Posts by Ben Harris — Guest Contributor
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America’s Main Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, is anything but
“It’s a disgrace—fix it.” Those are the words President John F. Kennedy allegedly uttered as his inauguration motorcade inched along Pennsylvania Avenue in 1961. At the time, “America’s Main Street” between the US Capitol and the White House was a cluttered and dilapidated street replete with X-rated theater houses, pawn… Keep reading…
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Are Logan Circle’s changes wonderful, or something else?
14th Street and Logan Circle have developed into a premier destination in DC, and there is much to celebrate about that. But the neighborhood is also becoming an ever-more-exclusive neighborhood that increasingly feels out of reach for many. Keep reading…
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Shocking rhetoric from John Townsend and AAA
This week’s Washington City Paper cover story quoted AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend calling Greater Greater Washington editor David Alpert “retarded” and a “ninny,” and comparing Greater Greater Washington to the Ku Klux Klan. Many other reporters, people on Twitter, and residents generally have clearly stated in response… Keep reading…
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Bike lanes and jobs are not mutually exclusive
Bike lanes have lately become a proxy for all things that benefit affluent residents. But juxtaposing bike infrastructure with a program like job training distorts reality, because bicycle infrastructure costs a miniscule amount compared to job programs, and actually helps poor residents gain better access to jobs. Last week, Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy… Keep reading…