Posts by Cavan Wilk — Guest Contributor
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Reflecting on Greater Washington’s changes over 10 years
As advocates, we spend a lot of time on Greater Greater Washington discussing visions and practical plans to make Greater Washington Greater. While we have lots of room to become Greater, I think it’s important to celebrate things that are currently Great but weren’t always. Two Wednesdays ago, I attended DC United’s friendly game against A.C. Milan. … Keep reading…
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3 questions with Md. delegate candidate Scott Goldberg
Scott Goldberg is a candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates, District 16, which includes Bethesda. Scott lives in downtown Bethesda, and founded his own small property management company. At his campaign kickoff, he expressed his support for the Purple Line in addition to detailed visions for alternative energy initiatives in Maryland. After the event, he enthusiastically… Keep reading…
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Proposed Costco gas station is the wrong place, wrong time
Back in January, David argued that Montgomery County could better use the $4 million proposed for subsidizing a Costco at Westfield Wheaton. Costco is still coming to Wheaton. However, the County Executive’s Office is now now proposing circumventing well-established gas station permitting processes through a Zoning Text Amendment. There are many circumstances… Keep reading…
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Hans Riemer discusses White Flint, Wheaton, and eastern Montgomery County
Hans Riemer is an at-large candidate for the Montgomery County Council. At his campaign kickoff, I was impressed with his vision for Smart Growth in Montgomery County. Recently, he was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions. 1. What details about the newly approved White Flint Sector Plan will require the most attention and consensus-building? Keep reading…
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UMD plans to ban all transit from Campus Drive
The University of Maryland plans to close the central Campus Drive to nearly all traffic this summer, including Metrobus and almost all student shuttle bus routes. This will diminish student access to transit and seems designed to strengthen the UMD administration’s efforts against a Purple Line through the center of campus. The closure follows the 2001-2020 Facilities… Keep reading…
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Do elevated rails inhibit sustainable, walkable urban places?
During the design process for the Silver Line, now under construction, a group of citizen activists advocated putting the Tysons Corner portion in a tunnel rather than mostly elevated, as ultimately planned. There was a vigorous debate about the merits of elevated rail as a planning tool for TOD versus a tunnel. Our existing walkable urban places with elevated Metro stations… Keep reading…
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Hans Riemer discusses Smart Growth at campaign kickoff
This past Saturday, February 20th, I attended Hans Riemer’s kickoff rally for his campaign for a Montgomery County Council seat at large. In the first paragraph of his kickoff speech, Hans expressed forward-thinking ideas that I’ve rarely heard a Montgomery County elected official utter before: he explicitly linked vibrant, sustainable, human-scale… Keep reading…
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High rents, prohibitive zoning doom Wheaton’s Dejabel Cafe
In late 2008, a new coffee shop, Dejabel Cafe, opened in Wheaton. It enhanced Wheaton’s sense of place and also provided me with a favorite coffee shop. Sadly, Dejabel Cafe just closed its doors for good. While I wish proprietor Eddie Velasquez the best and will miss him and his coffee, the bigger question is, “What went wrong?” Without knowing… Keep reading…
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6 steps to boulevardize Wheaton’s Viers Mill Road
Viers Mill Road (MD 586) in downtown Wheaton sticks out like a sore thumb from its surroundings. It currently acts as a barrier between the historic walkable urban town and the Westfield Wheaton properties. The road should be a celebrated urban boulevard. Its right-of-way goes back to colonial times, but was rebuilt as a suburban arterial in the 1960’s. … Keep reading…
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Beltway widening plans should not be a secret
Back in October 2009, residents found out about a secret plan to switch federal funds granted for pedestrian and transit improvements around the Medical Center Metro into funding the construction of a 4-lane automobile underpass under Rockville Pike. After receiving documents from a Freedom of Information Act request, the Action Committee for Transit has found that… Keep reading…