Transportation
Greater Greater Washington writes about how people get around the Washington region, whether on Metro, buses, streetcars, driving, walking, biking, or any other method.
One of the region’s strengths is the wide range of options for travel. There are many walkable places in DC, Maryland, and Virginia where people could choose transit, walk or bike, or if they don’t have their own car, grab a shared vehicle or hail a ride. This reduces the need to own cars, saving people money and reducing traffic congestion.
As our region grows, it is imperative to continue to make these options safe, economical, and available to even more people. It is imperative to ensure safe sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure, expand transit options, and add housing near existing transit stations.
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Permit renewal for Eckington asphalt plant raises questions about air quality, health
Fort Myer Eckington asphalt plant is situated, unusually, near a lot of people, schools, and recreational facilities. With the plant’s operating permit up for renewal, a neighbor took a deep dive into what that proximity means for a growing population. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Reluctantly, officials approve $425 million Purple Line boost
Maryland approves $425 million in additional funds for Purple Line, reluctantly and with strings attached. Thousands ticketed since January 29 for violating DC’s bus lane laws. Arlington County proposes to cut low-performing bus routes in budget. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: MetroAlerts outage may be resolved by end of month
WMATA hopes to fix MetroAlerts and transit police textline outage by the end of March. Applications will open next week for DC office conversion tax abatement program. DC OSSE sued in federal court for alleged ADA and human rights violations related to provision of transportation for students with disabilities. Keep reading…
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Company town: Is Crystal City, part of Amazon’s “National Landing,” a “place”?
A city is more than just an urban form; it’s a collection of residents, properties, business owners, and developers crafting a place together, over time. Crystal City delivers a kind of urbanism at a large scale, as a kind of product. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: “Yes in God’s Backyard” policies gain steam
Region’s lawmakers look for ways to make it easier to redevelop churches to include affordable housing. Alexandria seeks public feedback on West End plan by March 31. Maryland leaders concerned about lack of revenue-generating measures for state’s $10B climate plan. Keep reading…
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Understanding car culture ‘denialism’ can help safety advocates respond
Opponents of change sow confusion with fake experts, logical fallacies, impossible expectations (moving goalposts), conspiracy theories, and selectivity (cherry picking). We can fight back. Keep reading…
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Do Something: The week of March 4, 2024
This week on Do Something: historic preservation in Chevy Chase; budget season in DC; Montgomery County ditches parking minimums; and the 2000s are back (in a bad way). Keep reading…
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Washington region employers will compete on transit ridership this spring. Is yours on board?
Transit can be a three-pointer for sustainability, opportunity, and regional mobility. Ride for the Region is a new challenge themed along the lines of a certain March basketball tournament, to get regional employers competing on staff transit ridership. Keep reading…
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Breakfast links: Virginia House and Senate agree to a budget—without an arena
Virginia budget compromise excludes framework for Wizards and Capitals arena in Alexandria. Baltimore City Council considers proposal to sell city-owned vacant homes for one dollar. DC woman faces six-month delay in securing housing despite voucher approval. Keep reading…
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Here’s what GGWash asked the DC Council to pay attention to during performance oversight hearings
At annual performance oversight hearings, DC Councilmembers probe agency leaders about how effectively their agencies performed in the previous year. Individual and organizational witnesses are invited to submit testimony too. Here’s what GGWash staff said. Keep reading…