Opinion Posts
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Reston, we have a problem
Reston — the nationally-renowned Fairfax County New Town founded in 1964 — is at a crossroads. While the physical fabric outside the Reston Town Center has changed little over the last two decades, the community’s founding vision of inclusion has begun to slip into the background. Keep reading…
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Let’s make our streets safer by putting the transportation people in charge of traffic cameras
Here’s one of the changes proposed by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to combat dangerous streets: transfer photo enforcement from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). DC councilmembers Mary Cheh and Charles Allen disagree on whether to make this change, but Cheryl Cort argues it's the right move. Keep reading…
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A former ANC commissioner is fighting bus shelters in Georgetown
A former ANC commissioner is attempting to wage a war against the installation of a bus shelter in Georgetown. Grace Bateman, who served as Chair of the commission in the early 90s, is attempting to thwart the installation of a new bus shelter on 35th Street, across from Dent Place. Keep reading…
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NBC4’s story about Dave Salovesh’s death frets about cyclists running lights
At first, I was glad to see the media at the emplacement of the ghost bike at Florida Avenue NE & 12th Street NE. I wanted them to hear the hurt in the cycling community, to see our tears and our goodbyes, to see us take the intersection and close it down in honor of Dave Salovesh. Keep reading…
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To start addressing displacement, let’s start with better reporting on gentrification
A recent National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) study confirms what everyone living here can feel: Washington, DC, has gentrified more intensely than any other city. It’s great that our paper of record is reporting on this kind of research, but the Post and other local outlets need to step up their game. Keep reading…
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For housing affordability, warehouse the rich
Local residents might complain about cranes and “luxury” developments, but the truth is that cities with the strongest economies have not allowed construction of enough housing units to meet growing demand. This has caused what Rick Jacobus at Shelterforce calls “the new planning dilemma: where to put the rich?” Keep reading…
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Decongestion pricing could help fix traffic in the Washington region
State lawmakers recently sealed a deal to make New York City the first city in the country to implement decongestion pricing, a measure intended to cut down on the city’s infamous gridlock traffic, while also raising much-needed revenue to improve and maintain its aging subway system. Could such a system work in our region? Keep reading…
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The District’s streets are dangerous, and unjust, by design
On March 13 and 14 road safety advocates and leaders gathered to discuss the District's progress on Vision Zero, its committment to eliminating road deaths and serious injuries by 2024. The initiative is badly needed—we as a region, and as a nation, face a traffic safety crisis, particularly for people walking. Keep reading…
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Is it unethical to build a dog park on prime real estate in housing-strapped DC?
Should DC spend about $2 million on a parcel of land in Columbia Heights to build a dog park? The 7,335 square-foot parcel at 11th Street and Park roads NW has been empty for 20 years. It’s owned by WMATA; the Green Line passes under Park Road to connect Columbia Heights to Petworth. Keep reading…
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Nobody else should die crossing the street in Washington, DC
On Wednesday night, a tour bus driver struck and killed two people crossing Pennsylvania Avenue. They had just spent the evening enjoying holiday decorations around the capital. Instead of going home to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones, their relatives are on the way to DC to claim their bodies. Keep reading…