Posts about Maryland
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The regional transit proposals that predated Metro, from express buses to monorails
The Washington region today seems unimaginable without Metro, but the system we have today was hardly inevitable. Keep reading…
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What exactly happened with the Purple Line, and will the project ever get back on track?
The Purple Line light rail has been a long-anticipated addition to the Maryland public transit system. The 16-mile light rail will connect Montgomery County and Prince George’s County with stops stretching from Bethesda to New Carrollton. But major construction was halted in September of 2020. So what happened exactly and how likely is it the Purple Line project will resume? Keep reading…
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As the pandemic winds down, some tenants in Langley Park still struggle to stay in their homes
This past February I wrote about landlord disinvestment at Bedford and Victoria Station Apartments in Langley Park, Maryland. The complex’s tenants were then nearly a year into the pandemic and desperate for help—to pay back rent and hold their landlord accountable. Tenants are finally getting some rental relief, but their landlord still hasn’t fixed major housing code violations. So, tenants will fight to stay put and hold their landlord to account. Keep reading…
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Could Maryland be ready to replace Baltimore’s oldest rail tunnel?
The idea of replacing the B&P (Baltimore and Potomac) Tunnel has been around for a while. But is now finally the time when we could see the project moving forward? Keep reading…
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Federal rental assistance is finally flowing in Maryland, but it may not be in enough time for some
Federal rental assistance is finally flowing in Maryland, but it won’t help as many tenants as it should, the author argues. For one, rental assistance is coming just as other federal and state protections are being rescinded. Also, programs that distribute the money don’t do enough to protect holdover tenants — renters whose leases lapsed during the pandemic. Keep reading…
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Take a first glimpse inside a real Purple Line railcar
If you’ve been wondering what fabric pattern will cover the seats on the Purple Line’s 26 light rail trains, or what kind of hand-holds standing passengers will grip, wonder no more. Keep reading…
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Montgomery County budgets for bus improvements and continued free fares
Montgomery County’s bus system was hit hard by the pandemic, but next year’s budget offers some hope for getting back to normal and moving beyond it. Keep reading…
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Should Baltimore have a regional transit authority?
Out of all the transit systems in the United States, regardless of mode, the vast majority are operated by regional transit authorities (RTAs). These are supervising bodies organized at the local level among neighboring cities, towns, and counties, instead of the state. For almost 50 years, however, Baltimore has been one of the largest cities in the country not to use an RTA for its transit, but is instead controlled by the state of Maryland. Keep reading…
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How one house explains zoning in Montgomery County
The history of Montgomery County zoning can be told in one house. The story starts in the 1930s, a few years after Montgomery County adopted its first zoning ordinance. A developer named George Sacks began to build on a large tract of land he owned just south of downtown Bethesda. Keep reading…
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Four Black men developed a Montgomery County suburb to provide a better life for some in their community. They received something very different in return.
In 1906, four African American men attempted to develop an elite suburb for African Americans along Wisconsin Avenue between Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights, Maryland. Despite facing intense hostility from adjacent white landowners, at least 28 people bought lots. However, their vision was ultimately undone using subtler methods, showing how nominally race-blind tools can serve racist ends. Keep reading…