Posts from May 2017
-
Why dog parks are such a hot-button issue in the “Cappuccino City”
We are pleased to present a few excerpts from American University professor Derek Hyra's new book, Race, Class,and Politics in the Cappuccino City. This one looks at “cultural displacement,” where people who are able to keep living in their neighborhoods nevertheless feel less and less welcome. Keep reading…
-
This awesome map demystifies Washington’s long-distance bus network
Of the pieces that make up the Washington region's extensive transit network, the region’s commuter bus networks might be the least known. Over fifty long-haul commuter bus routes spider out into the region, stretching as far as Purcellville and Woodbridge in Virginia, and Hagerstown and Kent Island in Maryland. Keep reading…
-
Breakfast links: President Trump’s budget threatens transit, but not Metro
Under the President's budget, rail projects, including the Purple Line, are at risk of losing federal funding. A more pedestrian-friendly crossing is coming to a crowded Columbia Heights intersection. Montgomery decides on the future of downtown Bethesda development this week. Keep reading…
-
With the latest Purple Line ruling, is every road project in America now illegal?
Judge Richard Leon says an Environmental Impact Statement for the Purple Line is invalid because since it was prepared, Metro ridership has declined. By this reasoning, many have asked, isn't every EIS for every road project equally invalid? Keep reading…
-
DC is America’s “healthiest city,” but its African Americans are being left behind
Why does the same city that’s frequently ranked the “Healthiest City in America” still have such disparities in health outcomes for its African American residents? The answer is complicated, encompassing gentrification and demographic change, broken trust between the community and health care providers, and complacent attitudes about investments in the community. Keep reading…
-
Behind the Handlebars: Councilmember Brandon Todd talks Bike to Work Day
Ward 4, which DC Councilmember Brandon Todd represents, is full of bike commuters. Still more simply pass through the ward on two wheels every day on their way downtown from places like Takoma Park and Silver Spring. But what does Todd actually think of bicycling? Keep reading…
-
On the Purple Line and beyond, judges are playing planner
The Purple Line may be dead after federal judge Richard Leon refused to lift his ruling blocking the project. He says the FTA hasn't looked hard enough at some facts he decided are important. But this kind of reasoning seems to give a judge nearly unlimited power to stop projects they personally aren't convinced about, despite rules they are supposed to defer to agencies' judgment. Keep reading…
-
Breakfast links: Thousands of buses in Virginia lack a required safety component
About 4,000 Virginia school buses will be retrofitted with a required safety component. It's hard to regulate weed businesses in the District when funding is restricted. Heavy rainfalls have ended the area's drought woes. Keep reading…
-
Support housing for everyone at Petworth’s Hebrew Home
Just a few blocks from the Petworth Metro, a District-owned apartment that most call the Hebrew Home has been vacant since 2009. The DC government, which owns the property, has tried to redevelop it twice. Now, the city is trying again. This Thursday, May 25, come out to hear the latest from the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and give feedback on the project. Keep reading…
-
Judge Leon rules against the Purple Line again
On Monday, after months of waiting and repeated requests for a ruling, Judge Leon doubled down, ruling that the line can’t move forward without further study. This could be a fatal blow. Keep reading…