Land Use
Greater Greater Washington writes about where we live, work, and play, why we make the location choices we do, and what forces shape these places.
Many people would like to live in safe, diverse, walkable neighborhoods with access to transit, stores, parks, good schools, and other amenities. While our region has more walkable urban places than most, the demand still exceeds available housing, making these places more expensive (and prices keep rising rapidly).
We must ensure that there are enough housing choices so everyone who wants to live in such a neighborhood can choose to do so. We should ensure that housing in desirable areas is available to people at many points along the income spectrum, and take action to fight segregation. And we can improve the vitality of all neighborhoods by encouraging new retail and amenities to improve the quality of life for all residents.
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Breakfast links: Underground spaces, above-ground fights
Center Leg gash to heal; Dupont tunnels: Public money or not?; UMD backs down halfway; Fighting over VRE; Commission opposition; Lawyers on bikes; Down with opaque windows; And…. Keep reading…
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TPB should stop stapling, start planning for sustainability
On Wednesday, the regional Transportation Planning Board heard a presentation on how the region needs to grow more sustainably to avoid out-of-control greenhouse gas emissions. They then voted to add numerous projects to the long-range plan that will significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions. The jurisdictions that submit projects also deleted a few, because the… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Bike to work today!
Bike to work, avoid dogs; Bye townhouses, hello parking?; On New York Avenue; More residential for Tysons; Oh great, loud grates; Know a hit-and-run driver in Frederick?; Soda tax? Probably not; MARC hits a new mark. Keep reading…
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Arlington, DC announce 1,100-bike regional bike sharing
A new bike sharing system based on Montreal’s Bixi will have 1,100 bikes spanning 100 stations in DC and 14 in Arlington, replacing DC’s existing SmartBike system, leaders announced this morning, This expansion has been widely rumored for months, since Cyberpresse reported a deal was in the works. U.S. company Alta Bicycle Share will actually operate the system… Keep reading…
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Dear Andres Duany: Money, not millennials, hurting cities
Dear Mr. Duany, At twenty-two years old, I qualify as a Millennial. I enjoy loud music and cheap, greasy food, among other things. I also love cities, including Washington, D.C., the one I was born in. I can’t afford to live there, so I live at home with my parents. Yet, according to what you recently told the Atlantic, I’m ruining the place: “There’s… Keep reading…
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“Pedestrian crossing” options oddly resemble interchanges
Montgomery County DOT has released design alternatives in their study of a “pedestrian crossing project between the National Naval Medical Center and the Medical Center Metro station.” The alternatives could improve the experience for pedestrians crossing Rockville Pike/MD-355, but also look a lot like the vehicular interchanges that MCDOT staff insisted… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Bikes, buildings, budgets, and bull
Cyclists, drivers, police, the usual; Bike bits; Kornheiser Jr.; Ward 7 project gets worse; Development dispatches; Fixing Kensington; Montgomery musings; CDC misled on lead. Keep reading…
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How many barriers is too many?
The concrete planters around the Hirshhorn Museum helped slow a wayward truck that crashed into the museum last week. This crash was not a deliberate attempt to attack the building. It was a totally freak incident which had never happened before. Although this will probably spur efforts to increase the security measures around the building, it really should be… Keep reading…
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Live chat with Larry Beasley on DC’s height limit
Larry Beasley led the transformation of Vancouver into a walkable, vibrant city in large part through high-rise condos. Should DC relax its height limit and follow Vancouver’s path, or is the best way for DC a different one? Keep reading…
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Vancouver’s Beasley: Tinker with height limit very carefully
Last night, Vancouver planner Larry Beasley praised tall buildings, but also praised Washington’s lack of them. He argued it could benefit DC to allow height in narrowly circumscribed areas outside downtown, but cautioned DC to be very mindful of the consequent risk. Tall buildings transformed Vancouver into a world-class city, attracting tourists, knowledge workers… Keep reading…