Posts by Ben Ross — Contributor
-
Walk signals are bad for walking
To make streets walkable, we need to re-think the basic principles of how people on foot and people in cars share the roadway. This is the third post second in a multi-part opinion series. Conventional wisdom says that walk signals make crossing the street safer for people. But they actually make walking slower and more dangerous. Keep reading…
-
Careful jaywalking saves lives
To make streets walkable, we need to re-think the basic principles of how people on foot and people in cars share the roadway. This is the first of a multi-part opinion series. Pedestrians put themselves in danger if they wait for a walk signal instead of crossing the street whenever and wherever it looks safest. There are no definitive studies, but that is what available… Keep reading…
-
You don’t have to push this button to cross the street
If you walk to a corner and see a button to activate the walk signal, you might need to push it. Or you might not. It might only be there to activate a chirping noise for people with vision impairments. Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell. Keep reading…
-
There’s a new group opposing a more urban Bethesda
Montgomery County is working on a new master plan for downtown Bethesda that would promote continued development and might allow the population to increase from 7,210 today to over 18,000. But a group of people who oppose urbanization are gearing up to fight it. Keep reading…
-
In some places, living near Metro has become more affordable
Washington-area neighborhoods in walking distance of Metro are wealthier and whiter than their surroundings, according to a new Census Bureau study. But for many places outside the District, living near Metro has become more affordable. Keep reading…
-
Congress gives Metro riders an early Christmas present
If you’re a federal government worker, you’ll soon get up to $255 a month to pay for transit under a tax bill Congress agreed on last night. Or, if your employer allows setting aside pre-tax earnings for transit, you will also be able to reserve more. This will translate into badly needed fare revenue for Metro — perhaps as much as $15 million a year. Keep reading…
-
Montgomery’s most walkable streets are also its safest
Downtown Bethesda, Silver Spring, and Rockville are where it’s easiest to walk around in Montgomery County. They are also where drivers are least likely to kill someone on foot. Keep reading…
-
Suburban-style streets don’t fit a busy Bethesda corner
Cyclists leaving the Capital Crescent Trail and entering Bethesda at the corner of Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues are in serious danger. Pedestrians and drivers, too, suffer unneeded delay at this busy crossroads. There’s a common cause for these problems: planners using suburban highway engineering practices that are unsuited to an odd-shaped urban street crossing. … Keep reading…
-
Maryland officials won’t talk about more MARC trains
Maryland transportation officials have nothing to say about running more MARC trains between Union Station and Frederick County. That’s what state legislators and commuters learned at a recent public meeting in Germantown. Keep reading…
-
Complex traffic signals make streets less safe
Streets across the United States are often difficult and dangerous to walk on because wide lanes invite drivers to speed. That isn’t all that makes them dangerous, though: many also have signals that distract drivers and draw their eyes away from the road. Keep reading…