Opinion Posts
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Is it time Virginia had an Office of Trails?
From new walking paths at First Landing to freshly forged mountain biking trails in Pocahontas State Park, Virginia’s General Assembly isn’t unfamiliar with putting money towards outdoor recreation. However, the $10 million for regional trails included in the most recent state budget sets a new precedent for trails funding. Is it time Virginia created an Office of Trails to manage the process? Keep reading…
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How Cleveland Park’s historic district cost the neighborhood 42 homes in one project
Cleveland Park is one of several places in the District where the Office of Planning has proposed amendments to the Future Land Use Map to enable the potential future development of more housing in desirable neighborhoods. Even after navigating the zoning process to appeal for a higher-density allowance, new projects in Cleveland Park will still have to conform to the limitations of the neighborhood’s historic district, which, in addition to its goal of preserving history, was designed specifically to limit that exact kind of density. Keep reading…
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Lyon’s legacy III: The Constitution and the raid
This is the third part of Lyon’s Legacy, a limited series. It tells in eight parts the history of how Black people, and other groups that experience racial or economic discrimination, have been excluded from living in Arlington County. On April 6, the story told who Frank Lyon was and what he found when he arrived in the county. This week, it will tell how he began to leave his mark. Keep reading…
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Livable cities start and end with safety in public spaces
Once the coronavirus threat recedes, will people feel safe enough being in public space to generate the scale of re-investment, commercial, social and recreational activity that we need for a strong recovery? If we want our cities to come back better, we need to stop thinking about public safety in silos, learn from the successes of the coronavirus response, and put this fundamental public good at the center of urban recovery. Keep reading…
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How DC can reduce traffic deaths and make real progress on Vision Zero
Six years in, DC’s Vision Zero program can only be described as a failure. While there have been some marginal improvements to the city’s transportation infrastructure, it has been nowhere near enough to slow the number of deaths on our streets — in fact, they’ve been increasing. If we are going to engage in a genuine effort to eliminate traffic deaths and injuries, we need bold, system-wide solutions that tackle the District’s biggest safety concerns. We must disrupt an inequitable, environmentally unsound, and car-centered status quo. Keep reading…
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We need decisive action on climate, but the region’s draft transportation plan isn’t taking it
The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) released a draft transportation plan for Greater Washington that sticks with the status quo, putting off needed climate action for future years. Keep reading…
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After six years of failure, it’s time to start over on Vision Zero
Six years after Mayor Muriel Bowser committed DC to the goal of ensuring that “no lives are lost on our streets or at our intersections,” DC is on pace for its deadliest year of traffic violence in over a decade. Keep reading…
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An idea whose time has come ... 11 years later! DC implements tiered RPP.
The Washington Post recently reported that as part of his final effort to close the city’s budget gap, Adrian Fenty is considering doubling the fee for residential parking passes. This is not a bad idea, but a better one would be to raise RPP fees for the 2nd and 3rd car. We charge a laughably small fee for street parking: $15 a year. Only in the world of cars is it considered… Keep reading…
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How a protected bike lane could improve safety on Lincoln Road
Lincoln Road NE is a crucial connection between Edgewood and the center of the city, but its current design encourages speeding and dangerous driving. Recently announced plans to repave the road offer a tremendous opportunity to add pedestrian and cycling improvements that would make the street safer for all users, a change many residents support. Keep reading…
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This site could help users get more data about crashes in DC neighborhoods
When trying to tell the larger story of how crashes can impact a neighborhood, data is key. The DC Crashes Viewer helps make telling this story easier, by allowing users to search for crashes by Single Member District (SMD), and by roadway block level. Keep reading…