Recent Posts
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Breakfast links: Silly and serious
Are we “yuppies”? Are streetcars “toys”?; Papers without patience; Google made them build an unsafe road?; No videotaping police misconduct?; Riding it all; Georgetown streetcars tonight; Bike bits; Can the best congestion model sell congestion pricing?. Keep reading…
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What’s That? #26
It’s week #26 of What’s That? Keep reading…
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The Variety of American Grids
I wanted a nerdy planning-related poster for my wall (other than the periodic table of city planning), so I made one this week. I scoured Google Earth and measured that quintessentially American grid in about a hundred downtowns around the country. Of course, there are variations in block proportions within downtowns, but I tried to pick cities that had more uniformity than average… Keep reading…
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Cuts spur new New York subway map
New York is getting a new subway map. Keep reading…
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Wells to introduce bill for overhead wires on H, Benning
On Tuesday, DC Councilmember Tommy Wells will introduce a bill to modify the existing ban on overhead wires in the L’Enfant City, his office announced last night. The new bill would not allow wires across the District, but would maintain the current ban with an exception for streetcars on H Street NE and Benning Road. To add wires to any other areas, DDOT would need to… Keep reading…
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We saved transit, but everything isn’t peachy for everyone
This week was a very exciting one for transit supporters. Not only did we reverse the DC Council’s sudden cut to streetcars, but what started out as a massive set of service cuts were whittled down to none, at least in DC and Virginia. Yes, we have shown that transit matters to the residents of the region, and politicians should cut it at their peril. Transit service is very important… Keep reading…
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Charrette participants embrace Silver Spring’s new urbanity
Yesterday, we talked about the issue of “style vs. character” at last week’s Fenton Street Market charrette. That was just one of the concerns raised by the residents and stakeholders who came out to offer their thoughts on the future of Silver Spring. Charrette participants gave us their thoughts on large easel boards. Reading those, you could see the split… Keep reading…
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UMD fights phantom fences from Purple Line
The University of Maryland and the Maryland Transit Administration remain at odds over the Purple Line. One argument that UMD loves to trot out is that the light rail line will turn campus into a maze of tall fences. While MTA fiercely denies that they are planning to install fences, the University of Maryland claims evidence to the contrary. Administrators cite the University… Keep reading…
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What should historic preservation really protect?
Yesterday, the DC Historic Preservation Review Board declined to approve the N Street Follies hotel, proposed for the six boarded-up townhouses on N Street between 17th and 18th Streets, NW. Numerous Dupont residents, including myself, testified against a specific element of the project: its impact on the adjacent Tabard Inn. The Historic Preservation Office recommended… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Going up
Fare hike and more; The magic of sharing data; Metro PD bravery; Nobody uses them because they’re not open; DC drivers really are ignorant; Rubber sidewalks?; Lord Jesus Christ hit in crosswalk; Going without. Keep reading…