I-95 facing south in a 2015 snow storm by Tom Saunders, VDOT licensed under Creative Commons.

Unlearned lessons in emergency management contributed to the I-95 snow shutdown in Virginia this year

The Virginia Office of the Inspector General concluded that the state failed to communicate with the public when more than 12 inches of snow shut down I-95 and stranded hundreds of drivers overnight this January. Further, they found that recommendations following a similar storm-caused shutdown in 2018 on I-81 would have lessened the disruption from this year’s storm.  (Post / Luz Lazo)  

New MoCo planning study seeks to separate displacement from gentrification

A new study from the Montgomery County Planning Department, released in detail to the Washington Business Journal, seeks to separate gentrification from displacement in the Washington region but is not without skeptics.  (Business Journal)  

DC homeowners continue to receive high property tax bills in error

Several homeowners in DC are reporting that their tax bills are erroneously high again this year. The issue centers on homes wrongly classified by city departments as vacant. The DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) stated, however, that how a house is coded varies from case to case.    (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)  

Washington region housing market slowed down in July

The Greater Washington housing market slowed down in July, as inventory increased and home showings dropped. The number of active listings in July 2022 was 27% higher than in July 2021, while the number of homes sold in the region was down 27% compared to a year ago.  (UrbanTurf)  

PARK(ing) Day returns to DC and Arlington

On September 15, DC will celebrate PARK(ing) Day. Business owners can apply to transform a metered parking spot into a parklet for the day. Arlington’s PARK(ing) day will take place one day later.  (Callan Tansill-Suddath / DCist)  

Rental relief for Montgomery County small retail businesses

A new Small Business Rental Assistance grant program in Montgomery County will provide local retail business owners up to $10,000 or three months of rent if they lost revenue because of the pandemic. The funds come from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.  (WTOP / Alicia Abelson)  

Potential expansions on the W&OD Trail in the next five years

The Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority released a five-year strategic plan last week, which proposes creating more separate pathways for cyclists and pedestrians on sections of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. The expansions would focus on sections of the trail near Vienna, Herndon, Reston, and Arlington.  (Angela Woolsey / FFXNOW)  

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