iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Markus Johnson @markusja.bsky.social · 2h

Big L by both of our Washington state senators @cantwell.senate.gov @murray.senate.gov for voting to provide the NCAA & it's members institution an Antitrust Exemption that is even more favorable than the exemptions professional sports league receive.

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Ryan Packer @typewriteralley.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

It is striking to hear the Director of Seattle's Office of Housing talk about how the biggest success metric that the city has when it comes to housing funds is that a major affordable housing provider in the city has not yet fully collapsed.

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Jennifer @jenwith1n.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

I taught 4-5 yos and I taught 2 yos. A lot of people think day care teachers are glorified babysitters. They are not. They teach kids essential skills about how to interact with social peers and navigate the world away from their parents.

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Jennifer @jenwith1n.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

A lot has already been said about how out of touch and unhelpful this article is. But I will add - even if you’re a stay at home parent your kid should be in preschool. Kindergarten teachers do not have the time to teach your kids how to behave in a classroom, and your kids will not learn at home.

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Ryan Packer @typewriteralley.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

"This was surprising to me to learn, that currently applicants need 30 plus permits from eight different departments to build housing in the city." -Seattle Budget Director Aly Pennucci just now

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Adam @adamshap.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

NYC’s congestion pricing program cut ambulance travel times by over a minute

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Stan Oklobdzija @stano.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I am really being forced to learn about all of this against my will, but do I have it right that the majority of those at the top of America's AI industry are also part of a rape cult led by a dude whose highest education is middle school and whose claim to fame is writing a Harry Potter fanfic?

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Michael Andersen @andersem.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Another: improved safety, both because modern multifamily buildings are *dramatically* more fire-safe than old detached homes, and because stairs are actually a major source of injury when our bodies age.

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Michael Andersen @andersem.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

One: more elevator techs. Few elevators => few tech jobs => one dude in Coos Bay is the only licensed elevator tech on the whole Oregon cost. (Seems like a good guy btw, enjoys riding ATVs.) More elevators => more jobs for techs => faster service especially in rural areas => more elevators.

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Jennifer @jenwith1n.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

So...uh...Washington? What are y'all gonna do about the Growth Management Hearings Board? Because I know there isn't a single jurisdiction that's going to be able to prove it can fund on its own all of the affordable housing units that are needed, especially below 50% AMI.

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Joe Cohen @cohenhouse.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Another dumb American code requirement! basin.la/articles/nin...

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L. Harrison Jerome @lhjseattle.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

The Ave For All: A Car-Free University Way on 10/10 and 10/17! We believe Seattle deserves a car-free street in the heart of every neighborhood for kids to play and community to gather. Come see for yourself what The Ave could be and bring friends! Follow @udistrict.org for updates

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e.w. niedermeyer @niedermeyer.online · 22/09/2026

investigating Elon Musk, subpoenaing him, making him testify under oath, and working toward significant prosecutions should be one of the leading Democrat campaign promises right now not just for DOGE, for a decade of self-driving fraud that has killed more than 60 Americans, and many other crimes

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Stephen Jacob Smith @stephenjacobsmith.com · 22/09/2026

Meanwhile, in Spain:

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Markus Johnson @markusja.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Idk if I have a great way of articulating this, but I feel like there is something worth elevating/sitting with in reading about someone who felt so strongly that the chance of success of other kids was of equal worth to their own kid's. It feels like a backward principle, hence some of the reaction

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Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Shout it from the rooftops

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 21/09/2026

this is a bit of an obsession of mine especially here in charlottesville. the cost of commercial real estate is prohibitive if you want to experiment and the city seems categorically opposed to small lots and small units that could allow people to start businesses without a huge capital investment

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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Higher Education is not just about training workers, but also about training citizen leaders and good citizenship in part means thinking that the details matter, that getting them right matters, because it impacts some of your fellow citizens. "It only matters if job" is poison to citizenship.

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Mikhail Gorbaechev @mikhailgorbaechev.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

And notably when her daughter *did* go to the mostly white, well-resourced school, she hated it, because all the kids from the Nice White Parent families had turned into shitty little racists. Must be nice not to have to worry about that when you send your kids to school.

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Hal 10000 @hal10000.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

It isn't explicit, but we've seen this pattern before. 1) Black Americans are twice as likely to get Alzheimer's 2) Scientists want to study Black communities to figure out why and what insights this has for treatment/cause 3) Trump people cut the program, most likely because they think it's DEI.

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Matt Hutchins AIA @matthutchins.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

you just need to keep travel distance under 125'. Markus, I have the 874sf units for you!--check out our ADUniverse winner:

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Markus Johnson @markusja.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The one that if it existed would personally be the type of unit I'd aim for at this stage of my life ended up being an honorable mention (Seven Eleven). But check out the new batch of pre-approved ADUs & multiplexes Seattle is finalizing. aduniverse-seattlecitygis.hub.arcgis.com/pages/gallery

Visual design for Seattle pre-approved program contestant from Neiman Taber Architects. Has 2 story 7 unit on left and 3 story 11 unit on right. Stylized as a painting with brown-orange brick looking building facade facing the street.

Upper floor floor plan with four 2 bedroom 1 bath homes. Each a little over 600 square feet

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Mike Bollich-Ziegler @mb-z.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The City of Federal Way is proposing to turn their school zone speed cameras on 24/7. Incredible stat: During monitoring periods ranging from three days to two weeks in July, there were 21,996 instances of drivers going 11+ mph over the speed limit in the four existing school speed zones.

CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA BILL
ITEM #:_
SUBJECT: ORDINANCE: AUTOMATED TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMERAS IN SCHOOL WALK-ZONES
POLICY QUESTION: Should the City update the current City ordinance to authorize the use of traffic safety cameras in school walk-zones?
COMMITTEE: FEDRAC
MEETING DATE: September 22, 2026
CATEGORY:
Consent
City Council Business
STAFF REPORT BY: Chief Andy Hwang
Attachments: 1. Staff Report
2. Ordinance
Ordinance
Resolution
Public Hearing
Other
DEPT: Police
Options Considered:
1. Adopt the ordinance.
2. Do not adopt the proposed ordinance and provide direction to staff.
MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATION: Option 1.
MAYOR APPROVAL:
DIRECTOR APPROVAL: Hung 9/15/26
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: I move to forward the proposed ordinance to first reading on October 6, 2026.
Committee Chair
Committee Member
Committee Member
PROPOSED COUNCIL MOTION(S):
FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE OCTOBER 6, 2026: "I move to forward the proposed ordinance to the October 20, 2026 Council Meeting for second reading and enactmentiại
SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE OCTOBER 20, 2026: "I move approval of the proposed ordinance."

Ordinance: Automated Traffic Safety Camera in School Walk-Zones

There is no cost to the City to amend the ordinance or implement 24/7 automated speed enforcement at the existing school-zone locations, as the program is designed to be self-sustaining and covers all ongoing costs. The City currently has an agreement with its third-party vendor, Verra Mobility, and automated camera systems are already installed and operational at the four school-zone locations.

In 2024, the Legislature passed House Bill 2384, expanding local jurisdictions authority to use automated traffic safety camera enforcement beyond school zones and red-light intersections to include high-crash locations, walk zones, park zones, and hospital zones.
The legislation came amid growing concerns about roadway safety in Washington. In 2023, 809 people were killed in traffic crashes statewide, one of the highest annual totals since tracking began. Fatalities increase 51% since 2019, speed-related death increased 65%.
According to Washington Traffic Safety Commission, automated speed cameras can reduce speeding violation by approximately 50% within two years.
The City's current third-party vendor conducted a speed study at four school-zone locations, Panther Lake, Twin Lakes, and Saghalie (two school zones) in July 2026 at the request of the City. The study monitored traffic activity 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with monitoring periods ranging from three days to two weeks, depending on the location. During the study period, a total of 21,996 speed violations were recorded involving vehicles traveling more than 11 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, which was the trigger speed used during non-school speed enforcement.
The results of the July 2026 speed study confirm the concerns that the Police Department has consistently heard from residents and observed through ongoing traffic complaints and traditional speed-enforcement activities. The data demonstrate that there is a significant

speeding and traffic-safety problem on Federal Way streets, particularly along major arterial roadways. The volume of excessive-speed violations documented during the study provides additional support for the use of automated speed enforcement as a supplemental traffic-safety tool.
Based on these findings, the Police Department recommends that the City implement 24/7 automated speed enforcement at school-zone locations as a public-safety measure.
Continuous enforcement would provide a consistent deterrent against excessive speeding, particularly during periods when traditional police enforcement may be limited. This approach is responsive to residents' concerns about speeding and roadway safety throughout the City.
As a background, in December 2007, the City Council approved a one-year pilot program and entered into a contract with third-party vendor American Traffic Solutions to provide automated traffic safety camera services. In 2008, red-light photo enforcement systems were installed and activated at designated intersections. In 2009, the City expanded the program to include school-zone automated speed enforcement safety systems.
Since the implementation of the automated traffic safety camera program, the
Police Department has monitored and evaluated the effectiveness of the systems by collecting traffic and safety data at each camera location. The City currently has six red-light photo enforcement cameras at three intersections and eight school-zone photo enforcement cameras located in four school zones. The data collected by the Police Department indicates that the City's automated traffic safety camera systems accomplish two important traffic-safety objectives: increasing compliance over time and reducing collisions and the risk of collisions in monitored areas.
Automated speed enforcement is not intended to replace traditional methods of traffic enforcement. Rather, it serves as a supplement to traditional police enforcement and is one component of a broader…

$Revised RCW 46.63.250 allows continuous automated speed camera enforcement in school speed zones and school walk zones. This authority provides the City with an opportunity to address speeding throughout the entire school day, as well as during after-school programs, extracurricular activities, and weekend activities when children and other pedestrians may be present on school grounds. Continuous enforcement is intended to encourage motorists to slow down and exercise greater caution when traveling through these areas, furthering the public safety purpose of protecting students, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users. The purpose of automated speed enforcement should not simply be to issue infractions. Its primary purpose should be to change driver behavior and improve roadway safety. By encouraging motorists to slow down, 24/7 speed enforcement could have a broader traffic-calming effect and potentially reduce collisions, serious injuries, and traffic fatalities. The Police Department anticipates that speed violations, particularly at photo-enforcement locations, will decrease significantly following a full year of implementation. A reduction in violations would be an indication that the program is achieving its primary objective of improving driver compliance and changing unsafe driving behavior. Several other cities throughout the region have expanded the use of automated speed safety cameras. They are experiencing similar concerns related to dangerous and excessive speeding, including Edmonds, Tacoma, Des Moines, Bellevue, Kenmore, and Lake Forest Park, as well as enforcement beyond traditional school-zone operating hours. These actions demonstrate that automated enforcement is increasingly being considered as an additional tool for addressing speeding and improving roadway safety in Washington communities. The City's existing experience, together with the July 2026 speed study, demonstrates a substantial speeding problem and provides an opportunity for th…$

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Tracy Hadden Loh @lohplaces.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

He was also chair of the American Public Transit Association board last year

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Aden Y @adenyacobi.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Nat Ford. He was recently selected by DART’s board to lead their agency. And it was a competitive selection process! www.transittalent.com/articles/ind...

transittalent.com

DART names JTA's Nat Ford as new CEO after divided board vote

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Qagggy! @qagggy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

SDOT caved to the angry neighbors.

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Logan Bowers @loganb.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

…and mostly guaranteeing they stay just as exclusive as when they were single-family zones. But it gives more MHA tax dollars to politically connected non-profits that build housing for $1M a pop. So the housing crisis persists, homeless stay homeless, middle class gets driven out, political…

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jane c. hu @janehu.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

the triumvirate (2026)

a woman stands with hands on her hips after driving a red SUV up train tracks into Seattle's Mt Baker light rail station

a white sedan drives on Seattle's I-90 pedestrian trail as a woman in a green shirt walks in front of it

a black SUV stopped after driving down a flight of stairs at Seattle's Post Alley

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Matt Hutchins AIA @matthutchins.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Crazy dissonance to say 1)"MHA fees are killing new housing production, we need to reduce it by 80%" and simultaneously 2) "let's expand MHA!" If MHA is a barrier, especially for small projects, why on earth would you extend it to NR zoning where only small infill projects are possible.

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Cory @evilmam.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

People keep thinking buildings are what makes a neighborhood and not the people who live there. Like places where the townhouses *look* the same on the outside, but 4 adjacent buildings have been combined into one behind the facades and instead of 8 families living there, it's one billionaire now.

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Materialist Gnostic @walmsley.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Consolidate The Police is a really obvious reform that never got as much discussion as it deserved

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William Skudlarek @willskud.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

“[B]arriers are particularly acute in the homebuilding industry, as many products, from windows to sinks to furnaces, that are certified and tested to EU standards cannot simply be used in Canada. Those products must be retested and recertified against Canada’s CSA standards, adding cost and delay.”

ipolitics.ca

Canada wants more trade with Europe. Start with housing

A well-crafted deal with the EU could also lower the cost of building a home in Canada, while opening new markets for suppliers and manufacturers of construction materials.

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hammancheez @hammancheez.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

If we are serious about a vengeance tour, every person who appeared in court, making this happen should lose their law license for good

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Idothethinking @idothethinking.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Reframing my q. Im aware of the modernist revolt against towers etc. What id like to see more sources on is why Americans even in cities became (and remain) so hostile to medium and high density housing in a way over comparable nations didn't. Much of California revolted over 3 story apartments.

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Push The Needle @pushtheneedle.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

RIP WA state infill housing bill HB1110, the city finally found their way to kill it.

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Aidan T 🌐 @buildhomes.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Some good news but please no MHA expansion to Neighborhood Residential 🙏should be doing the reverse, expanding Neighborhood Residential no MHA to the rest of the city

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Brook (Brandon) der Blätter @intcreator.com · 16/09/2026

I think this illustrates how soft SDOT is. if they really cared about safety, they would assert their authority, and even go to court over it if needed, even if it's just implicit. people's lives are on the line but SDOT would rather prioritize the historical commissions

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Markus Johnson @markusja.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Serious case of bus bunching this morning (there's a third 45 just outside of the picture frame, so 4 buses total on this stretch of road).

A 62 bus and two 45 buses within a couple cars of each other (a third 45 bus is behind just outside of the frame).

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Urban Land Rent 🇸🇴🚰 @urbanlandrent.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Braxton and Braylee suck at math and can’t get into the program their parents want so now we have to make the country into an impoverished retirement home.

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Urban Land Rent 🇸🇴🚰 @urbanlandrent.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

“People will nimby less if they like the look of the building” just is not contending with reality at all I’m sorry. The proposal is essentially “increase the costs of all residential projects for no political benefits.”

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Urban Land Rent 🇸🇴🚰 @urbanlandrent.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Something I haven’t seen any of the “people just want nice looking buildings” people haven’t addressed is uhh how come residential properties are the buildings that get the pushback and not office buildings which are far uglier? Issue polling like this has limited utility imo.

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advait @advaitarun.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

NEW CPE REPORT on the urgency of building an interregional transmission macrogrid! @cthelala.bsky.social and I argue that only the federal government can get it built; no other actor on the grid is capable of doing so! Really, this is a paper about the theory of transmission as an asset class:

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Matt Darling @besttrousers.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

"These billionaires’ total estimated wealth is $8.4 trillion...An enormous number, but it’s less than five percent of total U.S. household wealth. By comparison, households in the 90th to 99th percentile of wealth (from $2 million to $11.5 million) have total wealth of $63.2 trillion! "

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David Schleicher @profschleich.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

❗New Article❗ The Great American Property Tax Freakout! Since 2024, many states have radically reshaped their property tax systems.The changes are an example of a national trend of carving out influential groups from taxation, in this case a majority group: homeowners papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

papers.ssrn.com

The Great American Property Tax Freak Out

There has been a lot of news over the last two years, so it is understandable that neither the mass media nor the legal academy has focused on what is happening

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David Schleicher @profschleich.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

“Home voters” no longer limit themselves to running governments for their own benefit, setting tax levels and services levels that fit their needs. Instead, they increasingly think of local government as a tool for taking resources from commercial property owners and renters.

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David Schleicher @profschleich.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

These reforms change the nature of the property tax. Rather than being, as “Tieboutians" argue, a tool for property owners to burden themselves to provide wanted services, property taxes are becoming a redistributive tax, sending money from commercial property owners to homeowners.

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David Schleicher @profschleich.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Why? Housing prices, particularly in suburbs, rose substantially post-COVID. You might think people would be happy to be richer, but they were very angry that their increasing wealth meant increasing property tax burdens. Better to make someone else responsible for the resulting taxes!

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James everything is analog @analogist.net · 13/09/2026

Urban canopy has benefits, but also risks. It isn’t an unalloyed good. The right level of civic conversation should always be at the level of whole-ecosystem and urban systems. If the conversation is over More Tree vs No Tree, that’s already a pathological conversation we shouldn’t be having.

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Adrián @elenoam.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Analyzing hotel land uses and Airbnb demand in Mexico City. Unsurprisingly, hotels are prohibited where people want to stay.

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John Lansing @pipedreaming.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

The best fire access to the building was on a pedestrian street, which the truck had no trouble accessing, despite being narrowed for construction.

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