Posts about Maryland
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Residents support the Purple Line at Bethesda/Chevy Chase hearing
I testified at the Bethesda/Chevy Chase Purple Line hearing last night. Most speakers rehashed the same arguments made back and forth in western Montgomery County over the past few years. The “Save the Trail” crowd repeated their parochial concerns. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Doomsday edition
Will they just cancel MARC entirely?: Maryland’s transportation revenue is down another $2.5 billion beyond the $1 billion cuts already made, reports the Post. That’s very bad news for the Purple Line and Corridor Cities Transitway. But of course, the $2.4 billion ICC is immune thanks to its privileged financing agreement. MARC riders spoke out against the previous… Keep reading…
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Cutting transit: a 1958 solution to a 2008 problem
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett has proposed budget cuts to RideOn that would reduce service. Meanwhile, Leggett doesn’t plan to cut any road projects. Every little road “upgrade” (and by “upgrade” I mean widening, making cars go faster, and causing more pedestrian injuries) in the county is still going forward as planned. Keep reading…
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I thought criminals took transit?
Last month, Freakonomics revisited the ridiculous argument that transit brings crime into the innocent little suburbs. More recently, Just Up the Pike followed a shooting that occurred on a Silver Spring bus recently, prompting more discussion on the possibility that mass transit increases crime. Keep reading…
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Dinner links: making an impact
She’s welcome to post on GGW: Michelle Obama told 60 Minutes the Obamas hope to “have an impact” on DC. DCist will believe it when they see it, remembering that Bill Clinton briefly visited Georgia Avenue after his election and that was about it. Keep reading…
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Metro plans to share parking with Marriott hotel
At this week’s meeting, WMATA’s Planning, Development and Real Estate Committee will consider a proposal to enter into an agreement with Marriott to build a 162-room hotel on the Prince George’s Plaza Metro station site (see map). Originally, the site was to have a free-standing bank, which is not a very high-density use of land near a Metro station. This is much… Keep reading…
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Prince George’s and the Post back light rail Purple Line
On Saturday, the first Purple Line DEIS hearing took place in New Carrolton. Every elected official in attendance spoke in favor of the light rail Purple Line. Of the first 30 speakers from the general public, 27 spoke specifically for a light rail Purple Line. Only one person spoke in favor of the Jones Bridge bus option. Keep reading…
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Weekend reading: around and around in circles
Phew: WMATA reached a deal with the bank trying to shake it down for millions. But it’s not home free yet. Keep reading…
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Urbanism in the public realm: the Silver Spring library
Last Thursday, I attended the public meeting on the new Silver Spring Library. As David already posted, the consultants, RKTL, have proposed a variety of options for discussion. Only four options remain: 1b, 1c, 6a, and 6b. The others had to be disqualified, as some were impractical for the library, while others wouldn’t attract a private developer to build the residential… Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: death and life of metropolitan America
Obama serious on cities: The President-elect will create an Office of Urban Policy, to “better coordinate federal efforts to help America’s cities.” Via Matt Yglesias. Keep reading…