first of three community meetings where people can learn more about the plans and give feedback. West Seattle’s light rail extension will be 4.7 miles of new service from downtown Seattle to the Alaska Junction neighborhood. There will be five light rail stations on the new West Seattle route that is scheduled to open for riders in 2030.”