Opinion Posts
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As the coronavirus spreads, the need for public handwashing facilities becomes vital
In pre-coronavirus days, about a third of all public restroom users washed their hands. That wasn’t good enough then and it really isn’t good enough now. During this pandemic, we all need to be washing our hands, often! The problem we have now is a lack of public facilities to wash them. Keep reading…
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More safety upgrades are needed along a deadly section of North Capitol Street
There were six pedestrian death on the North Capitol Street corridor in just eighteen months. This toll is heartbreaking, but not surprising. Along many stretches, the street’s design resembles a six-lane highway even though it passes through multiple residential neighborhoods. We need to change this. Keep reading…
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Bus lanes create better buses. The region needs more.
If you imagine the future of transportation, what vehicle comes to mind? The space shuttle, a flying car, the hyperloop? What about the bus? Keep reading…
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Traffic cameras that are swift, certain, and fair could enhance safety, not be “predatory”
Criminology research says that “swift, certain, and fair” punishments work better than infrequent, highly punitive ones. No word on whether this may also make people less likely to smash traffic cameras. Keep reading…
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Traffic safety may be subjective, but designing the road shouldn’t be
A fundamental tenet of Vision Zero is the explicit acknowledgment that the transportation network needs to be designed for the safety of everyone - people driving, people using transit, people walking, and people bicycling or using scooters, etc. However, most (but not all) transportation infrastructure has been built to facilitate automobiles and roadway design that implicitly supports motor vehicle primacy and safety. Keep reading…
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Giving away Arlington and Alexandria won’t help Dave LaRock
Virginia Delegate Dave LaRock (R-Loudoun) made headlines when he suggested returning portions of Arlington and Alexandria back to the District of Columbia. Even if this idea were to gain any serious traction with other legislators, it would not help LaRock or Republicans in Virginia hold on to a majority in the legislature. There are two recent maps that explain why. Keep reading…
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Virginia won’t legalize duplexes statewide this year, but the urgency remains
A committee of the Virginia legislature held a hearing Thursday about three bills from Delegate Ibraheem Samirah (D-Fairfax): HB 150, 151, and 152. I testified for 151 and 152, which would have legalized across the state accessory apartments and duplexes, respectively. The committee tabled both bills, which means they won’t pass this year but can be reworked and heard again during next year’s legislative session. Keep reading…
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I bicycled over (nearly) every street in Rockville, Maryland. Here’s what I learned.
It’s the time of year when people are thinking about improving their health and are inspired to exercise more. If you are looking for a unique motivation to stick with your workout routine, I suggest setting a goal of riding your bike on every street in your community. Keep reading…
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Opponents of a Spring Valley bike lane are singing a familiar, erroneous tune
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a group of residents is opposing plans to add bike lanes because they think it will lead to increased congestion, despite traffic counts that show the road is overbuilt. The latest iteration of this is unfolding in the Spring Valley neighborhood in Northwest DC along Dalecarlia Parkway. Keep reading…
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Arlington is nonbinary
I am not a woman or a man. I am an Arlingtonian. In the 21st Century, gender is social limitation. Biological differences between sexes are irrelevant in the age of AC, GPS, and iPads for middle-schoolers. ‘Gender roles,’ we often say, are archaic and obsolete. Gender limits women’s salaries to four-fifths of men’s, and limits men to emotionally-stunted friendships and a suicide rate three times higher than women’s. Keep reading…