Photo by Anne Davis 773 on Flickr.

This week as we continue our reader drive, we asked contributors to reflect on they’ve learned since they started reading Greater Greater Washington.

For Kelly Blynn it was hard to name just a few:

I’ve learned about what candidates for public office think about relevant issues to my life like bus service and walkability. I’ve learned about the region’s changing demographics from Dan Reed’s analyses.

I’ve learned some technical details about how the Metro and other transit systems work from Dan Malouff and Matt Johnson. I’ve learned about what MARC needs to succeed from Miriam Schoenbaum. And so much more!

Mitch Wander would have no idea that parking spaces aren’t really free on public or private property:

I used to take for granted that they just had to be there. I also didn’t appreciate the value of neighborhood-specific public space projects well beyond a cookie cutter or one-size-fits-all approach (murals, parks, libraries, walking paths). And, GGW has definitely showed me the importance of planners and government leaders asking questions, listening and managing expectations throughout major projects.

Abigail Zenner sung the praises of our DC zoning update coverage:

I’ve learned so much more about the ins and outs of the DC Zoning update than I ever could have figured out on my own. I know a lot of other people who felt like GGW was the only place they could learn so much about the topic.

Jonathan Neeley has learned a lot in a relatively short time:

I’d know far less about developers and zoning officials decide on how much parking a building has, and I wouldn’t have as much perspective on how that affects whether people drive or use transit.

And in a meta sense, without that knowledge, I wouldn’t be as far along in my understanding of how policy affects the way people live their lives.

I’d also be less aware of how the system of decision makers works. Now I know (or can easily find) the names of DDOT leaders and ANC commissioners, and since I know more about what they’re up to, contacting them for whatever reason feels less daunting. GGW does a great job of making it easier to plug into the policy process rather than feel like I’m helplessly watching it pass me by.

Jonathan Krall has learned that a lot of people are interested in planning issues, and that they want to use these issues to make their communities better:

Going to City Council meetings in Alexandria, one might get the impression that politicians deal mainly with naysayers or an otherwise disinterested public. But Greater Greater Washington shows that many people view change as opportunity. GGW demonstrates a strong constituency for walkable streets and lively public spaces.

GGW prompted me to read Jane Jacobs and Jeff Speck, and taught me useful lessons in active writing and active transportation.

Canaan Merchant says,

I’d probably just now be learning about the Purple Line and what it would do to help both Maryland and the region at large.

I probably still wouldn’t know much about Capital Bikeshare and how it works. Or I would have found out very late and wouldn’t have used it as much as I have since then.

Moreover, I’d likely be totally ignorant of several important planning agencies and organizations around the region. I’ve really learned who I can expect the stakeholders can be in any given project, and who it is that I actually need to follow to figure out what’s going on. I could list off a dozen acronyms of organizations that I’d be totally ignorant about if not for being a regular reader!

What have you learned from reading Greater Greater Washington over the years? Share your favorites in the comments!

If what you’ve learned is valuable to you, please consider helping us keep it going with a contribution of $100, $50, $25, or whatever is right for you. Thank you!