Columbia City

Columbia City is a very sustainable part of town in Seattle. It is sustainable because there is a low-necessity for vehicles in Columbia City, which means an increased population of pedestrians and safety tips focused on pedestrian safety. While it presents itself as an environmental friendly, it also contains a variety of people. With its newly installed light rail train, it attracted even more people. Transportation in Columbia City mostly involves walking and sometimes biking. Although Seattle and its neighborhoods may be culturally diverse, just like San Francisco, there is a clear difference between San Francisco and Seattle because of the pedestrian safety rules held by the cities. Columbia City, however, is quite different from the average San Francisco neighborhoods.

Despite the fact that both cities are suffering from drought, experiments for pedestrian safety have been widely promoted in both of them. In Seattle for example, metro buses have been installed with turning warnings as well as a carpooling system. This experimental effort by both cities seemed to have worked out, as seen in SF’s vision zero.

Columbia City is sustainable not only because there is a low-necessity for vehicles but also because of its attractiveness towards lower-income people.. While it presents itself as an environmental friendly, it also contains a variety of people. With its newly installed light rail train, it attracted even more people. Transportation in Columbia City mostly involves walking and sometimes biking. Urban planning as well as urban designing play a big part in this part of Seattle. It is not the main part of the city, but it is very much the most environmental friendly and stable neighborhood of Seattle. Just because it is not receiving enough attention doesn’t mean it is not good enough for it. Perhaps it is because of its high crime rate, and low enforcement, Columbia City is receiving so little attention. Even so, enforcement is something both Seattle and San Francisco is lacking.

Columbia City clearly presented itself as a sustainable neighborhood that is capable of adapting to future changes. The neighborhood is ever growing, and the metro system of Seattle is playing a big part in the development of Columbia City. While it’s popularity have been increasing, it was not always like that. Unlike downtown, Columbia City is consist of stores and homes instead of skyscrapers and offices. The town is pedestrian friendly, with its numerous parks and clear crosswalks. Columbia City is very close to downtown, and also not that far away from Chinatown-International district.

-Steven Jiang

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