Posts by Cavan Wilk — Guest Contributor
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Town of Chevy Chase takes ball, goes home, calls referee a cheat
The Town of Chevy Chase’s official comments (large PDF) on the Purple Line DEIS Keep reading…
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How performance parking worked for me
Even though I rarely use it, I do own a car. I bought it back when I was living in a car-dependent area outside of Laurel. After moving to transit-rich Wheaton, I kept it because it sometimes does come in handy. This past Saturday, January 3, 2009 was one such instance. A close friend of mine from graduate school, who now lives in Bermuda, was in town and wanted to catch… Keep reading…
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Urban bike trails aren’t just for recreation
For many years, one of the main points of debate over the Purple Line route between Bethesda and Connecticut Avenue in Montgomery County has the interim Capital Crescent Trail, an unpaved section along the old railroad right-of-way that the light rail Purple Line would also use. Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher, after largely staying out of the debate, weighed in on the matter… Keep reading…
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Back to the future in commercial real estate
Newsweek economics columnist Robert J. Samuelson declared in his December 29, 2008 column that 2008 was “the end of an era.” He wrote, “We know 2008, much like 1932 or 1980[?], marks a dividing line for the American economy and society.” The economic trends in the commercial real estate market bear out Samuelson’s claim. On Friday,… Keep reading…
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The Corridor Cities Transitway and the future of the middle suburbs
According to the Gazette, Maryland state planners are optimistic that private sector funding might help pay for the Corridor Cities Transitway. The Transitway is a proposed line north of Shady Grove along the 270 corridor, through some areas planned for high density commercial and residential development. A train line here would encourage human scale, energy efficient, walkable… Keep reading…
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2009 wish list for transit
Since it’s almost time to put on your suit/tuxedo/ballgown and party like it’s 2009, I sat down and thought about the best ways to improve transit in our region in the future. This list breaks down into two categories: near term and long term. Keep reading…
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Montgomery County: America in microcosm
Montgomery County, and most of the Washington region, is far from typical of the United States in many ways. Both Montgomery County and the region as a whole have higher education and income levels than the nation on average, and even the less affluent parts of the county have a median income that is well above the national median income. However, on land use, the county is grappling with… Keep reading…
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Has preservation become an echo chamber?
The District of Columbia is not the only jurisdiction in the region that is having an ongoing debate about historic preservation. While nowhere near as high-profile as the debate over the Third Church, preservation groups are working to landmark the Perpetual Bank Building at 8700 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. Keep reading…
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Buses and BRT: some facts
Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich has a plan for “rapid bus” corridors around the county. While I applaud Councilman Elrich’s vision, he’s not the first person to articulate such an idea. In fact, the Action Commitee for Transit sent BeyondDC some excellent recommendations to immediately improve existing bus service on major routes in Montgomery County for no cost,… Keep reading…
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Architecture begins its road home
The December issue of Esquire magazine contains its yearly “Best and Brightest” feature, including a profile of the architect who designed the new Seattle Central Library, Joshua Prince-Ramus. Keep reading…