Image from the Hartford Courant.

Two approaches to downtown

Converting streets to two-way helped revitalize downtown Vancouver, WA and other cities. (Governing, Ben) … Hartford kept building more and more parking downtown, but that hasn’t stopped the loss of jobs and residents. (Courant, Michael P)  (Tip: Ben)  

Two more crashes, two fewer people

A truck driver inadvertently killed a pedestrian on New York Avenue near New Jersey Avenue when “the man fainted or tripped and fell in front of the vehicle.” And another driver killed an 85-year-old man in St. Mary’s County, in Southern Maryland, either walking along or trying to cross Route 235, which has no sidewalks or crosswalks. (Post, Pat O)  (Tip: Pat O)  

Pedestrians? We’ll take a quick look when we widen

A Gazette letter writer says the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and Route 108, near Sandy Spring in northern Montgomery County, backs up for cars and has no crosswalks for pedestrians. The State Highway Administration’s response focuses almost entirely on their interest in widening the intersection with scant mention of pedestrians. (Gazette)  

Don’t forget education

Lee Epstein argues environmentalists and Smart Growth advocates should pay more attention to education. (NRDC Switchboard, @shmooth2)  

Turbo building

This time-lapse video shows the construction of Kenyon Square in Columbia Heights. (New Columbia Heights)