Posts tagged DcRSS
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Lessons from an unlikely community organizer in River Terrace
In 2005, Malissa Freese took an eye-opening trip in search of a new home. Coming off DC’s Interstate 295, she hit the block of Benning Road NE that houses a Pepco facility and made a left turn on Anacostia Avenue into River Terrace, a cul-de-sac neighborhood that sits along the Anacostia River (where, full disclosure, this writer grew up). Keep reading…
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Ask GGWash: Why doesn’t Metro have timed transfers?
Hi GGWash, I have a question about timed transfers. When I lived in the Bay Area and used BART, the system there had timed transfers at stations. At certain stops, you could walk across the platform to a waiting train on a different line. Neither train would leave until riders had the opportunity to transfer. Why doesn't Metro have this? Keep reading…
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Three ways bikeshare can be more equitable in DC
Bikesharing has gained popularity in US cities as concerns about health, congestion, and climate change have increased. In 2010, the DC Department of Transportation introduced the first city-operated bikesharing system in North America. Since then, Capital Bikeshare users have generated millions of rides, but use and station placement varies around the city. Keep reading…
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DDOT wants to hear from you about new bicycle lane rules
The DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) is inviting public comments on a proposal to change regulations affecting bicycle lanes and motor vehicles. DDOT proposed regulations that would make a few broad changes that specifically address bicycle lanes. Keep reading…
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There’s disagreement about the boundaries of DC’s Chinatown
While DC’s Chinatown officially spans roughly two square blocks in the city’s central downtown area, a number of long-time residents have different ideas of the neighborhood’s boundaries. This map shows how “Chinatown” means different things to different people. Keep reading…
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How does the DC budget get put together every year?
As we noted earlier, the District’s fiscal year begins October 1. Each October, just as one fiscal year is starting, officials start intensely planning for next year’s budget. In other words, budgeting is a year-round process in DC. There is involvement from the Mayor and the executive branch, the DC Council, the city’s Chief Financial Officer, and residents and interest groups. Keep reading…
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Events: Envision DC Planning with Acting Director Andrew Trueblood
Join fellow GGWash readers on Tuesday, February 19 at 6 pm at the WeWork Metropolitan Square (1440 G Street NW) for an open forum with Acting Director Trueblood, where you’ll hear his vision for the DC Office of Planning and have the opportunity to ask questions. Tickets are only $10, and FREE for GGWash Neighbors! Keep reading…
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Here’s a primer to help you read a city budget
Let’s say you’re a devoted user of your neighborhood library. You want to make sure your branch continues to be open on evenings and weekends, that children’s story hour happens, and that New York Times bestsellers get stocked at your branch. You want to advocate for the library system at city hall—known in DC as the John A. Wilson Building. What do you do? Keep reading…
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This handy guide will help you understand how DC’s budget works
Public transportation. Community centers. Drivers’ licenses. Cash assistance to help families make ends meet. Trash collection. Affordable housing. Teachers, police officers, and firefighters. Library books. All are made possible in the District of Columbia through one thing: the city’s annual budget. Keep reading…
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Gender-neutral bathrooms benefit a lot of people. Our region needs more of them.
Bathroom access might be the most visible battle right now in the wide-ranging fight for transgender civil rights, but the issue is more complex than many people realize. Gender-neutral bathrooms are the most inclusive option and bring real health benefits to real people, but in most of our region, they aren’t yet required. Keep reading…
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See everyone who’s ever served on the DC Council on this timeline
Who was on the DC council when you were born (if you were born after 1975, when it first came into being)? How many people have represented your ward (if you live in DC) over time? Keep reading…
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In a shift, front-facing solar panels win DC historic preservation approval
If a homeowner wants to put solar panels on a roof facing a street, is that a laudable step toward fighting climate change or an affront to historic preservation? With a recent preservation board ruling, DC's historic preservation system took one very small step toward tolerance of visible solar panels, at least in some cases. Keep reading…
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How should DC weigh a protected bikeway versus parking in Dupont?
In 2005, the District Department of Transportation published MoveDC, an ambitious plan which included a future protected bikeway network including on 21st Street between western Dupont Circle and the National Mall. Now, 14 years later, DDOT is working to design and ultimately build this portion. Keep reading…
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Events: Hear ye, hear ye, speak up at DC’s budget and performance oversight hearings!
Speak at the DC performance oversight and budget hearings, discuss how to address the region's homelessness and affordable housing needs, weigh in on Montgomery County's budget as well as Dupont Circle bike lanes, and more in this week's urbanist events. Keep reading…
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These historic photographs show struggles for social justice in DC
On March 31, 1968, DC photographer Phil Portlock sat in the audience at the National Cathedral as he listened to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. give what would be known as his last Sunday sermon: “Remaining Awake Through A Great Revolution.” Keep reading…
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Are there alternative sites for a dog park if WMATA sells the 11th and Park parcel?
For much of 2018, intense focus has been on the parcel of land owned by WMATA at 11th and Park Road, which has been used as an unofficial dog park since 2009. After many attempts by residents to convert the site into a permanent dog park, WMATA indicated that it was considering selling the parcel. Keep reading…
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How well is the region doing at planning for growth near Metro?
The jurisdictions in our region have taken measurable steps towards implementing transit-oriented development by upzoning land near the region's 91 Metrorail stations. However, at many stations there is still room for improvement, and some stations/jurisdictions are doing much better than others. Keep reading…
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Get on board with Bus to Work Day!
To reduce traffic congestion, advance environmental goals, improve safety, and expand opportunity for lower-income residents, we must continue to pursue policies and investments that make it convenient for people to forgo the daily use of personal automobiles. Keep reading…
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Soon you can use 311 to request repairs at public schools and recreation centers
It's about to get much easier to request repairs for broken equipment at DC public schools and recreation centers. In this year’s budget, the DC Council fully funded the addition of DC Public Schools (DCPS) and Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) facility maintenance requests to the city’s existing 311 system. Keep reading…
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Events: What makes for good or bad transit?
If you read this site, odds are that you, ahem, have opinions about transit. But do you have “An Opinionated Atlas of US Transit” with which to catalog all of your observations and ideas? Well, you could after you join the Coalition for Smarter Growth and Island Press for a talk with Christof Spieler. Keep reading…
