Image by lumaxart on Flickr.

Greater Greater Washington generally writes about land use and transportation. But its mission statement talks about “improving the vitality of Washington, DC and the walkable cities and neighborhoods in the Washington metropolitan area.”

Having mixed-use neighborhoods near public transit is vital to walkable neighborhoods. Safe, pedestrian- and bike-friendly streets are too.

Right now, many young people are choosing to live in urban neighborhoods around the region. But as they (we) age, many who can’t afford expensive private schools will have to move from DC and Arlington Alexandria to Gaithersburg and Reston (not that there’s anything wrong with Gaithersburg and Reston, but people should be able to stay closer in if they so choose). Hopefully Montgomery and Fairfax can grow their walkable towns and keep good schools, but the long-term success of our closer-in, older urban centers depend on better public education that allow families of all stages of life to remain in walkable neighborhoods.

We also have to continue our progress in public safety. DC’s crime is way down from the bad old days, but it’s still higher than other cities, and the economic crisis may well turn the tide back in the wrong direction. Ben T. sent me this news about a shooting in Adams Morgan that didn’t even make the press; Dee Does the District witnessed another incident there. In many other neighborhoods, violence is an ever-present problem.

I’m no expert on educational policy or crimefighting strategy. (If you are, and want to write about them for GGW, please let me know.) Whatever Mayor Fenty’s failings in transportation, if he can successfully attack these problems, he’ll be a great success. And in the meantime, we should all keep in mind the importance of these elements to building and maintaining a lively, diverse, walkable city.

David Alpert created Greater Greater Washington in 2008 and was its executive director until 2020. He formerly worked in tech and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco Bay, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He lives with his wife and two children in Dupont Circle.