I'm excited for bike-sharing in NYC because I think that will definitely become a preferred mode of travel for myself especially up their segregated bike lanes on the avenues. Also ignoring wal-marts labor/economic issues its good that the city is staying firm about the stores design and impacts on the urban form in the various neighborhoods.

by Canaan on Sep 15, 2011 8:53 am • link • report

The 74 "new line" is being put in so they don't completely cut out Southwest from bus service when they phase in the planned end of the 70/71 line at Archives, north of the Mall. The 70/71 currently stops either at Half & O or Buzzard Point in SW, or it stops at Archives, ignoring SW completely (which I have to say as a SW resident was tres annoying when trying to catch a bus home from points north of the Mall).

In some ways it makes sense, as a line going up 7th/Georgia all the way from Buzzard Point to Silver Spring probably didn't allow much time for drivers to get bathroom breaks at either end, as well as dealing with a lot of scheduling-destroying traffic delays through Gallery Place.

by Moose on Sep 15, 2011 8:55 am • link • report

I wish DC engaged with its riverfronts in a manner a bit more like St P.

Also- dino bones aren't entirely rare along the US 1 corridor in Maryland. There have been a couple small discoveries northward, including a pretty major excavation just beside Muirkirk MARC station which held up several developments & the extension of MD 201 toward Konterra.

by Bossi on Sep 15, 2011 9:16 am • link • report

RE: the new 74 bus - I find that the biggest problem with any bus traveling the corridor of 7th Street from Penn to K is that commuters a) do not obey the bus-only lane and b) police do not enforce the bus-only lane. So it just becomes a parking lot and makes much much more sense to walk from Penn to Mass (or K) than to wait and ride a Circulator or 70/71 bus. I'm afraid this is going to be the case as well with the 74. Why doesn't WMATA run the bus from SW North to Constitution, then turn right like the 54 or 30's, but instead of turning left on Penn, have it turn left onto the 6th and travel North there to K or Mass or wherever you want to have it turnaround? Then you could run it back south directly down 7th.

Also, I understand the desire to stop the bus in Chinatown, but I just wish they would run it up a little further North (maybe to CCN or Shaw). I feel like with all the exciting new development about to happen around there (plus the ... ya know, Convention Center itself), they're missing a chance.

by Shipsa01 on Sep 15, 2011 9:45 am • link • report

I can't really blame the rural legislators for feeling the inequity in terms of transportation funding. When I lived in Western Massachusetts, most people felt pretty resentful toward Boston over the Big Dig, from which they saw benefits only once or twice a year. Could we fund 2-3 mile streetcar lines in Frederick, Hagerstown, Cumberland, and Salisbury to show Marylanders in rural counties that transit can be a great thing? You could probably construct lines in all four cities for $150-250 million.

by Phil LaCombe on Sep 15, 2011 10:15 am • link • report

@Phil
Except that montgomery county already pays more in taxes to the state then it gets back, in addition almost 1/6 of the population lives in the county. So of course its going to get most of the transportation projects. Perhaps someone has some actual data of transportation spending per county so we can compare based on population.

PG I belive gets more money then is gives to the state but also contains 1/6 of the states population.

by Matt R on Sep 15, 2011 10:25 am • link • report

Plus, I don't think that 2-3 mile streetcar lines in Frederick, Hagerstown ect would actually convince anyone that transit can be a great thing. You need to have a critical mass of people who want to go where transit goes for it to be useful. Chances are it would just come off like a huge pointless waste of money.

by Kate W on Sep 15, 2011 10:34 am • link • report

@Phil,
you mean put the streetcar routes Back in fredrick, cumberland and salisbury.
They all had routes at one point. I've got recollection of fredrick wanting to set up one of the old H&F cars on a route running on the old pennsy tracks along 15. I've no idea what became of it. I do agree, it's a sprawl, and enough of the old routes exist that a route could be set up cheaply, running to the marc station.

by scratchy F on Sep 15, 2011 10:52 am • link • report

I am always shocked when you list links in this feature to articles that are out and out "wrong" and you don't say so.

The Dirt piece on Walmart in DC repeats the original incorrect trope (from GGW) on Walmart in DC, extending the urban design arguments that are correctly drawn for one of the stores, on New Jersey Ave. (which ironically is a 100% matter of right project involving no specific DCOP input as it relates to Walmart specifically), (1) to all of the proposed stores in DC, and (2) to Walmart's urban plans generally.

If you put yourself out there as the region's #1, go to blog, on urbanism, with that "positioning" should come some responsibility to be true to the statement.

by Richard Layman on Sep 15, 2011 11:01 am • link • report

RE: NYC Bikeshare

I heard at some point that Altavista was considering allowing someone with a bikeshare membership to use any of their bikes in any city. Any news as to whether DC bikeshare members will be able to use NYC bikes?

When asked by an audience member if someone spending half a million on a condo is going to want to shop at the Walmart downstairs (or will even want to live above one)...

Is this an actual concern of the walmart detractors? If so, that's crazy. I think it would be incredibly convenient to live above a store that carries virtually anything you need from groceries to socks to etc.

by Falls Church on Sep 15, 2011 11:09 am • link • report

scratchy F,
Could you please provide info regarding past streetcars in Salisbury. I grew up near the area and it is always something I wondered about but have not found information, nor has anyone I asked been able to recall.

by spookiness on Sep 15, 2011 11:29 am • link • report

@Kate W
Population densities in Downtown Frederick exceed 10,000 per square mile for a few Census block groups. Fort Detrick employs 8,200 people. In comparison, the area surrounding Kenosha's streetcar has a pop. density of only 3,800 per square mile.
As scratchy F noted, all four of these cities supported streetcars in a pre-automobile past, and they should support them in a post-automobile future. As we look out upon the downward slope of the peak oil curve, we need to seriously consider how to use today's comparatively abundant resources toward preparing all of our places for 50 and 100 years in the future--when we will have far fewer resources.

by Phil LaCombe on Sep 15, 2011 11:30 am • link • report

RE: "parking problems frustrate" There's a discussion over on the Hyattsville Patch (http://hyattsville.patch.com/articles/bites-nearby-busboys-and-poets) about how lack of parking is causing frustration in the city's new Arts District. College Park built a public parking garage in response to their parking woes.

Since transit service on weekends/nights is hit or miss along the Rt 1 corridor, and the nearest Metro stop is a mile away, what's the solution for downtown Hyattsville? The housing surrounding Rt 1 is not as dense as Bethesda, Silver Spring, DC, etc. so walking/cycling to Busboys and Poets, while one answer, is not always ideal.

by Scott on Sep 15, 2011 11:48 am • link • report

The focus of this article discusses only the H Street store
As to H street being a food desert
"The HFFI working group defines a food desert as a low-income census tract where a substantial number or share of residents has low access to a supermarket or large grocery store:
To qualify as a “low-income community,” a census tract must have either: 1) a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, OR 2) a median family income at or below 80 percent of the area’s median family income;
To qualify as a “low-access community,” at least 500 people and/or at least 33 percent of the census tract’s population must reside more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store (for rural census tracts, the distance is more than 10 miles)."
The Safeway at 5th and L NW is 5 to 6 blocks and the Harris Teeter in NOMA and the Giant to be built at 3rd and H St NE are all less than a mile from the Walmart on H St so just where is the population for this food desert located?

by Dan Maceda on Sep 15, 2011 11:58 am • link • report

Richard: I didn't write these links and didn't even look at the Grist article, but if you think the author of a set of links missed something, why not just post a comment pointing out what was missed so that everyone reading can see, instead of framing it as a criticism of GGW that the author was so dumb for not having made the point you would have made. We have this comments section so people can make points like that.

We don't claim to be the #1 of anything. We just are putting up what we think about stuff. I've invited you to contribute some of your wisdom to us in the past and that offer is still open.

by David Alpert on Sep 15, 2011 11:59 am • link • report

Placement in comments vs. what is displayed in the entry is a big deal.

FWIW, in comments here and at WCP, not to mention my own pieces, I've made those arguments. I just figured this understanding was so "common" as to not merit repetition.

Here's what I said in the Dirt entry:

Only the H St. store is appropriately urban. Ironically, it is a 100% matter of right use so the DC Office of Planning had no input into the project whatsoever (as it relates to Walmart).

2. The other projects involved limited DC Government review. Despite being pushed to do so, the city did not substantively attempt to improve the projects.

The Office of Planning was limited in its ability to do so in part because since the city’s elected officials jumped in hard and high early in support of Walmart, therefore reducing the space and ability for negotiation and pushing.

3. None of the Walmarts, with the possible exception of the one in W7, are located in “food desert areas.” Actually, according to USDA research, only a handful of Census tracts in DC qualify as food deserts. Other commenters discussed the H St. location. The Walmart location in W4 is bracketed by two Safeways, one is 0.5 miles away, the other is 1.6 miles away.

- http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/fooddesert/about.html#Defined (USDA Food Desert Locator)

4. While it isn’t related to landscape architecture, the plan for the rebuilding of the Safeway 1.6 miles away as a mixed use urban building will be a great project, while the GA Ave. Walmart will be a single use building with a 75 year lease.

http://www.princeofpetworth.com/2011/01/allow-me-to-introduce-you-to-petworths-new-proposed-safeway/

5. To be “fair” to Walmart, the big difference in their philosophy now is (1) a desire to be in center city locations and (2) a willingness to be in mixed use centers (e.g., not just the one on New Jersey Ave., but also in Tyson’s Corner VA, and in the Boston suburbs), (3) even in two story store formats.

6. But they are agnostic about it. They only respond to the developer’s proposal. If the developer proposes something more traditionally suburban, it meets zoning, and it’s in a location they want, they’ll take it, and put no pressure on the developer to create a truly urban project.

7. Disclosure: I was the primary author of the community response to the large tract review process for the Georgia Ave. Walmart proposal.

http://www.anc4b.info/LTR_Report_Final_2011_5_25.pdf

8. IF YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE ACTIONABLE INFORMATION TO PEOPLE IN THE FIELD, you really should take down this article or re-write it, with an emphasis that only with enlightened developers (a rare breed) and/or strong design review procedures and guidelines can you obtain reasonably optimal results with Walmart entry into cities.

by Richard Layman on Sep 15, 2011 12:27 pm • link • report

Also, let's not forget Capitol Hill's own, awesomely named Capitalsaurus, which gives us what I consider one of the most desirable addresses anywhere:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Capitalsaurus_court.jpg

by Lucre on Sep 15, 2011 12:29 pm • link • report

ANC may dry H Street?

Really?

First of all, no one is even starting to suggest that liquor sales be banned on H Street NE, which is what "dry" means.

Second, no ANC has any actual legal power, except to grant a stipulated liquor license, which allows a place to open during the "protest period" if there are no protests. They can petition the ABC Board, requesting a moratorium on NEW licenses, and - if the ABC grants such a moratorium, than that must be approved by DC Council before it becomes law.

The idea that an ANC can "dry" a neighborhood is simply not based in fact.

by Mike S. on Sep 15, 2011 2:39 pm • link • report

As I recall, the Waterfront circulator will be suspended this month, although I haven't seen any signs announcing its impending demise -- and its buses will be sent east of the river, extending the Capitol Hill route to Skyland.

I certainly understand that a long crosstown route like the 70/71 doesn't work operationally, but the new 74 doesn't add much connectivity. The 70/71 at least went to some places that weren't on the Green Line (particularly Park View over by Howard) and some buses (was it a different route?) bypassed Mall traffic via I-395.

by Payton on Sep 15, 2011 2:49 pm • link • report

Payton - There are signs currently posted on the Circulators about the end of the Waterfront-CC line and the start of the EoftR one. They have a flier printed and it's located (in the buses that I've seen) in that little plastic frame directly behind the driver.

As for the 74, I agree that it doesn't add much to the system and would rather see it run off of 7th street entirely. Up 6th (or 5th) and down 9th - thus bringing in more capacity for downtown (9th Street) and Judiciary / Mt. Vernon Square (6th or 5th).

by Shipsa01 on Sep 15, 2011 4:14 pm • link • report

@ Shipsa01

How does moving off of 7th Street help current riders of which would have worst service when considering the replacement bus doesnt go the same places and then travels a new route and would make transfers between the new 70 and 74 routes harder ?

What should be done is just have service spaced out about every 3-5 blocks. There is no need to have service on only
15th, 14th, 13th, 11th, then 7th then none really to 8th street NE.

The service should really be 15th, 13th (due to 12th being oneway), 11th (due to 10th being oneway), 7th and perhaps 4th street then something around the capitol with routes around on the eastern side of the capitol with the same structure. With that everybody is served and no loss of service.

by kk on Sep 16, 2011 8:47 pm • link • report

@ Dan Maceda

How old is the data on these food deserts; the Safeway and Harris Teeter have not been open that long.

I remember the area before all of that was there; you had a Safeway at Rhode Island & Florida, the Giant on 8th Street, the Safeway on Rhode Island in NE and the Murrys on H Street and then the Safeway on Maryland Ave. The area was served better as a whole then

by kk on Sep 16, 2011 8:53 pm • link • report