Recent Posts
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Events roundup: Transit in Montgomery, Fairfax, and beyond
Over the next few weeks, talk about transit in the 2014 election, learn about Bus Rapid Transit in eastern Montgomery County, and figure out how to spend Virginia’s transportation money at meetings around the region. Transit reporters talk politics: How will Smart Growth issues affect the 2014 elections in DC and Maryland? The Action Committee for Transit will host a… Keep reading…
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Suspending students isn’t the best way to discipline
Some schools say they need to suspend students to be successful. But research shows that suspending students makes them more likely to fail academically and run afoul of the law. Are there other disciplinary measures that work better? Natalie Wexler’s October 23rd post examined an important question: does a school like DC Prep’s Edgewood Middle Campus, which… Keep reading…
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DC studying streetcar to Takoma or Silver Spring
DC will start a one-year study of a north-south transit corridor from Southwest DC to Takoma or Silver Spring. While it’s too early to tell what officials will decide, it’s clear that Silver Spring’s jobs, amenities, and other transit connections make it the most logical terminus. This new corridor, which could operate as BRT but more likely a streetcar,… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Room to grow
Your morning commute isn’t crowded enough; Downtown DC not built out; Are new Section 8 housing rules too stringent?; Bikeshare pricing may halt ridership; Service lane or sidewalk?; State DOTs want more power; Are the benefits of cities and transit oversold?; New buses for MoCo; And…. Keep reading…
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9 suggestions to change the height limit
Congress is considering whether or not to change DC’s height limit. Here are 9 suggestions that will help the city get the most benefit out of changing (but not eliminating) its height regulations. Keep reading…
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What do private firms really want from the Purple Line?
Maryland officials say that letting a private company build and run the Purple Line will avoid many of the inefficiencies of government. But the private sector has inefficiencies of its own. By using a public-private partnership, or P3, to operate the light rail line, officials at the Maryland Department of Transportation hope for better service at lower cost. The private sector… Keep reading…
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Why we opted out of public school (for now)
I’m an all-around believer in the public school system. Yet this fall I opted to send my son to a private school in Maryland. We failed at the charter school lottery, and our neighborhood school isn’t a good fit. And ultimately, my decision was made easier by the fact that next year, we can think it all over again. Keep reading…
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Will cycletrack barriers on Pennsylvania Avenue work?
In response to drivers making U-turns across the Pennsylvania Avenue bike lanes, DDOT has completed the first stage of installing a special kind of barrier called a Zebra. Now that the Zebras are out in the wild, will they work? Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Should DC grow taller?
Opposition to height limit changes vocal; Reasons to support Height Act changes; Bike lanes timeline uncertain; McMillan project renderings available; Silver Line open in February?; DC demographics keep changing; Public-private partnership for Purple Line?. Keep reading…
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New apartment buildings target Millennial renters
The largest generation in American history, Millennials are having a big impact on both national and local housing trends. But does it make sense to build housing specifically for them, as one developer wants to do in Wheaton? There’s been no shortage of writing about Millennials, or the generation of young adults between 20 and 34. On the one hand, they’re flocking… Keep reading…