Welcome to Ideas For Seattle. Here you can contribute your ideas for the future of our city. You can also vote on existing ideas submitted by your fellow citizens.
To get started, simply choose a category from the list on the right. Then search to see if your idea has already been submitted. If it hasn't, you can then submit it for others to discuss or vote on.
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4,636 votes
Legalize marijuana and tax it.
Just Do It! The city would make a LOT of money on this. It's already happening so why not bring it out in the open and treat it like the business it is. Take the profit motive away from the drug gangs and let us law abiding citizens enjoy a toke without worry.
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4,130 votes
Expand as much light rail and subway as possible
Seattleites have resorted to using mediocre and unreliable bus transportation as the only mode of mass transit since the failure of Forward Thrust. Expand light rail on the west side, connect neighborhoods like UW, Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, etc. Look for smart financing methods to grade se... more
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2,272 votes
Set aside park beach areas for European-style, clothing-optional recreation (sunbathe + skinny dip)
The Greater Seattle Area has long hosted the world's most renowned, colorful, family-friendly and free-spirited clothing-optional cultural events and groups in the world including: The Fremont Solstice Cyclists (17 years), World Naked Bike Ride, Body Pride Ride, Seattle Free Beach Campaign, Garde... more
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1,604 votes
Free Wireless Internet Throughout the City
This is simple to do & costs much less than the road system.
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1,408 votes
Make Seattle the most Bike Friendly City in the US
(1) Create an extensive network of true bike lanes (not just "sharrows") including protected lanes along major bike commuter routes. This may necessitate removing on-street parking in some locations. We will know we're successful when older people or inexperienced cyclists can feel comf... more
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1,203 votes
Make Seattle the first US city to be carbon neutral
A number of the ideas already proposed (unifying transportation systems, more mass transit, bicycle right-of-way improvements, higher density, green innovation) can all be included in this one target. We should aim to be carbon neutral by 2030. Any new city policy or law should be judged on wheth... more
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1,198 votes
Keep the Conservatory at Volunteer Park Open
So many of these ideas are about creating a better future. What about maintaining what is beautiful and good for this city? It's a warm, quiet and beautiful place. We should maintain and preserve it for the future. Closing it would be shortsighted.
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1,064 votes
Revitalize Pioneer Square
There is some talk that Elliott Bay Book Company may move to Capitol Hill. I love EBBC and would hate to see them move, but I wouldn’t blame them. If they move I blame the city which has allowed Pioneer Square to rot. Bremerton Mayor Cary Bozeman was right when he criticized Seattle for the ne... more
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779 votes
Install sidewalks throughout Seattle
Many Seattle streets do not have sidewalks or curbs installed, especially in south Seattle. Pedestrians, children, dogs and dog walkers, are forced to share the road with cars that go too fast and pay too little attention. For the safety and ascetics of neighborhoods throughout Seattle, a sidew... more
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739 votes
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722 votes
Provide affordable all-day scooter/motorcycle onstreet parking in downtown - just like SF
Many of us are unable to bike to work and the bus isn't practical for our schedules. San Francisco provides affordable all-day parking on-street for scooters and motorcycles - 8 can fit in one car-sized parking spot. It would make Seattle greener if we didn't have to drive our cars and would fr... more
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679 votes
Create a lid over I-5 in Seattle
I-5 creates a divide between Downtown Seattle/Lake Union and the densely populated Capitol Hill area. A lid should be placed over it (from Pike St to Mercer St or further) and have the lid contain a large open park with features such tennis courts, baseball fields and other related recreational facillities.
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664 votes
Bring back community policing.
Get the officers out of patrol cars and out walking and riding beats. A physical presence on the street deters crime.
Have officers patrol the same areas over time so they get to know residents, merchants and criminals. -
655 votes
Increase late-night transportation options
Work with Metro to run certain bus routes later to help people get home from bars and events. The Capital Hill to downtown routes are thin late at night.
Many companies offer cab vouchers after company parties. Could this somehow be implemented on a larger scale, maybe working with colleges?... more
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639 votes
Secure a new source of funding for City libraries similar to King County Library, to avoid closures.
The Seattle Public Library is funded from the general city budget, "off the top" of an already strained source of funding. The King County Library System has a secure form of funding in the form of property taxes, thus avoiding budget cuts and enabling the library system to better serve... more
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577 votes
Make Seattle a hub for Green and Sustainable Innovation
Our population is young, tech savvy and green-minded. Our natural beauty is world class.
Seattle is a perfect place to incubate green technology and business.
Tax incentives, public/private partnerships, leveraging our local research institutions and non-profits -- there are countless paths to ... more
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525 votes
reprioritize transportation spending to emphasize pedestrian/bike/transit modes
we talk a lot about walkability and promoting other modes, but the Department of Transportation's budget doesn't fully reflect that.
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487 votes
Stop the sweeps and give Nickelsville a permanent home on public land.
Sweeps of homeless encampments are inhumane. They target people who are homeless rather than the economic cause of homelessness: too little affordable housing and cuts to social services. They're expensive--according to the Seattle Weekly, one city sweep cost as much as running an emergency shelt... more
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479 votes
bring an anchor tenant back to key arena
the health of key arena is very important to me. that said, if we can find a fair, fiscally responsible deal that is not overwhelmingly on the backs of taxpayers to renovate key arena and bring an anchor tenant like an NBA team back to seattle center., we should consider it. working with the new ... more
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418 votes
Open city data
Follow the lead of the Federal government http://data.gov/ and San Francisco http://datasf.org/ in exposing city data in open, accessible ways.
Consider consulting with the Sunlight Foundation http://sunlightfoundation.com/ on prioritization and approach. Microsoft may offer help via their Open... more