Recent Posts
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Breakfast links: For Rent
The rent is too high; Affordable housing saved; Affordable housing gone; DC’s changing demographics; ANCs losing weight; New plans for Columbia; I-66 going up; And…. Keep reading…
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Can we build up around MARC stations?
It’s not surprising that corporate offices and sprawling suburbs are consuming the green fields between DC’s and Baltimore’s beltways. What is surprising is there’s no real alternative: no urban places are being built at all of the MARC stations in the same corridor. My wife and I live in Baltimore. Each morning, we splash cold water on our faces before… Keep reading…
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Higher fares for late-night transit discourage ridership
Come spring, Boston’s transit system, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA), will start offering late-night service on all subway and 15 major bus lines. Like Metro, MBTA may charge higher fares for it. Could this discourage transit use? Currently, the MBTA shuts down shortly after midnight seven days a week, leaving revelers and workers of unusual hours with… Keep reading…
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Can nonprofits help extend the DCPS school day?
DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson has said she’d like to extend the school day, but the teachers’ union contract limits it to 7½ hours. To get around that, schools can partner with community organizations that provide the additional learning time. Washington Teachers Union President Liz Davis has said she’s skeptical about extending the school day… Keep reading…
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What’s the oldest continuously named street in DC?
I recently embarked on a quest to figure out what was the oldest continuously named street in the District of Columbia. While I initially thought it was going to be a easy task, my initial inquiries came up inconclusive. But I’m tentatively ready to name the victor Water Street NW, a short street in Georgetown. Georgetown existed before the District of Columbia. It was founded… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Residential growth, sans parking
Less parking, please; No more parking at apartments; More hearings for zoning rewrite; CaBi continues to grow; What DC would (not) look without height limit; Gaithersburg to tackle bike-friendly streets; Minimum wage week for Wells. Keep reading…
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Can motorcycles fit in an urban context?
Where do motorcycles fit in a city? Should we promote them more, because they take up less space and use less gas? Or should we discourage them because they’re noisy and dangerous? This past July, I finally gave in and took the motorcycle safety course, bought the gear (helmet, full textile suit, gloves, boots), got my license, and bought a 1983 Honda Shadow 500. In good weather,… Keep reading…
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Playgrounds show how far DC has come in 20 years
Mayor Vincent Gray recently announced that DC will renovate 8 more playgrounds next year, bringing his “Play DC” project to a total of 40 playgrounds. That’s a far cry from the 1990s, when residents who wanted a new playground were basically left to fend for themselves. The District is allocating $1 million for each of those playground makeovers. And… Keep reading…
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How does DC’s proposed Metro loop compare?
After Metro announced last week that it hopes to build a new loop line between downtown DC and Arlington, many people immediately started comparing it to the other cities that have transit loops. How would Metro’s line compare to the others? There are actually a variety of loop types. Each type tends to operate differently and have different characteristics. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Hot and cold
More snow today; Education debate gets heated; DC’s ugliest buildings; Car2Go raises rates; Free bus to Metro continued; Restore service or decrease fares?; Unfortunate Charm City milestone; Unusual crime fighting methods; High Line critters; And…. Keep reading…