Posts by David Alpert — Founder
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Better transit, congestion pricing, and 18 other big ideas from a business group’s transportation blueprint
The super-Washington region, including DC, Baltimore, and Richmond, should improve the MARC and VRE rail systems including running service through DC. It should finish networks of trails and try congestion pricing in DC and adjacent parts of Arlington. It should improve bus service, promote employer incentives to not drive alone, increase equity, do more with technology, and better fund and govern transportation in the region. These are some of the recommendations from a wide-ranging new Blueprint for Regional Mobility, released Monday by the Greater Washington Partnership. Keep reading…
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Push for better transportation and housing! Work for GGWash!
If you read this site, you likely share our desires for more and better walking, biking, and transit; for more homes and affordable homes; for growing inclusively and equitably. Now you can do this and get paid. We’re hiring a Transportation and Housing Policy Manager and an Advocacy Campaign Associate. Is one of these you or someone you know? Keep reading…
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GGWash Sandbox: For HQ2 in Crystal City, build the “Metro Express”
If Amazon moves 25,000 new jobs to Crystal City, the region needs to beef up transportation to and from that area. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were some train tracks connecting many parts of Maryland, Virginia, and DC to Crystal City? Good thing there are! Keep reading…
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DC will allow more dockless bikes and scooters, but v-e-e-r-y s-l-o-o-o-w-l-y
The DC government has twice extended an initial pilot program for dockless bikes and scooters without changing any of its initial rules, including a limit of 400 vehicles per company which we've argued was too restrictive. Now, for 2019, there's a new version of program with some more flexibility, but also many new rules. Keep reading…
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Meta-comments about the Washington football team are off topic. What other comment policy questions do you have?
You normally can't discuss our comment policy in comment discussions, but in this post, you can. Keep reading…
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Housing and transportation are the same, these graphs show
Housing and transportation are two different issues, right? Some places have dense urban forms, while others are suburban or rural. Meanwhile, in some places there's a lot of walking or biking or transit use, and in others, people drive everywhere. Right? Not really, this graph demonstrates. Instead, the two are one. Keep reading…
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Scooters are taking cars off the road, a survey says
For DC and other cities concerned about rising traffic, a new study in Portland suggests scooters could be a solution. Residents and tourists are using e-scooters in place of car trips, and scooters are drawing people who've never ridden a bike or never traveled in a bike lane. Keep reading…
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DC will try “slow zones” and banning some rights on red to curb traffic fatalities
After at least 31 people were killed on DC roads this year, Mayor Muriel Bowser and her administration are announcing today a slew of steps to try to halt the carnage. This will include banning rights on red at 100 intersections, 100 more Leading Pedestrian Intervals, “neighborhood slow zones” with 20 mph speed limits, and more. Keep reading…
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Another week and someone else is dead
A pickup truck driver struck and killed 70-year-old Carol Joan Tomason, of Chapel Hill, NC, on Friday morning. It's the … eh, I can't even keep count. This is happening way too much, and any number of times is too much. Keep reading…
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DC’s new Airbnb bill will prohibit far more rentals than its proponents thought
You may have heard that the DC Council preliminarily passed a bill to limit Airbnb and similar rentals. You may have heard that people will still be able to rent out rooms or parts of their houses while they are there. Or the bill will let them rent the whole place while out of town, but only for 90 days a year. Here's what's really in that bill. Keep reading…