Posts by Canaan Merchant — Elections Committee
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In a week, Reston and Tysons will have Capital Bikeshare!
Capital Bikeshare is coming to Fairfax County. On October 21st, 15 stations will open in Reston and 14 will open in Tysons Corner. Between the two areas, there will be about 200 bikes. Keep reading…
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How turning an old train track into a trail helped transform Charlotte
In Charlotte, an emergency access path next to a light rail line doubles as a popular trail. It’s a public space that has helped transform the city’s identity, and a great example of how to take something old and unused and make it new. Keep reading…
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Missing sidewalks? There’s an app for that
Something as simple as a missing sidewalk ramp can make an entire block of sidewalk out of reach to someone who can’t step up onto a curb. Inaccessible sidewalks are all over DC, and researchers at the University of Maryland created a tool for pointing them out. Now, they just need you to help them do it. Keep reading…
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Pedestrian tunnels would not make DC’s streets better for walking
DC is looking at ways to make city streets safer in and around Petworth and Brightwood. At least one neighborhood official thinks the best way to do that is to put pedestrians in tunnels— yes, tunnels. But tunnels make for longer trips for people on foot, can encourage crime, and don’t really make dangerous streets any safer. Keep reading…
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Red light cameras work. The Washington Post runs the same old attack on them anyway.
Red light cameras work, but articles saying they don’t, based on more innuendo than fact, pop up in the press regularly. The latest example is from Washington Post “Tripping” blogger Frederick Kunkle. Keep reading…
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DC’s affordable housing fund isn’t doing enough for low-income residents, an audit says
The District’s Housing Production Trust Fund is a program run by the city to fund and build affordable housing, which helps some of DC’s poorest families live in one of the country’s most expensive housing markets. A recent audit, however, says that too little money is going to the lowest-income residents. Keep reading…
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A zoning change in Fairfax will allow more density
In Fairfax, the zoning code now allows buildings that are near Metro stations or that are part of certain commercial corridors to be denser than than before. The Board of Supervisor’s decision to approve the change last week is emblematic of an effort to make sure that new housing and office space are paired with transportation options. Keep reading…
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Capital Bikeshare members ride here, bike lanes or not
Over half of the miles that Capital Bikeshare members ride are on streets without any sort of bike lanes. This map shows you which of those streets are the most popular: Keep reading…
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At this park & ride, buses and bikes get the spotlight
Renovations to Fairfax’s Stringfellow Road Park and Ride just finished up, and they’re largely focused on buses and bicycles. This means the park and ride will function more like a multi-modal transit center than just a place for commuters to leave their cars. Keep reading…
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Use this map to make Fairfax more bike-friendly
Little River Turnpike, a major road that runs across Fairfax, is difficult to bike along. The county is looking to change that, though, and a new interactive map lets you make suggestions for how it can. Keep reading…