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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Connect bike lanes through closed Pennsylvania Avenue
In early March, DDOT presented an exciting plan for bike lanes across downtown DC. They are a fantastic step forward, painted lanes or not. Yet there’s one piece DDOT didn’t present: a marked bike lane on Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House. Since the two most famous blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue, from 15th to 17th, were closed to traffic, they have provided… Keep reading…
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Region poised to back away from Metro good repair
The consensus emerging from months of negotiations between area jurisdictions that fund Metro is for fewer dollars for capital projects and diminished guarantees that the dollars committed will actually materialize. The WMATA board will be updated today and presented with three possible capital funding agreement renewal options. All them provide fewer dollars and fewer… Keep reading…
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Sarles proposes budget with far fewer service cuts
WMATA interim GM Richard Sarles has revised the proposed FY11 operating budget to substantially pare back proposed service reductions. He will present his proposal to the Board of Directors today. Sarles manages to reduce the need for service reductions by cutting departmental costs and increasing some revenue, but the biggest change is restoring the tactic of using capital… Keep reading…
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WMATA releases Gunn report after Van Hollen insists
WMATA has posted the presentation former GM David Gunn gave to the Board last month on how to fix Metro. Keep reading…
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Afternoon links: Nonsense
National Highways-In-Parks Service?; Wilson Building ATM machine still running; Silver Line car price fight; Finalists selected for Planning Board; More cents and sense for Bethesda parking; Tenleytown: 60 years of anti; So high-speed, it never stops; Post’s new network. Keep reading…
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WMATA reaches agreement to use DC USA garage
Employees at WMATA’s Northern Bus Garage will be able to park at DC USA, under an agreement the WMATA Board will review on Thursday. The parking deck at the Northern Bus Garage was closed last year “as it was no longer structurally sound,” and WMATA began looking for alternate parking locations. DC USA was an obvious location given the plethora of unused… Keep reading…
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Rogoff: Federal oversight mustn’t push riders onto highways
FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff told Congress that while he believes strongly in greater federal oversight of transit safety, it’s important for that oversight not to diminish the usefulness of transit. Keep reading…
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Graham proposes regional gas tax hike for WMATA
Yesterday, Councilmember Jim Graham introduced a bill to raise the gas tax and provide a dedicated funding stream for transit, if and when Maryland and Virginia join DC in passing the tax regionwide. The bill would add a 10¢ surcharge and dedicated all of the revenue to WMATA. However, it would not take effect until other funding jurisdictions (basically, Virginia and Maryland)… Keep reading…
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Congressional hearing on WMATA now
The House of Representatives hearing on WMATA is starting. Keep reading…
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DDOT reveals more streetcar details in Trinidad
Residents heard about the maintenance yard for the H Street NE streetcar line, how it will tie in to Union Station, and how the streetcars will be powered at Tuesday’s meeting hosted by DDOT in Ward 5’s Trinidad community. DDOT’s Scott Kubly presented illustrations to the packed gymnasium at Wheatley Education Campus showing how the western end of the H Street… Keep reading…