Posts about Virginia
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Seminary Road in Alexandria could become safer for people bicycling and walking
On Monday, March 25, City of Alexandria Transportation staff unveiled options to address safety issues on a section of Seminary Road east of I-395. The project offers an important chance to improve safety on a ~mile-long residential corridor that has been on the city's radar for a long time. Keep reading…
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Northern Virginia looks to fund more transit projects along I-66 with toll revenue
Another $20 million of transit improvement projects will be heading our way in the fall, paid for by money generated by tolling on I-66 between Fairfax County and DC. Local jurisdictions submitted $32.8 million worth of projects, but only the top few are able to get funded. The public comment period is now open, so you can voice your opinion now. Keep reading…
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The Parking Madness finals are here!
In surprising upsets, voters let much larger parking craters outside the city off the hook to nominate smaller but more centrally located parking craters inside the city. After weeks of voting, the list of 16 parking blights has been narrowed down to just two. Keep reading…
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Four Democrats vie for Lee District Supervisor in Virginia
The person who many consider the leading (or at least establishment) candidate for Chairman of the board is Democrat Jeff McKay, who has been Supervisor of the Lee District since 2007. This article is not about the Chairman’s race however, but about the somewhat crowded race to succeed McKay as Supervisor. Keep reading…
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A tiff over a halal butcher shop highlights how zoning laws can be used to discriminate
Alexandria just approved a proposal for a Halal butcher shop in an industrial part of the city. Normally, an industrial business opening in an industrial zone isn't news, but this particular shop sparked an outcry. Nearby business owners and other residents fretted over parking, smells, and more. Keep reading…
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Events: “Generation Priced Out” book talk, rail happy hour, and more
Concerned about the future of urban America? Randy Shaw’s Generation Priced Out is a call to action on one of the most talked-about issues of our time: how skyrocketing rents and home values are pricing low- and middle-income people out of urban America. Keep reading…
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Vote in the Washington Region Parking Madness Round 2, Part 1
We are down to the Elite Eight in our Washington Region Parking Madness! This week we will see who will become the champion in each of the four divisions. Keep reading…
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Reston’s routine zoning update is on ice for now, following an outcry
Reston's debate over a routine but nonetheless controversial zoning change may be over for now, as the Fairfax County Board deferred action on the matter earlier in March. Opponents feared the update would lead to Reston changing too much, but the zoning rule at the heart of the debate was never meant to address the issues many thought it did. Keep reading…
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Virginia just passed a law that removes a barrier to building more housing
While the public attention has been focused on his high-profile blackface scandal, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam quietly signed an important housing law on February 21. SB1373 will have a direct impact all over Virginia on the cost and availability of a house, the average person's biggest and most important purchase. Keep reading…
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Thanks for celebrating 11 years of GGWash with us!
On March 14, Greater Greater Washington staff, contributors, volunteers, Neighborhood members, and friends gathered in Crystal City to celebrate 11 years of moving the region forward. Thank you to everyone who attended and donated! Keep reading…
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Here’s our questionnaire for candidates in Northern Virginia’s 2019 primaries
Greater Greater Washington's volunteer Elections Committee has been writing about some of the races we are following in Northern Virginia for the June 11 primary. Now, we are sending a questionnaire to candidates in the competitive races for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, select General Assembly races, and the Arlington/Falls Church Commonwealth Attorney. Keep reading…
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Washington region Parking Madness: What’s the worst parking crater of them all?
In honor of the annual college basketball tournament, we have decided to do one of our own. Rather than basketball, readers like you will vote for the most awful parking crater in the Washington region. Keep reading…
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Metro ridership is in free fall. Why won’t the Metro board act?
WMATA recently released a performance report showing significant declines in year-over-year Metro ridership. But focusing on such a short time period actually understates how dire the situation Metro faces is. Keep reading…
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Candidates for Prince William County chair face off, as the political climate shifts left
Prince William County has recently swung more Democratic, with only one Republican winning in a major statewide election since George W. Bush in 2004. For the first time since the position was created in 1991, the county chair will have no incumbent running in a general election. Keep reading…
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Arlington tests the future of protected bikeways
Arlington is testing out new ways to separate protected bikeways from cars on two streets in Crystal City. Keep reading…
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Temporary uses enliven cities. Why are they so hard to build?
Temporary urbanism, like holiday markets, beer gardens, and Park(ing) Day parklets, are an increasingly important part of our cities. But in many places, including Tysons, zoning regulations make them difficult to build. Keep reading…
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Northern Virginia needs better suburb-to-suburb transit. Here’s where rapid bus service could help.
While Maryland’s Purple Line is the biggest suburb-to-suburb transit project in the region, Virginia also has a number of corridors that are good candidates for this kind of connection. Northern Virginia has a particular need for such projects because it has so many large suburban job centers. Keep reading…
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The best way to build a Purple Line link between Bethesda and Tysons Corner
Although the Purple Line between Bethesda and New Carrollton isn't expected to open until late 2022, transit advocates frequently talk about the possibility of extending it. The Purple Line is the area's first major circumferential transit project, and it is expected to have high ridership. It also connects to a series of densely-spaced job centers and residential areas, and extensions would benefit from running uninterrupted to these areas. Keep reading…
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Alexandria is updating its bus network, and riders want faster and more frequent service
Late last year, the City of Alexandria launched its Transit Vision plan, which seeks to improve and adjust bus services by 2030. The goal is to have a better system in place to serve the anticipated growth and needs of the changing city of 100,000 residents. Keep reading…
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Four candidates for Supervisor fight for distinction in Fairfax County’s Providence District
Fairfax County's most urban district will be getting a new supervisor this year. It's at the center of some of the county's most dynamic changes, and has every candidate talking about transit and land use. Keep reading…