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Richard Layman identified seven separate phenomena which can all be facets of what someone means by "gentrification":
http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2005/07/more-about-contested-space.html

by thm in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 10:03 pm  

Michael posted:

@unitacx: That's an interesting theory. Metro's compact, approved by the Virginia Assembly, authorizes the authority to adopt "rules and regulations", which I assume would include the prohibition on food.

That would be Va. Code 56-529 and -530 (repealed). Even under the old code, it is questionable whether the authority would not extend to passengers, with the exception of specific authority granted by the Commonwealth to "domestic" common carriers -- fare collection and smoking.

Essentially, the Compact was treated as Metro's charter to exist, enter into contracts and condemn land.

More to the point, the authority to tell passengers where they can eat and drink stems from local ordinances, but the local ordinances were never enabled by the Commonwealth.

Michael posted:

@james: ... but what criminal acts are you accusing the union of...

The above Va. Code 56-529 and -530 may explain the reference to the union. The Virginia supreme court recognized the union as under Federal exemption but under the old law. Regardless of the law's repeal, there definitely are local unions in Virginia outside of Metro, and this would be an internal labor issue which does not affect passengers in any case. Also, Metro is an interstate railroad, which may or may not place it under the Federal laws protecting railroad workers' right to organise.

by unitacx in Get Metro a fair share on Mar 9, 2010 9:28 pm  

'Gentrification' is thrown around so easily, it's hard to know what exactly it means. Even when there is no residential displacement, your moving into a neighborhood does theoretically increase the neighboring property values and thus rents.

1. You make others' investments in the neighborhood seem safer by showing visibly and statistically (through aggregated tax records) your own willingness to invest. Money follows money.
   
2. Vacant buildings lower property values, so occupying a formerly vacant building should boost neighboring property values as well.
   
3. If your income is higher than that of your neighbors, you are pulling up the median and mean income for the area. As a result, the neighborhood becomes more attractive as a retail location. The more money in the neighborhood and the more disposable income, the higher the potential customer base. The higher the potential customer base, the higher the rents will be for commercial space.

by Eric F. in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 9:28 pm  

RedlineSOS - puh-LEASE, what part of Detroit are you from that you could be intimidated by a bunch of teenagers acting like teenagers. Is it the part of Detroit that's actually Royal Oak/Grosse Pointe/Farmington Hills?

Teenagers need a public place to hang out and, yes, be loud and obnoxious. That's how many teenagers are, sorry. What is this "look like they want to rob/stab you?" What does that mean exactly? If people are actually getting robbed and stabbed in that area, yes, there is a problem. But I doubt that's the case. Sounds more like other people are projecting their own prejudice.

by Erica in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 8:51 pm  

Retenanting City Place with offices is a step forward. It will create traffic for the stores and make the place more inviting during the day. As a mall, it suffers from being really the wrong size to do anything very well with it's current configuration. A Target might not be bad idea, although I'd say that the problem with Silver Spring is that it is a mishmash of chain stores you can find anywhere and local stores a few blocks off to the side that people don't have enough reason to discover. Upscale retail is probably less important than retail people can use. Strosnider's is as much an asset as Whole Foods, perhaps more so because it's the kind of store that usual doesn't survive when property values rise. SS also lacks interesting restaurants in the main redevelopment core.
Columbia Heights has done well with chains because there was a shortage of them in the inner city, but many resurrected retail districts have done it much more organically. Dupont was pioneered by local merchants and they still mostly survive. U Street/Logan is another example. Bethesda attracted chains only after mostly local businesses had livened up the place. Downtown DC struggles because the economics and efforts seem to be about attracting national chains rather than figuring how to draw things people might want and using Macy's as a real anchor. Besides the its mix, SS is a mess in terms of urban design--long blocks with nothing interesting and then a semi-confusing set of blocks with chain stores. But it also has blocks with interesting oddities and nice inexpensive restaurants that most people don't know about. It would work better if the transit area were better integrated. The fume filled area below the Bethesda Hyatt is more functional.

I only go to SS if I have a meeting there or someone suggests a place there, but it's really not an inviting place.

by Rich in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 8:42 pm  

I think this is a great way to reduce the burden on DC's water infrastructure. DC has plenty of room to grow over the next few years, but the infrastructure will need to either grow or change. Rather than big centralized projects that still end up harming the environment, this little change should presage the decentralization of infrastructure. It's cheaper, more responsive, and more sustainable.

by Neil Flanagan in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 8:25 pm  

I swear that if there is a bag tax, I will throw every bag I now recycle into the trash.

But it's tough economic times. We need these extra fees so our children don't have to pay for them!

by Neil Flanagan in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 8:14 pm  

When I moved to Takoma last summer, I explored silver spring and was very surprised with the mall. The outside area, with all the restaurants was PACKED. And the first time I was there I had no idea there was a large mall behind them. I'm pretty sure Im not the only one.

The second time I explored all 5 or so floors. I was "impressed" by how empty it was, both in terms of people and stores. I peeked into the movie theater and that thing looks like it shut down 6 months ago, not 6 years! I wonder why it closed instead of becoming a $3 older movie place?

Basically, the mall needs more entrances. There are too few, and they're hidden.

Protip: There are very large bathrooms near the top floor (by the movie ticketing area) that are very clean. I doubt anyone uses them besides the mall staff.

by J in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 8:02 pm  

re: Chad/Cavan/Adam and all the rest: we all, living in the DC metro region, feel your pain.

As a MARC rider I confess that Chad's post was good for a giggle, because it shows how emotional this whole issue has become. And we shouldn't fault anyone for venting here -- better than doing in on the train/road in the final analysis.

Most other developed countries approach this issue with a variety of solutions. Light rail, urban rail, suburban rail, tram, bus, and on and on so that a robust fabric is created.

I'm not sure why Maryland is hooked on an all-or-nothing (untenable) solution to the issues facing one of the nation's most complex metro complexes.

Okay, yes, venting...

by Dean in ACT creates Montgomery County transit vision on Mar 9, 2010 7:56 pm  

I'm with Peter Smith - the cycle tracks shown are too narrow considering that you can't get out of them to pass. Also, the bulbouts between parking lanes and intersections need to be larger so right-turning drivers can see cyclists. These tiny tiny bulbouts are a recipe for right hooks; drivers and cyclists will simply not see each other in time.

by Scott F in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 7:40 pm  

Charging for bags? We already pay sales tax for what goes into the bags. What other fees and taxes do you want? Five cents per condom, baloon, etc...? We recycle these bags. I swear that if there is a bag tax, I will throw every bag I now recycle into the trash.

K

by Kaleel in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 7:24 pm  

I think the new structure is not nearly as good looking as the one they razed, despite the superficial similarities in design.

by dcseain in Then and Now: New York Avenue Presbyterian Church on Mar 9, 2010 6:57 pm  

I agree with beatbox, the boards (Except for the one above the sidewalk) look great. DC could lease out sidewalk space like that across the city. Doesn't metro own some of the space around the entrances, if so, they could profit from allowing the extra advertising.

by arm in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 6:54 pm  

This woman without slowing or stopping ran across the road against her signal

How do you know this? Are we looking at the same video? The video online doesn't show the accident. We can't tell how it happened.

by David desJardins in Afternoon links: So many events and links, so little time on Mar 9, 2010 6:33 pm  

I know the knee jerk reaction is to hate the video billboards, but I think they are great. It gives some energy to the area. Put more up!

by beatbox in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 6:19 pm  

I disagree with option C I can already see a broken down car, bus, truck or accident forcing all drivers to go down side streets to East Capitol and causing at-least a four block backup.

And how are pedestrians supposed to cross at those crosswalks with traffic roaring down the street from 5am - 8pm.

I say 2 lanes each way but make it so that cars are forced to slow down and no turn lanes and there is a school nearby and traffic lights along East Capitol from Benning Road to the Armory.

by kk in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 6:17 pm  

One of my snowbound projects last month was "making my own state". Actually, several of them...

by Froggie in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 6:06 pm  

I prefer option C as well. The narrower roadway and parked cars will make the street feel less like a highway. A plan to break up/develop the stadium/armory parking lots would also be nice. It feels so barren out there.

Will the raised cycle track sufficiently protect riders from turning motorists? I'm intrigued by the notion of "miniature wetlands" but it seems that they would be to small to have much of an effect. I'd love to read more if someone can point me in the right direction.

by Matthias in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 6:05 pm  

Georgetown was once the capital of Montgomery County. I would much rather see G'town back as the MoCo capital over Rockville.

by SJE in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 6:03 pm  

@ CR

I agree with the cutting through neighborhoods but there needs to be a main road there somewhere around there.

The neighborhoods should be built around a main road not the road cut through the middle of them.

East Capitol up to 19th street is a main road that just disappears whereas Constitution does the same thing.

The problem is that if you coming due east you have to go onto a residential street this is for commuters and for DC residents whom live on the other side of the river.

Its a design problem look at how North & South Capitol are compared to East; there bad in there own right but they function as main roads.

The area could be better if Consitution & Independence were treated as fully functional main roads that dont just start or end somewhere out of the blue or have 2 or street different amount of lane changes.

Then there is a problem which has to do with geography (the river, islands) as well as design (the layout of the streets, railroad tracks, the useless park along the stretch of the river).

All the streets east of the river are funneled to Benning Road, East Capitol ST, Penn Ave, 11 & 13th street bridges, & South Capitol ST in DC or Marland via route 50/New York Ave.

They need more streets connecting over the river such as having minor neighborhood streets in River terrace and other areas that are directly on the Anacostia to cross with instead meeting a matching grid on the other-side instead of having to go out to on one of those main roads.

They create backup with the limited options of travel to the larger portion of the city. The area east of the Anacostia may as well be another city because it is not that accessible to the other portion and one problem on a bridge will back up all options of crossing within the borders of DC

by kk in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 5:59 pm  

@CR, Right on!

by Bianchi in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 5:56 pm  

Secede from DC and ... make your own state? Retrocede to Maryland? Maybe join Virginia ... it does border Virginia.

Making your own state would be interesting. The State of Georgetown, an enclave of the District of Columbia, which is itself practically an enclave of the State of Maryland.

by Tim in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 5:33 pm  

I would prefer the strictest road diet, Option C. I think this will encourage motorists to choose routes like Benning Rd and the 11th Street bridge that don't cut through the middle of the Capitol Hill neighborhood on a residential width street (C St NE).

Going from 5 to 3 lanes of car and truck traffic will also free up more of the public right-of-way for bicycles, pedestrians, water filtering infrastructure, and green space.

If we can't put in a toll-booth to collect congestion taxes, we can still use road design to favor transit, biking, and walking. After 50+ years of auto-centric design, it's time to tip the scales back toward the environment and humans who aren't wrapped in 2 tons of metal.

by CR in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 5:28 pm  

@ Eileen, Yeah!

by Bianchi in Breakfast links: Bad design, bad attitude on Mar 9, 2010 5:27 pm  

I witnessed a tiny woman break-up a pack of teenagers, 10-20 kids, who were on the verge of a fight on Columbia Rd. in AdMorg. Yelling at eachoer, facing off. My friend (the tiny woman) is 5'2" 110 lbs. She's also a veteran DCPS HS teacher so she knew how to handle the sitch and was not at all afraid. She was annoyed! She said "They KNOW they're not supposed to act that way in public." And that's what she said to them. Those kids listened to her! I was so impressed. And I took a lesson. We called the police anyway but by they time they got there the problem was dispersed. By intervening my friend protected the kids from themselves (from getting hurt) and possibly from an arrest. It was the kindest thing she could have done. She did their parents a favor. Kids need help from adults sometimes. Give. If you see the kids, they're part of your community.

by Bianchi in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 5:25 pm  

No place will ever be seceding for DC plain and simple and if it ever does happen you will have all the thousands of neighborhoods and blocks in DC become little cities/towns that pop up over night.

Speaking of billboards is that at&t screen completely on the buildings property and what about the Verizon Center one.

by kk in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 5:08 pm  

The pedestrian bridge on Route 50 sounds like yet another example of the government's burdening of pedestrian rights. The government takes public space that belongs to everyone and hands it over to people (drivers) who are exercising a privilege (frequently irresponsibly); confines people who are exercising a fundamental right (walking) to small portions of that space on the promise that their rights will be protected in that limited space where they retain their rights; and, then, rather than vigorously enforce (read: jail, suspend/revoke licenses) the laws that protect walkers in that limited space, decides to further burden the rights of pedestrians by requiring them to climb a bridge to cross the road. The better solution here would be to treat drivers who fail to stop as the criminals they are before they kill someone, not after.

by Eileen in Breakfast links: Bad design, bad attitude on Mar 9, 2010 5:03 pm  

Can we stop with the stereotyping and generalization

How a person looks or there age means nothing its there actions that matter and nothing else.

by kk in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 5:03 pm  

Sure Georgetown can secede from Washington. I don't think anybody would care. What these folks are forgetting is that they won't be able to secede from the District of Columbia.

by Jasper in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 5:03 pm  

Bag fees in Maryland are definitely worth supporting. Bag use in the District has to be way down. I don't have numbers, but just judging by my own behavior and that of people I see in front of me at Giant, it's gotta be.

by Nate in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 4:50 pm  

@Michael Perkins
I agree that GPS is probably overkill, since positions on a track are more predefined: 1-D as you call it. So it would seem relatively simple to keep track of the trains--again, probably with off-the-shelf technology. One transmitter in every car provides redundancy (6 per train) and one receiver every 500 feet (or closer if you like ) is only about 1000 of those for the whole system, less than the 3000 of these other things that are in use now.

If what @Matt Johnson says above about ATC and the OCC, and trains can be seen in essentially real-time on screens, then how was one allowed to plow into another?

The yes/no issue about "track clear" or "track occupied" can be accommodated by having the computer count the trains every second or so. If it doesn't count enough trains in enough places, then it knows something is wrong, can probably determine where (since it knows where the trains were a second ago) and can issue the appropriate communications based on that.

I am so way, way out of my league on this technically, so beat me up if you like. But it just seems like it should be pretty easy to have a system that keeps track of where all the trains are at all times. Is it really that hard?

by Steve O in How track circuits detect and protect trains on Mar 9, 2010 4:46 pm  

Also I have taking many walks through bethesda, friendship heights, and silver spring. Both bethesda and friendship heights have a diverse crowd of whites, indians, blacks , and asians walking around going about their business. I think what people are talking about are the "rough" crowd of people that look like they want to rob/stab you and yell some of the most profane language in front of small children and intimidate families that r trying to enjoy silver spring. I think that is crowd we want to see less of in silver spring and I don't care where they come from, they could be from southern maryland for all I care. But hey if you feel like being harassed by a pack of kids in front of your family by all means keep it the way it is, i'll stay over in "uppity" bethesda with the other "uppity" crowd.

by Dan R in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 4:45 pm  

Gentification: I have lived in Baltimore city neighborhoods that were "gentrifying", and those that were not. I much prefer the "gentrifying" ones: usually the newcomers were replacing lost population, and saw new potential in the old area. Areas that did not improve often had some underlying problem, usually crime and grime. The saddest areas were ones that had gotten so bad that the only way was up.

by SJE in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 4:43 pm  

To me, the funniest thing about the secession idea was Joynt's fantasy that Georgetown would have all this money coming out of its ears. Nobody's doubting that it's a wealthy place in terms of residents, but I'm missing the massive commercial tax base... DC's tax base rests on a robust and active downtown.

by Alex B. in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 4:40 pm  

@ Peter S. This is a residential street, it is only a commuter corridor because DDOT, over the last 40-50 years, let it become a cut-through commuter corridor for mostly Marylanders.

Even today their are some in DDOT still willing to give full rights of our neighborhood streets to the suburban motorist at the expense of residents' health and quality of life.

@ Craig – bioretention planters, similar to those shown above, have been successful in not breading more water-born insects in places like Portland Oregon which gets a lot more rain then we do.

@ Alex - +1

@ kk - you are absolutely right! The "grid" got ground-up when RFK was built. East Capitol St (Whitney Memorial Bridge) should be deemphasized as a commuter corridor to cross the Anacostia; especially, once the 11th St bridge project is complete. And, why Constitutions Ave just abruptly ends (to accommodate RFK vehicle parking) is a truly amazing.

IMO, DDOT needs to be as proactive/innovative with redirecting commuter motorists from freely cutting through neighborhoods and direct them back onto existing principle arterial and freeways as they are about transit and alternative transportation systems.

by Ken in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 4:39 pm  

check out welovedc's fantastic proposed declaration of independence for georgetown here.

by IMGoph in Afternoon links: Things to oppose, to support, to do on Mar 9, 2010 4:27 pm  

@ Redline, I don't disagree with anything you just wrote. I think the problem is what you descrobed, that it's a private street/open mall and the "security" are privately hired guards rather then MoCo police. I often see MoCo Police at the ends of Fenton, but I don't recall if I've seen them mingling in the crowd. Of course the cops I guess can come in there if some altercation comes up, but I agree, t'd be better if they were there for prevention rather then being called over to respond after the fact.

by Bianchi in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 4:24 pm  

@Jazzy - What's Craig Billington up to these days? ;)

I'm a PW resident and VRE Rider...who thinks Stewart is barking up the wrong tree. Prince William has more stations than any other county (which is probably why they contribute the highest portion) but the majority of PW Riders are on the Manassas line. Stewart needs to look at the ridership statistics posted on VRE's website- it doesn't make sense to make this a do-or-die issue for the county. If there were more room on board the trains when they get to Rippon or Woodbridge, perhaps more would actually ride out of those stations. It's a tough call some mornings because I just don't want to be shoe-horned into the train. Expressing some of those southern passengers gets them off MY train and gives me an actual seat! Chairman Stewart - my biggest complaint about politicians like you: You don't care about the greater good - if you understood the issue and the logistics a little better, you wouldn't be stomping your foot like a spoiled toddler! I'm a Registered PWC Voter- I'll take this to this issue to the voting booth.

by FWHockej in Weekend video: VRE 2010, San Francisco 1903 on Mar 9, 2010 4:24 pm  

god forbid people don't want to be shot coming from the gym and harassed by drunk homeless people when spending a night out

by Dan R in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 4:20 pm  

@ Cyrus

So basically you want to segregate the rich from the poor ?

Areas need a mix of both, and different types of retail to attract different age groups.

What you do by your suggestings is create a rich side and a poor side of town when there should be neither it should be a mixed environment.

If you dont like a store so what; what does the rest of the environment like and what will make money in the area.

If you want highend retail (what do you mean by highend are we talking about Jimmy Choo, Versace, D&G, Prada, Vertu, Gucci, Louis Vuitton etc.)there or something like Macy's, Nordstrom etc.

If Prada, Vertu, Jimmy Choo, etc. they wont make enough profits there as they would in Chevy Chase.

@ Any one who doesnt like the segments of people that are currently there.

If you you complain about groups of people that it should refer to all tweens, teens, young adult, adults, & seniors.

Each has there own set of problems deal with it, all you will do it push the problem somewhere else which shouldn't be the case instead of solving the problems there.

None of these groups are better than the other.

Either come with somewhere for the segment you dont like to go or shutup; dont complain and have no answer to the problem.

Quit with the ideas of segregation among age groups.

by kk in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 4:20 pm  

gotta agree with Cyrus, a Dave and Busters would be a really good fit for silver spring. Silver Spring has had it's time to be down market and low rent but iam ready to see some development and stores more along the lines of bethesda/friendship heights

by Dan R in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 4:19 pm  

To interested.. schools do have the ability to raise money through fees. I attended public schools in Texas about 30 years ago and there was the school bus fee, the textbook fee, and extracurricular fees if you did after school activities .

To those who say why fund Metro when there are budget problems overall, well the local jurisidctions all agree they can't pay to maintain and expand the Metro system (particularily Metrorail). What better way to tell the federal government that Metro needs help but to show the commitment to public transit by choosing it OVER other vital public services. Over a decade ago the province of Toronto stopped providing support to public transit. This left the City of Toronto trying ot maintain the system. Subsequently the province has provided some funding but not nearly what was provided before the cuts. Well last year Ir read the city of Toronto spent close 90% of it's capital budget on the Toronto Transit Commission. Some critics were asking why the City needed to sacrifice state of good repair on community centers and firehouses just ot have a functional transit system. Well guess what if you want an effective transit system and build the case for higher level of governments to contribute then you need to make HARD choices.

by Transpo expert in Get Metro a fair share on Mar 9, 2010 4:14 pm  

"...notably a drug-related shooting during rush hour last fall."

You mean a drug PROHIBITION related shooting.

To think of the cr*p that the public puts up with to protect big pharm and cigarettes.

by Douglas A. Willinger in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 3:58 pm  

Where is the option for have no connection from East Capitol; the whole grid over there is f'kd because of the Stadium, the Amory & the schools

They should have connected East Capitol to Constitution Ave so that C Street could have been just a residential street and not a major thoroughfare

by kk in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 3:49 pm  

Last summer I watched a 14 year old with a piece of the plastic from the fencing around the transit center whipping his group of friends in the middle of Fenton on one of the concert evenings. Security took it away, but it looked like it would get ugly for a few minutes...in the midst of families, kids in strollers, etc.

I agree that kids need a place to go. But they also need to know how to behave in public and all too often they don't. I blame socioeconomic conditions over race anyday, so the blame really falls on MoCo. Station a police officer or two down there when it gets crowded on a Friday and Saturday evening and behavior would change. Who really respects the Paul Blarts of the world?

The last thing we need is to have some situation like they had in Seattle, where "security guards" are told to observe and report.

Personally, I think Silver Spring should incorporate as a town, get a city council and strike off on its own from MoCo.

by Redline SOS in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 3:39 pm  

@craig,

bioretention areas aren't meant to have standing water - they are meant to retain water after a rain event and slowly let it filter into the storm drain, rather than flush it in all at once. This has the feature of both filtering the runoff before it enters the storm drain as well as slowing the peak flow into the system, helping to prevent CSO events.

by Alex B. in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 3:31 pm  

I don't know, but "bioretention areas" seems like another term for "mosquito- and midge-breeding grounds".

by Craig in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 3:25 pm  

The metro stop isn't built yet-whats the problem with moving its planned location so it/the planned development around it don't conflict as greatly with the wetland?

by Bianchi in Breakfast links: Rich counties should support transit on Mar 9, 2010 3:18 pm  

the cycletracks should be made double their shown width -- to at least the size of a typical car lane. bikes deserve at least as much room as cars and trucks. ditto pedestrian/sidewalk space. we need to be able to ride together, to pass slower riders, to take our time if we want to, to ride with our kids, etc.

green elements are overrated -- wide bike paths are more important.

and any greening should provide a physical barrier between moving cars/trucks and walkers/bikers, not between bikers and walkers.

if we need more room, get rid of the car parking -- there's no room for car storage on major travel corridors.

by Peter Smith in Plans envision "green street" for C Street, NE on Mar 9, 2010 3:13 pm  

@ Redline, do you feel as uncomfotable walking on K near 20th at 12:30 on a weekday? It's just as crowded. The biggest differences are in the mean age of the crowd and proprtion of whites. There's a lot of youth and young adults in SS. Someone wrote a post here (in the last year?) expressing feelings of insecurity with being around the youth in downtown SS. I'm a firm believer that youth and young adults need a place to congregate and in fact they will do it even if a place isn't specifically supplied by the community. I've been in d.t SS many Fri & Sat nights and seen/been in the crowds of youth. Contrary to feeling insecure I liked seeing all the young people, feed off the excitement and thought it was great they had a place to go. I felt proud of SS for providing for the kids. Also, I'm not intimidated by youth. I'm an adult and I'm not at all shy about using that natural authority if I think a kid/young adult is pushing the behavior too far towards disruptive/unsocial. I say something! Just be respectful, positive and humorful, appeal to their best and you'll get good results.

by Bianchi in Little changes presage big ones at City Place Mall on Mar 9, 2010 2:49 pm