Fewer Cranes on Seattle Skyline for First Time in Years, But City Still Leads U.S.

Seattle Times | Mike Rosenberg | January 25

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/fewer-cranes-on-seattle-skyline-for-first-time-in-years-but-city-still-leads-u-s/

“Seattle’s sky-high crane count has dropped significantly for the first time in years, suggesting the ongoing construction boom could be starting to lose some steam — even as the city continues to lead the country in total cranes..Despite the recent decline, “the city’s construction market remains healthy,” Rider Levett Bucknall said. The firm notes that while several high-rises underway over the last few years have now finished, plenty of new ones have popped up to take their place. It forecasts another busy year for 2018.”

Southwest Will Join Airlines Flying from Everett’s Paine Field

Seattle Times | Dominic Gates | January 25

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/southwest-will-join-airlines-flying-from-everetts-paine-field/

“Southwest Airlines will be the third passenger airline to fly out of Paine Field in Everett, boosting the planned number of total daily departures to 24 flights. That’s 50 percent higher than airport officials cited last year when introducing the future passenger terminal. Though that may rile some local residents already concerned about increased airplane noise, Snohomish County officials contend the airport activity will still be within the parameters outlined in its environmental-impact assessment. The Dallas-based carrier said it will operate five flights daily after the new terminal opens in September.”

Study Ranks Washington in Top 10 Most Educated States

KING 5 | Tasha Cain | January 24

http://www.king5.com/article/news/local/study-ranks-washington-in-top-10-most-educated-states/281-511185554

“A recent study could have some Washington state residents feeling smart. The study published by WalletHub ranked the Evergreen State as the ninth most educated state in America. The study looked at a few key factors of what was considered a well-educated population. That was educational attainment, school quality and achievement gaps between genders and races.”

Dramatic New 3D Images Show How Ongoing Boom Could Further Alter Seattle’s Skyline

GeekWire | Kurt Schlosser | January 23

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/dramatic-new-3d-images-show-ongoing-boom-alter-seattles-skyline/

“Taking in the Seattle skyline is a favorite pastime for many residents and visitors to the city, thanks in large part to the unique vantage points located in various neighborhoods. Whether it’s from Kerry Park in Queen Anne or across Elliott Bay from Alki, Seattle is nothing if not pretty to look at. But as we’ve been learning for years, especially during the city’s most recent tech-fueled boom, the views they are a-changin’. A viral video capturing just three years of Seattle’s transformation in time-lapse form — created with 360-degree photographs taken by a Space Needle camera — touched a nerve a few weeks ago.”

WSDOT Looks into High-Speed Train from Spokane to Seattle

KING 5 | Alexa Block | January 23

http://www.king5.com/article/news/local/spokane-county/wsdot-looks-into-high-speed-train-from-spokane-to-seattle/293-510682733

“The Washington Department of Transportation is looking into how a high-speed train from Spokane to Seattle would work. Back in December, the Washington DOT published a study that looked at how well an ultra-high-speed Train system would work in the Cascadia Mega region, which includes Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia area. It spans about 350 miles. DOT leaders said they looked at three different types of trains, High Speed Rail, that can go a max of 220 miles per hour, Maglev trains, that can go a max of 270 miles per hour, and Hyperloop trains that can currently go a max of 200 miles per hour with the potential to reach 760 miles per hour, according to the study.”