Posts about VirginiaRSS
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Before National Airport, there was Washington Airport at Hoover Field
Before there was National Airport, there was the Washington Airport at Hoover Field. It was established in 1926 and located just west of today’s intersection of the George Washington Parkway and the 14th Street Bridge. Keep reading…
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In Fairfax’s Hunter Mill, three candidates vie to be more anti-development than Cathy Hudgins
Elections are happening all over Fairfax County this year, and at least four seats are open on the county's Board of Supervisors. In the Hunter Mill District, home to both Reston and Vienna, current member Cathy Hudgins is retiring. The three declared candidates, thus far, all have platforms which argue the county has been too favorable to development in Reston. Keep reading…
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How well is the region doing at planning for growth near Metro?
The jurisdictions in our region have taken measurable steps towards implementing transit-oriented development by upzoning land near the region's 91 Metrorail stations. However, at many stations there is still room for improvement, and some stations/jurisdictions are doing much better than others. Keep reading…
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Who will lead the Fairfax Board of Supervisors?
The Board of Supervisors holds immense power in Fairfax County, and its elections are extremely important. Because there are no term limits, it’s possible for the board to comprise the same people for decades. This makes it important to choose candidates who will be pro-transit and pro-housing, especially affordable housing. Keep reading…
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Can Arlington make child care more affordable by embracing urbanism?
Anyone who is raising a kid in the Washington region—and probably many people who aren’t—know that paying for daycare can cost as much as rent. Arlington County has the highest child-care costs in the region, largely because we have high land values, tighter regulations, and affluent households. Keep reading…
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These are the Virginia (and other) elections we’re watching
In 2019, the main political action (besides early jockeying for the US presidential nomination) is in Virginia, where the state House and Senate are on the ballot as well as many county supervisors. There are also elections in some Maryland municipalities. Keep reading…
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? at this Metro ceiling vault construction photo
Not every day do you see Metro's iconic ceiling vaults from the other side, but look at this amazing photo. Keep reading…
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Trails could better connect Huntley Meadows Park, but planners are worried about environmental impact
In Fairfax County, bike advocates and a state representative have teamed up to keep a pair of trails in Huntley Meadows park from being removed—well, sort of. The kicker is that one of these trails has been on part of the county’s Comprehensive Plan since the 1970s and the other has been in the plan since 2014, but neither has ever been built. Keep reading…
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Housing gains urgency in Arlington as its budget falls short and Amazon moves in
The Arlington County Board is trying to figure out how to add more affordable housing and manage growth from Amazon as another budget shortfall looms. The Board rang in the new year with its first meeting on January 2, where newly-elected Board Chair Christian Dorsey cautioned that the county could face a budget shortfall of $70 million. Keep reading…
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The Richmond Highway corridor could be getting more housing, shops, and fast buses
In March 2018, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the Embark Richmond Highway plan to bring more density to this eight-mile stretch of road that stems from the Huntington Metro Station. The revised plan aims to do this through medium and high-rise housing, more targeted retail and restaurants, and perhaps most importantly, a bus rapid transit (BRT) system. Keep reading…
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Alexandria lost 90% of its affordable homes in the past few decades. Is it really ‘radical’ to build more?
As of 2017, Alexandria lost 90% of the affordable housing it had back in 2000. The city could start to address this shortage by adding housing in areas currently zoned for single-family homes, in a way that would mimic some of its best neighborhoods. Keep reading…
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The ABCs of affordable housing in Arlington
Arlington has had a shortage of affordable homes for some time, and now the problem is even more pressing given Amazon’s decision to move one of its new headquarters to the county. So what are local officials going to do, and what are they already doing about affordable housing? Keep reading…
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Best of 2018: Advocacy highlights at GGWash
By the numbers, GGWash had its most prolific year of advocacy to date. Our advocacy blog posts had over 1.4 million views, and over 5,000 urbanists signed petitions and/or emailed officials about local issues at least once this year. Keep reading…
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On-street scooter corrals pop up in Arlington
Arlington is adding painted scooter and dockless bike parking areas to its streets. Keep reading…
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Top posts of 2018: Tolls could be coming to Fairfax County Parkway, and you can weigh in
The Fairfax County Parkway will be getting a makeover, and the updated highway could include toll lanes. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) are now looking for public input on how to improve a 31-mile stretch of the parkway from Route 7 in Herndon to the Route 1 Corridor. Keep reading…
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Top posts of 2018: Scooters are taking cars off the road, a survey says
For DC and other cities concerned about rising traffic, a new study in Portland, Oregon suggests scooters could be a solution. Residents and tourists are using e-scooters in place of car trips, and scooters are drawing people who've never ridden a bike or never traveled in a bike lane. Keep reading…
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Top posts of 2018: Here are 5 new infrastructure projects we’ll likely get with Amazon
Amazon's HQ21/2 is coming to Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Potomac Yard, an area that local officials dubbed “National Landing” to avoid writing out three neighborhood names over and over again. Amazon’s arrival will mean at least $195 million in new transportation infrastructure from Virginia, on top of the $570 million it was already planning on investing into the area. Keep reading…
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Top posts of 2018: Rail in the region used to be far more robust. Here are all the railroads we had in 1921.
In 1921, you could take the train from downtown DC to Annapolis, from Baltimore to Harrisburg, or Winchester to DC. I built a subway-style map of the rail service our region once had. Keep reading…
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Lime-E electric bikes are now in Arlington
On Tuesday, December 18, Lime-E electric dockless bikeshare became available to ride throughout Arlington. Lime released the bikes following receipt of an operating permit the previous week. Keep reading…
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Where the Washington region is zoned for single-family homes: an update
Yesterday I wrote a post about single-family zoning in the Washington region. I got a lot of constructive feedback on the post, some of which was incorporated into revisions. Readers also wanted to know why I hadn't disaggregated undevelopable land, such as agricultural reserve, preserved open space, and federal lands from single-family zoning. Well… Keep reading…
