Posts from June 2013
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Vienna Metro town center won’t have a town center
Outside of Tysons Corner, Vienna MetroWest is Fairfax County’s greatest experiment yet in transit-oriented development. But now it appears developers have scaled back, and may build car-oriented retail instead. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Eyes on bikes and pedestrians
MBT cameras not helpful; MD bike and ped update; Future of Georgetown; IZ update; Goodbye Examiner; More Metro data; More neighbors against mixed-use Safeway; Nerds on the train; Metro morsels. Keep reading…
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Road designs stand in the way of White Flint’s urban future
White Flint’s future as an urban place depends on a street network that welcomes people on foot and bike, not just in cars, and roads that are pleasant to spend time in, not just move through. But county transportation officials may not make getting there easy. On Monday, representatives of the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) gave a presentation… Keep reading…
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Metro bag searches aren’t always optional
If you refuse a bag search at a WMATA subway station, Metro Transit Police may follow you if you leave and even if you board a bus. That’s what happened to me Tuesday morning in Shaw. I entered the Shaw Metro station with a bag containing my lunch and my laptop. An officer waved me aside on the north mezzanine and told me to put my bag on the table for inspection. Stunned that I was… Keep reading…
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Redeveloping McMillan is the only way to save it
At a recent public hearing, neighbors of McMillan Sand Filtration Site renewed calls to make it a park. But the only way that can happen is by developing part of it as a neighborhood, and it’s up to the DC Council to make it happen. Residents filled a June 6 public hearing held by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development to oppose plans to sell the derelict… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: On the horizon
Silver delayed to 2014; Silver surcharge?; Commuter buses escape fee; Storm brewing; Houses without owners; MBT attack was a big group; How the population grows; Hands-free is still distracted. Keep reading…
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Prince George’s tries to make TOD easier
Prince George’s County wants to encourage growth in the right places by speeding up the approval process for transit-oriented development. The county council unanimously passed a bill last week that just might do it. Developers have often said they don’t want to do business in Prince George’s because of its lengthy and unpredictable development review… Keep reading…
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Catania’s reforms, part 2: Ending “social promotion”
Last week, Councilmember David Catania announced 7 proposals to restructure operations at DC Public Schools (DCPS). Yesterday we looked at a bill that would give some schools extra money, and school principals control over their budgets. Another bill would discourage the practice of “social promotion.” In social promotion, a school advances a child to a new… Keep reading…
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What is WMATA’s long-range financial plan?
The Washington Post, several bloggers, and many Metro riders have been hammering WMATA recently for being so opaque about its timetable for Metro Forward repairs. Besides leveling with riders about how long repairs are going to take, WMATA could build confidence by also being more forthcoming about how much money it will need in the long run. The constant refrain from CEO Richard… Keep reading…
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Seniors, people with disabilities cite difficulty of using transit
For many seniors and people with disabilities, transit is a lifeline. But poor access and limited service make them less likely to use it, says a new survey from Fairfax County. The Fairfax County Mobility & Transportation Committee, which I co-chair, surveyed 1,163 seniors and disabled adults in the county and Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church this winter on their transportation… Keep reading…