Opinion Posts
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WMATA’s funding crisis will disproportionately hurt essential workers with disabilities
In the absence of a regional, long-term operational funding solution for WMATA, essential workers with disabilities face mobility and job insecurity. Keep reading…
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Officials must act on promise to fix the region’s Visualize 2050 transportation plan
The Visualize 2050 plan demonstrates where the region’s priorities are – endlessly widening roads to move vehicles, or giving people affordable and sustainable travel options and proximity to jobs and services. The current version is lacking on both equity and sustainability fronts. Washington region residents have until March 30 to comment. Keep reading…
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Building Connections: Exploring the DC Department of Buildings
In the first installment of a new series by the DC Department of Buildings staff, learn about the agency and the data it uses to conduct its work. Keep reading…
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CVS stores that should have apartments above them, ranked
The District has more than 50 CVS stores, and most of them are in one-story buildings. While the city would benefit from new housing above each and every one, some are more worthy than others. Keep reading…
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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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What would you name your Single Member District? We mapped our ideas for all 345 of them
The work of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and the Single-Member Districts that make them up have major local relevance, but their alpha-numeric titles make them seem remote and non-human. What if they each had a name based on a neighborhood, school, park, or other landmark? 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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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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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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Energy costs can imperil Black homeownership. DC legislation could help
DC’s Healthy Homes Act is designed to help 30,000 low-income households upgrade their homes with clean energy, cutting utility bills and making housing more affordable. Keep reading…