Opinion Posts
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Want to improve DC schools? Build teacher housing
The cost of housing is a major challenge to teacher retention in the District of Columbia, which in turn undermines student performance and school administration. What would it look like to build teacher housing on school campuses? Keep reading…
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Not ready for prime time: The flawed 495 Southside Express Lanes
Although their study is far from completion, VDOT appears to have already decided to widen a key segment of I-495 from eight to twelve lanes, with privately controlled toll lanes. Share your thoughts with the Transportation Planning Board. Keep reading…
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Montgomery County’s Planning Board will recommend relaxing single-family zoning
This week, Montgomery County’s Planning Board will recommend relaxing single-family zoning. Chair Artie Harris and planning director Jason Sartori explain why it’s time to give everyone a chance to call the county home. Keep reading…
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Coming soon to Columbia Road: More public space, and bus and bike lanes
DDOT will start building bus and bike lanes on Columbia Road in July 2024. Removing residential permit parking will enable faster transit and make it safer to bike and walk. Here’s how you can support the project. Keep reading…
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The DC Council should insist on a true multi-modal design for Connecticut Avenue, or defund the project
It’s not just the missing bike lane: the District Department of Transportation’s revised plans for Connecticut Avenue are worse all around. The Council shouldn’t let the Mayor toy with $26 million. Keep reading…
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Six big ideas to improve Metro and regional transit
WMATA has created a task force to identify sustainable funding solutions, which meets for the first time on June 10. However, the opportunities go beyond funding: our regional transit system needs big ideas about improving services, operations, finances, and governance. Improvements in each of these areas can help the others. Here are six approaches to consider. Keep reading…
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DC’s 2025 budget is an opportunity to show up for climate. Don’t lose it.
The District adopted powerful climate goals in recent years, and our technocratic experts came up with practical, effective plans for achieving them. Are some leaders suddenly getting cold feet with this year’s budget? Keep reading…
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Not just downtown: DC needs more rapid transit between neighborhoods
In the wake of the Covid pandemic, public transit should follow people’s needs and shift away from the downtown-centric paradigm. That means creating rapid transit services to and from activity centers outside of the core. Here are a few windows of opportunity. Keep reading…
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Express MARC service can help Maryland grow more equitably
Express trains between Baltimore and Washington, DC would cut the travel time between the cities in half, putting hundreds of thousands of jobs within reach for Baltimoreans and helping Washingtonians escape one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. The trains, the tracks they run on, and all the other necessary infrastructure already exist. Keep reading…
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Keep Beach Drive car-free on the weekends
Since 2020, Montgomery Parks has been running the wildly popular Open Parkways program on Beach Drive and in two other locations – Little Falls Parkway and Sligo Creek Parkway. Over the last year, the open parkway on Beach Drive was used more than 135,000 times. Earlier this month, Montgomery Parks leadership announced that they would like it permanent. Keep reading…