Posts by Cavan Wilk — Guest Contributor
-
Madaleno opposes Jones Bridge BRT in public, supports it in private
Last week, I wrote about how Maryland State Senator Richard Madaleno’s (D-District 18, Montgomery) position against transit funding and in favor of HOT lanes was “ Keep reading…
-
Creating a new Sector Plan involves taking care of the details
Montgomery County planners are continuing with developing a new White Flint Sector Plan. Of course, every good plan requires a strict attention to detail. Recently, the planning board set the height limit to 300 feet in new Sector Plan. While arbitrary, this detail is an important step since such a decision is required by law. Keep reading…
-
Tearing down a Baltimore highway provides lessons for DC
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon set aside money to study tearing down the southern end of the Jones Falls Expressway. She sees tearing down the freeway as offering potential to stimulate development and property values to the east and northeast of downtown Baltimore. Currently, the elevated highway separates downtown from the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus and other… Keep reading…
-
Madaleno’s anti-transit stance penny wise, pound foolish
Maryland State Senator Richard Madaleno (D-District 18, Montgomery) has been opposing new transit projects for fiscal reasons while supporting irresponsible freeway expansions. Madaleno’s stances are counterproductive to planning a sustainable future for Montgomery County, our region, and the State of Maryland, according to the Action Committee for Transit. … Keep reading…
-
The other Purple Line fight: Wayne Avenue
While the future of the Georgetown Branch right-of-way through the Town of Chevy Chase has gotten the majority of the attention throughout the planning stages of the Purple Line, there has also been a quieter discussion on Wayne Avenue in eastern Silver Spring. Back in January, the Montgomery County Council endorsed the light rail, medium investment option (PDF) for the Purple… Keep reading…
-
For Montgomery’s future, look to Arlington
Montgomery County Councilmember Roger Berliner (D-District 1) has proposed adding an additional Metro station near the existing White Flint station. Mr. Berliner proposed the station to enhance the pedestrian-oriented infrastructure for the upcoming suburban-to-urban retrofits in the new White Flint Sector Plan and to address the expected traffic from BRAC. He noted that… Keep reading…
-
All BRT plans are not created equal
Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich believes that his proposed Bus Rapid Transit network is a key tool to deal with the huge amounts of traffic that the controversial Base Realignment and Closure plan (BRAC) will bring to military facilities in the county. Elrich cited two of his proposed BRT lines, from Olney and Germantown to downtown Bethesda, as key links from housing… Keep reading…
-
The Wheaton library should be in downtown Wheaton
The draft for the new Wheaton Sector Plan currently includes provisions to build a new library in downtown Wheaton. The new library would replace the current Wheaton library which, oddly, is not in downtown Wheaton. Rather, it is north of downtown Wheaton, on the corner of Arcola Avenue and Georgia Avenue. Though the current library is a fifteen minute walk… Keep reading…
-
Olde Towne Gaithersburg: He who hesitated was lost
During the now-defunct credit bubble, legacy walkable urban places in Montgomery County enjoyed renovation and investment unparalleled in decades. Silver Spring received a brand new commercial development that catalyzed a better reputation and increased foot traffic. Investment in Bethesda accelerated beyond its already fast pace. Wheaton got a renovated mall and new residential… Keep reading…
-
Accokeek growth: A good idea in the wrong place at the wrong time
Located on the outer fringes of the Washington region, well outside the Favored Quarter, Accokeek is a very quiet, very low-density area of far southern Prince George’s County. Since it is both low-density, and miles from the Favored Quarter it lacks many retail and employment amenities that residents in the core of the region often take for granted. It is no surprise… Keep reading…