Afternoon links: Contradictions galore

by Erik Weber • February 10, 2011 3:35 pm

Photo by Geoff Livingston on Flickr.

Solar Decathlon to National Harbor?: It hasn't been confirmed, but some reports say the Department of Energy will move the Solar Decathlon to National Harbor. No better place to promote energy efficiency than in a field a half mile outside a sprawling complex itself accessible by a sole bus route. (Housing Complex)

E-ZPass cameras okay by AAA: While it opposes most traffic enforcement cameras, AAA is perfectly fine with the Maryland Transportation Authority's plan to record drivers' plate numbers and bill those who don't have E-ZPasses in their vehicles. (WTOP)

Affordable housing from heaven: The biggest source of new affordable housing is churches, many of which have underutilized space on their property. (Housing Complex)

Enlighten Brookland: In response to escalating crime Brookland Metro, students are calling for improved lighting and security to improve safety. (DC Students Speak)

How to avoid another commute from hell: MWCOG held a special meeting to discuss ways to avoid another hellish commute like that from late January. A Virginia official said area employers should improve shelter-in-place plans to avoid sending the region's entire workforce onto the roads at the same time. (WTOP)

Getting farm food into schools: The DC Farm to School Network is working to get farm-fresh food from local farmers into the DC public schools and to educate students on health, nutrition, and environmental issues. (We Love DC)

Assessing Sarles: After last week's blogger roundtable, Samer Farha thinks Sarles has what it takes to pull WMATA out of a death spiral but urges patience from riders, who also need to lobby their Congressional representatives to keep WMATA's federal funding. (We Love DC)

VRE mulls fare and policy changes: VRE wants to reduce the cost for regular riders to upgrade to select Amtrak trains and eliminate the discount for groups of 10 or more. They also want to restrict bicycles on board to allow only foldable bikes. All of these proposals are in reaction to capacity issues at the railroad. (Dr. Gridlock)

And...: Vince Gray is getting a fence around his home after all, this time on the taxpayer's dime (WUSA) ... DC's largest needle exchange program is closing its doors, despite no more ban on city funds (WTOP) ... Before the ICC opens, you can get an unobscured view of the 13-mile long scar in the Maryland landscape. (WTOP)

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29 comments

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Erik Weber has been living car-free in the District since 2009. Hailing from the home of the nation's first Urban Growth Boundary, Erik has been interested in transit since spending summers in Germany as a kid where he rode as many buses, trains and streetcars as he could find. Views expressed here are Erik's alone.

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...move the Solar Decathlon to National Harbor

Please No!!!

by Tina on Feb 10, 2011 4:07 pm • link • report

The ICC-on-Google-Maps thing has been around since the end of September, when Google updated the imagery for the DC area.

by Froggie on Feb 10, 2011 4:27 pm • link • report

So, I've been trying to think of a better place for the solar decathlon. A big empty field near metro? That's a tough one.

But this just came across:
http://www.welovedc.com/2011/02/10/looking-back-the-arlington-nationals/

There's a big vacate lot in Pentagon City. The circus goes there usually.

by Kevin Beekman on Feb 10, 2011 4:39 pm • link • report

What about the gigantic parking lot by Gallery Place? They'll be building on it soon, but it certainly could house the Decathlon in the interim, right?

Oh, and Brookland definitely needs better lighting. I've been there a few times when there was *no* lighting in the underground portion.

by andrew on Feb 10, 2011 4:45 pm • link • report

People People, stop!

You just can plop it down at any open spot of land. You need basic support infrastructure and personnel services to support the event, which National Harbor and RFK provide. I think NH will not be it, but RFK. The Old Convention Center is a maybe, but I think it is booked with DCNY Busses and even that weird pro tennis thing, or maybe theyare actually starting construction on that damn thing.

by RJ on Feb 10, 2011 4:52 pm • link • report

RJ,

What are some of the infrastructure requirements for the Decathlon?

by TimK on Feb 10, 2011 5:01 pm • link • report

yeah what infrastructure requirements? You can put portojohns anywhere.

The big field at Ft. Totton could work too. South Dakota Ave and Gallatin St NE

by Tina on Feb 10, 2011 5:11 pm • link • report

They are starting construction on the Old Convention Center site soon. That option is not available.

http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2010/10/21/hines-plans-april-groundbreaking-on.html

by Alex B. on Feb 10, 2011 5:20 pm • link • report

Exactly how does Farha expect those of us in the District to "ask our members of Congress to not cut Metro’s funding"? I guess once more we have to rely on the kindness of our neighbors; that usually works out just great.

by Bryant Turnage on Feb 10, 2011 5:22 pm • link • report

Well one infrastructure requirement could be "proximity to the regional frequent transit network map" *if we had one*

by Michael Perkins on Feb 10, 2011 5:23 pm • link • report

Moving the Solar Decathlon off the Mall is a major mistake, and will have serious implications for the design teams, who are well along the way with regard to the design and construction of their projects - a process which takes 18 months. It will also have serious implications given the major sponsors who donate to the competition in exchange for exposure on the Mall, something that a different site - almost certain to generate less traffic from passersby than the tourist center of D.C. and its proximity to Metro - will not generate equally. It's a terrible decision from an administration that is supposedly pushing to support renewable energy sources and green technology.

by Bryant Turnage on Feb 10, 2011 5:32 pm • link • report

$62K for security at the new mayors house. $7K for a fence.

Every new mayor costs us $65K? to make them safe from... us.

Pathetic.

by greent on Feb 10, 2011 5:32 pm • link • report

@Bryant

We have a member in congress. Might as well give her one more thing to be frustrated about.

by andrew on Feb 10, 2011 5:43 pm • link • report

Re: Solar Decathlon - What about closing off the L'Enfant Promenade (i.e. 10th St SW, south of the Forrestal Building) to car traffic and use that as the space for the Decathlon?

It should be possible to do so and keep the buildings out of the shadows of other buildings, and it's close enough to the Mall that hopefully the calculations aren't way off for the teams. Likewise, their room reservations would still work.

Another potential option would be some of the Senate's parking lots near Union Station. That would be a higher-traffic site, but the House-side surface parking lots would be another option as well.

All of this underscores the need for future Mall plans to re-do Union Square (aka the Capitol Reflecting Pool) with some sort of hardscape to host events like this without damaging the grass. The initial concept for that square I remember seeing would turn it into a plaza that could be flooded as a pool if needed, but also drained into a plaza and frozen in the winter as an ice rink, like Millennium park in Chicago or Rockefeller Center in New York. That's the kind of versatile space we need.

by Alex B. on Feb 10, 2011 5:45 pm • link • report

"Shelter-in-place"? What about "build enough housing near job centers so people can walk or take transit instead of driving for hours"?

by Gavin on Feb 10, 2011 6:01 pm • link • report

Better places for the Solar Dec that immediately popped in my mind: Rock Creek Park next to the tennis stadium, and the RFK parking lot.

Also, here's a picture of the ICC I took from an airplane last summer.

by BeyondDC on Feb 10, 2011 6:14 pm • link • report

@BeyondDC

Both the Tennis Center and RFK strike me as too far off the beaten path for the Solar Decathlon, which relied on sponsors who are banking on lots of curious walk-ups. Both of those sites are certainly better than National Harbor, but I don't think they quite fit the bill.

There would also be some conflicts - RFK would almost certainly conflict with at least one or two DC United games during that timespan.

by Alex B. on Feb 10, 2011 6:24 pm • link • report

Tim, Tina,

Well it won't need a lot but they defiantly need electricity to construct their displays, potable water and at least a surface that is somewhat graded to level (area must be ADA compliant). Probably need lighting and temporary or permeant structures to house security and project coordination/communication. I am sure DOE or the participants intends NPS or another host service to provide these requirement.

Michael Perkins

Your more right than you think:

According to Executive Order E.O. 13514 "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance". Each Agency shall "Implement strategies and accommodations for transit, travel, training, and conferences that actively reduce carbon emissions associated with commuting and travel by agency staff." The fact that NH is not near transit should have a major role in their selection of the project site, if they are in compliance with EO13514.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-24518.pdf

by RJ on Feb 10, 2011 6:32 pm • link • report

Lets not forget the Solar Decathlon has a pretty decent size footprint, I am sure which will be bigger this year.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Solar_Decathlon_09_aerial_view.jpg/800px-Solar_Decathlon_09_aerial_view.jpg

http://www.solardecathlon.gov/past/2009/daily_photos.html

by RJ on Feb 10, 2011 6:46 pm • link • report

FTLG PLEASE DON'T PUT THE SOLAR DECATHLON IN NATIONAL HARBOR. The event is a celebration of energy efficiency, and it should not be placed away from public transportation.

by thedofc on Feb 10, 2011 7:15 pm • link • report

What about putting the Solar Decathlon on Congress's parking lots?

I know, I know: it will never happen, but it doesn't hurt to suggest it, right?

by Dustin on Feb 10, 2011 7:46 pm • link • report

So what's the big deal about E-ZPass cameras. The MTA has been using them at their other facilities sense the inception of electronic toll collection to send bills to the folks that drive through the E-ZPass lanes without an E-ZPass.

by Sand Box John on Feb 11, 2011 12:06 am • link • report

So what's the big deal about E-ZPass cameras.

Nothing at all. But it's quite telling to see the faux libertarian reaction to red-light and speed cameras versus E-ZPass cameras.

It's just another example of how "tyranny" means personally inconvenient, and "freedom" means things I like.

by oboe on Feb 11, 2011 8:59 am • link • report

FYI
There is a Facebook Page to keep the Solar Decathlonon the Mall:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_173842592656901&ap=1

by RJ on Feb 11, 2011 9:00 am • link • report

@oboe: I thought AAA was in favor of red light cameras (though they definitely don't (heart) speed cameras)?

by Fritz on Feb 11, 2011 1:45 pm • link • report

Re: solar decathlon
Moving the solar decathlon was probably a tough choice, but with the requirements in the size of the footprint and the resources necessary to make it successful, there are not too many places that fit the bill. National Harbor is a great choice AND they do have metro access. It isn't direct access but public transportation is available to get there. The event is a amazing event and keeping it within the Washington DC Metro area is still being accomplished. People forget that National Harbor is only 10 minutes from the district and has a lot to offer with hotels, dining, shopping and an amazing waterfront. Maybe getting out and enjoying what the overall region has to offer is a good thing! Change is good--embrace it!

by RV on Feb 11, 2011 2:58 pm • link • report

"need to lobby their Congressional representatives to keep WMATA's federal funding"

Hm? Congressional representative? Never heard of it.

--Signed, Adams Morgan resident.

by Scoot on Feb 11, 2011 3:09 pm • link • report

National Harbor is a great choice AND they do have metro access. It isn't direct access but public transportation is available to get there.

Ooh boy, a bus from the Branch Ave Metro every 1/2 hour, and a once-every-seventy-minutes water taxi. Lots of transit access!

by MLD on Feb 11, 2011 3:13 pm • link • report

RV sounds like he works public relations for National Harbor.

by Bryant Turnage on Feb 11, 2011 6:41 pm • link • report