Posts tagged Marc Elrich
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Montgomery builds BRT-hostile roads as it plans BRT
Montgomery County’s transportation policy is descending toward incoherence. Policymakers want to put dedicated Bus Rapid Transit lanes on the county’s highways. Yet they continue to prioritize expensive projects that will increase car volumes on those same roads. A prime example of the contradiction between these 2 policies is a planned underpass taking… Keep reading…
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Traffic tests confound Montgomery council
Montgomery County has tried several times to find a working “adequate public facilities ordinance,” rules that aim to ensure new buildings don’t jam up roads. They’ve never succeeded, and a new version won’t either. At a County Council meeting Monday, legislators struggled with another proposed revamp of the law, which the county DOT originated… Keep reading…
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Weekend links: Not working on the railroad
Railroad blocked; Marc would limit growth near MARC; House GOP against transpo bill because Dems voted for it; Bike harassment, part 9123; Shelter the unsheltered; Wilson gets squeezed; Abuse of the code gets expensive; All-door boarding speeds buses; And…. Keep reading…
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Montgomery Council boosts Purple Line, Bethesda entrance
Last night, the Montgomery County Council affirmed its support for the Purple Line, Capital Crescent Trail, and building the Bethesda Metro’s new entrance as soon as possible, rather than waiting 6 more years. But the decision didn’t come without a fight from County Executive Ike Leggett. Leggett’s budget stripped funding for the Metro entrance until… Keep reading…
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BRT proposal could get Montgomery on the bus
Two weeks ago, Montgomery County released a study saying that a proposed Bus Rapid Transit system could drastically improve local commutes. The plan could do even more for commuters by sending lines to current and future activity centers in the county. Councilmember Marc Elrich first proposed creating a countywide Bus Rapid Transit network in 2008. On May 4, planning consultants… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Shutdown everything
Park Police won’t do events, MPD will; Public safety partially essential; Services that will continue; Furloughed workers can file unemployment; WMATA clarifies potential cuts; Wheaton Costco debate continues; Black History Museum design revised; And…. Keep reading…
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Can the US make BRT work as well as in Latin America?
In the DC area, bus rapid transit is sometimes seen as the choice of people who don’t really want transit to succeed. Democrat Martin O’Malley and local environmentalists lobbied for light rail on the Purple Line, for example, while Republican Bob Ehrlich’s push for BRT was largely seen as an effort to “obfuscate, alter, study and delay”… Keep reading…
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Can we eliminate death and serious injury from roadways?
After nine passengers died on the Red Line in 2009, we didn’t throw up our hands and chalk it up to issues beyond our control. Instead, the region has seen serious debate and action — however imperfect — to ensure that no one is killed or seriously injured while riding Metro. Why, then, do we take a more defeatist attitude toward the safety of our roadways? Why do… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Step up on the streets
MPD ticketing distracted drivers at record rate; New York City enforcing speed limit, bike laws; Arena Stage reopens tomorrow; Infill moves forward; A new Metro map?; Not so much will change under Gray; MoCo Council on pedestrian safety; No more helmet hair; And…. Keep reading…
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For Montgomery County Council
I’ve found the Montgomery County Council frustrating. On important issues around growth, development and transportation, many councilmembers don’t take much of a stand and vote in unanimous or near-unanimous numbers even on controversial and vital issues. Many seem to prefer finding a consensus where they can vote unanimously or nearly-unanimously, regardless… Keep reading…