The Seattle Times and news coverage of urban design and placemaking

While grabbing the link for the story in the previous entry, there up prominently at the very top of today's webpage for the Seattle Times is an article about the City of Seattle's efforts to improve bicycling safety. The article "Danger in the bike lane" focuses on how bicylists get into accidents when cars abruptly turn right into the bicyclist--called a "right hook." (This is how my bike was totalled last November.)

The Seattle Times and the San Francisco Chronicle run many stories on what I term urban design/placemaking (one of the labels or keywords that I use to tag posts). I don't feel the same level of attention to these qualities in local media coverage. Clearly, urban design/placemaking doesn't resonate as much in DC, despite the reality that much of the charm of the city is dependent on it.

MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES. Bicyclists say the signs at the Fremont Bridge telling motorists to yield to bicyclists enhance safety. Seattle is trying to make some bike lanes more noticeable by painting them green.