Recent Posts
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Streetcars will benefit DC’s bottom line
Will DC’s streetcar system be worth its $1.5 billion expense? A recent study indicates that the answer is a resounding yes. One of the key differences between buses and streetcars is that streetcars induce land development. That benefits the city from a Smart Growth and urbanist perspective. It also turns out to be a big win for the city’s coffers. The DC Office… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Who rules transportation?
Meet the new boss; One piece of taxi tech or many?; Senate bill is better; Not much of a bike path; Building not to be; Silver brings in slightly less green; ICC won’t get faster; And…. Keep reading…
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Solar Decathlon move a loss for DC, Decathlon, and the US
Last week, the Department of Energy announced the Solar Decathlon would not be held in DC in 2013. The move is a big loss for city of Washington, the National Mall, the Decathlon itself, and even US climate policy. The Solar Decathlon has been held in DC every time since its inception in 2002. In its first 4 iterations, it occupied a prominent place on the National Mall. … Keep reading…
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Anacostia loses another 19th century home from neglect
For the past two decades Hannah Hawkins has watched a 120-year-old house gradually deteriorate behind the community center she runs in historic Anacostia. The crumbling home at 2228 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE will be demolished this spring. The Department of Housing and Community Development has owned the home and several adjacent properties since July 2010. DHCD filed… Keep reading…
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Cafritz project tests Prince George’s commitment to TOD
The owners of the Cafritz property in Riverdale Park want a zoning change to build a major mixed-use development on a wooded, 37-acre single-family-zoned property with, at best, mediocre access to transit. If Prince George’s County is serious about its commitment to smart growth and development around its 15 Metro stations, it will deny the rezoning. In recent years,… Keep reading…
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New building raises Silver Spring’s urban design standard
Former Washington Post architecture critic Benjamin Forgey once said, “there are so many bad buildings in Silver Spring, it’s a hard place to do good.” Yet some architects and developers are trying to do better here. Last month, ground was broken on Eleven55 Ripley, a new residential complex in the Ripley District, located west of Georgia Avenue in downtown… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Bring in the dough
Brown puts tax cuts first; A stop sign for a suburban Walmart; PG’s sprawling problem; Will Metro get fixed?; Restoration used to be racist; No need to watch for bikes, peds in Virginia; VA House may cut unions from Silver Line; Transportation bill a speeding SUV; And…. Keep reading…
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Gaston: Move Ward 8 forward, together
I’m Commissioner Darrell Gaston, and I’m currently serving my second term as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 8 and Chairperson of ANC 8B. I’m running for the democratic nomination for DC Council in Ward 8, a seat currently held by Councilmember Marion Barry. As a young man who grew up on welfare, I know we can do better creating a pathway that leads… Keep reading…
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Montgomery DOT roadblocks thwart popular BRT plan
A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network could bring major transportation improvements to Montgomery County. But instead of pushing to advance the project as soon as possible, county transportation officials have thrown up obstacles and mired the project in unnecessary delays. Montgomery County’s roadways are filled to capacity with single-passenger vehicles. To help… Keep reading…
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House transportation bill is “a march of horribles”
The House’s five-year transportation bill is slated for release on Tuesday. Based on an early summary, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act looks like a return to 1950s-style transportation policy. It is particularly unkind to transit and bike/ped programs, and to cities in general. Keep reading…