Posts from December 2019
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Decode the interstates: What highway numbers actually mean
Why is I-95 named I-95? What about I-395, or I-270, or I-66? There’s a logical system behind it all, and it’s easy to learn. Keep reading…
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If you put the Capital Beltway around other cities, how far out would it go?
The Beltway is one of the Washington’s region’s most well-known geographic features. Its ring around DC forms an unofficial boundary between the region’s core and rim. Would that hold true if it were around another city? How does the Beltway compare to other ring roads? Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Bike lane blockers that drive away will be mailed fines
DC will pilot mailing bike lane fines to drivers as part of a pilot program. National Airport’s new concourse is moving forward. The Distrift is waiting to see if rat birth control bears any fruit. Keep reading…
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There’s no regional rail between DC and Philly, so I tried the bus and van service that fills the gap
All but 63 miles of the 457-mile DC-Boston Northeast Corridor higher-speed rail line are served by commuter or regional rail trains, while Amtrak intercity trains cover the route’s entirety. If commuter trains were extended to fill these gaps, it would be possible to travel inexpensively from DC to Philadelphia with one change of train, from DC to New York with three changes, or DC to Boston with six changes. Keep reading…
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On solar panels, DC’s preservation board puts aesthetics over addressing the climate crisis
“I applaud your greenness and your desire to save the planet,” said architect and preservation board member Chris Landis, “and I realize that we are in crisis politically as well as sustainably. But I just have this vision of a row of houses with solar panels on the front of them and it just — it upsets me.” Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Metro wants an extensive review of Silver Line problems
Metro taps a safety panel to look into issues with the Silver Line. A pedestrian in Landover died after being struck by two drivers. Streetsblog’s top transportation villains include a familiar name. Keep reading…
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What MARC should learn from my most frustrating commute
This past summer was a particularly frustrating time to be a MARC commuter. Delays during July and August were the worst I had endured since choosing it as my primary transportation mode to work. To see just how much of my time was spent delayed, I logged my commute from Odenton to Union Station for the month of September 2018. Keep reading…
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Here’s the best way to build a Purple Line link between Bethesda and Tysons
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. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Arlington buses will celebrate 1960s civil rights protests
New Arlington bus art will commemorate 1960s sit-in civil rights protests. Fairfax’s solar plan will make Virginia reexamine power regulations. A new university is coming to the former Discovery HQ in Silver Spring. Keep reading…
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See a week of Amtrak trips on this animated map
This animation shows how every Amtrak train in America is scheduled to move, over the course of one typical week. Keep reading…