Posts by Canaan Merchant — Elections Committee
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Instead of buses that drive over traffic jams, let’s just not have traffic jams
A video of a bus that skirts traffic congestion by literally driving over cars has made its way around the internet this week. It’s a bold idea, but it raises the question: Why simply deal with congestion when we can just get rid of it? Keep reading…
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15th Street’s protected bikeway is back!
It’s a Bike to Work Day miracle! For the last few months, demolition of the old Washington Post building has squeezed people on both bikes and foot into the same narrow space. But as of this morning, there’s both a protected bikeway and a sidewalk, meaning there’s a safe way for everyone to travel. Keep reading…
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There’s bikeshare in College Park now, but it isn’t Capital Bikeshare. Here’s why.
College Park just debuted its own bike share system, called mBike instead of Capital Bikeshare (CaBi). Some say not going with CaBi was a mistake, but it looks like College Park made a rational decision. Keep reading…
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Dragons and zodiac symbols will decorate Chinatown’s streets
Six years ago, the intersection of 7th and H Streets NW, in Chinatown, became a Barnes Dance— an intersection where the traffic lights in all directions turn red at the same time so people can cross the street at any angle they want. It continues to make walking in Chinatown a bit easier, and it’s about to get an unusually decorative paint job. Keep reading…
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Green means go (for bike lanes)
Washington is one of many cities going green, literally: green paint is becoming a go-to way to make bike lanes stand out so that using the street is safer for everyone. Keep reading…
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BRT on Route 7 is getting closer to actually happening
In the fall, there were two leading options for new transit along Route 7: bus rapid transit or light rail. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) recently settled on plans to move forward with BRT. Keep reading…
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This map shows a very different East Capitol Street
In the 1940s, there was a proposal to make East Capitol Street into a wide, monumental avenue. This map shows what it would look like, and provides some other glimpses into what DC was like at the time. Keep reading…
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Memorial Bridge fixes could help more than just cars
Arlington Memorial Bridge needs serious repairs, or perhaps even a full replacement, in the next five years. As the National Park Service works to make that happen, there’s also a chance to address some surrounding conditions that are hazardous for people on foot and on bike. Keep reading…
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New ramps make it easier to bike by the White House
When people biking along the 15th Street protected bikeway reached the White House, they used to have to choose between the sidewalk and a tight squeeze at a security gate. As of this Monday, there’s a route just for bikes. Keep reading…
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How can our commuter railroads be better? DC wants your input
Should MARC service run to L’Enfant Plaza? Should resources go toward more weekend commuter rail service? Every state in the US (including DC) has to create a plan for how to use its railways, these are some of the questions the District Department of Transportation is asking as it crafts its plan for passenger, commuter, and freight rail. Keep reading…