Wisconsin Ave Memorial Walk Photo by Mary Lauren Hall

Memorial walk

In response to two pedestrian deaths along Wisconsin Avenue, the community came together with All Walks DC to memorialize the dead and raise awareness of Vision Zero. (WUSA)  

Metro’s stalled recovery

After the 2009 Metro crash it seemed Metro had a path towards recovery. 6 years later the transit system faces new crises, more maintenance and frustrated riders. (Post)  

DC’s transportation experiments

DC has become a magnet for new transportation ideas. Residents are eager to try new ways to get around and supplement their transit options. Startups are taking notice and testing new ideas in DC. (Post)  

Careful bike lanes

The Washington Post supports bike lanes in Montgomery County as long as planners are careful. The Editorial Board points out that more bike lanes can ease traffic but shouldn’t take too much space from cars.  

Recycling woes

City recycling programs are more expensive and harder to manage. Single stream recycling is easier for consumers but waste management companies lose money sorting the materials. (Post)  

Tiny apartments

Most of the new development in DC consists of small apartments. It would be difficult for the government to mandate certain types of sizes and mix for new construction. Though they could provide incentives to offset the market. (Post)  

Constant construction

So much change is happening in DC’s built environment that it feels to some like they live in a state of constant construction. Between the blocked sidewalks, construction noise, and debris, some residents are worn down. (Post)  

The Pope is a planner?

Pope Francis published his environmental encyclical. In it he made a point to talk about how we design communities and our relationship with the built environment. He discussed traffic, housing, transit, and segregation. (Post)  

Faded renewal

Freddie Gray’s Baltimore neighborhood was a model for urban renewal programs in the 1990s. It was a program to increase homeownership and provide health and education programs. Most of those programs just faded away. (WAMU)  

And ...

Montgomery County cleared the “Free Range” parents of neglect charges in the second case. (Post) … American University doesn’t have enough space to house its incoming Freshman class. (WTOP) … Envision Courthouse re-imagines Arlington’s Courthouse area. The renderings show buildings where parking is now. (ARLnow)