Alexandria - Greater Greater Washington

Some hostile to hostel

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:40:00 EDT

Alexandria's planning commission recommended approving a hostel in Old Town, but some residents and business owners don't want this "type of transient customer" walking near businesses, landmarks, and parks. (Patch, Thad)

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Arlandria vision comes together (Dec 15, 2011)
It is time to embrace Alexandria's waterfront plan (Dec 12, 2011)
Alexandria wants new Metro stations (Feb 5, 2008)
What to do with Arlington's vacant retail space (Aug 25, 2010)
Bikeshare could make transit to Old Town a real option (Aug 27, 2012)

And...

Wed, 29 May 2013 08:57:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Snakes fall on a playground in Adams Morgan. (PoPville) ... Alexandria cabs will soon take credit cards. (Patch) ... Could Dallas tear down a highway? (Next City)

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Potomac Yard Metro delayed some more

Tue, 28 May 2013 09:47:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Alexandria is delaying its decision on where to place the Potomac Yard Metro station, to have time for public outreach that's not over the summer. That will push the opening to 2017. (Examiner, caps fan)

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Alexandria anxious for Potomac Yard Metro in 2016 (Jan 28, 2011)
Hope remains for Potomac Yard Metro west of CSX tracks (Oct 28, 2011)
Potomac Yard Metro opponents cite GW Parkway purity (Apr 24, 2012)
Potomac Yard group debates Metro location and auto-oriented principles (Feb 18, 2009)
Potomac Yard Metro: "We can see the finish line" (Feb 10, 2010)

And...

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:33:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

The MTA is aiming for a 2020 opening of the Purple Line. (WJLA) ... Check out the benefits of biking to work. (Streetsblog) ... Alexandria still doesn't want Norfolk Southern transporting ethanol to trucks in the city. (WAMU)

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Crystal City-Potomac Yard BRT will be "Metro Way"

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:45:00 EDT

by Dan Malouff

WMATA has chosen a brand for its upcoming Crystal City Potomac Yard BRT line: Metro Way, featuring a flashy new blue paint scheme.

Metro Way. Image from WMATA.

The BRT line will run south from Pentagon City through Crystal City and then into Alexandria. It will have dedicated lanes, with large rail-like stations. The line will run every 6 minutes during rush hour and every 12-15 minutes at other times.

In a few years it will be upgraded to a streetcar line. But in the meantime, it's the DC region's first bona fide BRT.

WMATA selected the Metro Way brand and livery following a survey this past March that considered several options. The blue livery, although clearly unique, reflects the blue Metro uses for its MetroExtra express buses.

Cross-posted at BeyondDC.

20 comments

And...

Wed, 08 May 2013 08:50:00 EDT

by Nick Casey

Arlington and Alexandria are increasing property taxes; Alexandria's will allow the city to fund Capital Bikeshare and libraries. (WAMU) ... David Catania's truancy bill received preliminary approval, without the part about imprisoning parents. (WAMU) ... Retail at Dulles and National airports could get a lot better soon. (WBJ)

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Vandalism plagues bus stops

Tue, 07 May 2013 08:47:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Alexandria started installing new bus shelters, but vandals broke several glass panels, forcing the city to modify the design. (Arlandrian)

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And...

Mon, 06 May 2013 08:48:00 EDT

by Nick Casey

37% more people bought VRE "step-up" tickets to ride Amtrak in March. (Examiner) ... VW donates $10 million to the National Mall. (ABC) ... A 4-year-old darted out into the street in Alexandria and was killed. (Post)

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Heavy rail, streetcars or BRT? Transit isn't "one size fits all"

Sat, 04 May 2013 11:55:00 EDT

by David Alpert

The District is building a streetcar system while also studying the potential for express bus lanes in key areas. Montgomery County is looking at building a bus rapid transit (BRT) network. Arlington and Fairfax are planning a streetcar on Columbia Pike, while a BRT line is under construction in the Crystal City-Potomac Yard area.

Photo by Ian YVR on Flickr.

It's easy to get confused about the differences between these various transit projects. Moreover, it's easy for opponents of certain projects to use this confusion to misdirect residents when comparing different types of transit projects.

Two weeks ago, for instance, Arlington County Board member Libby Garvey wrote in an op-ed that she opposes a streetcar on Columbia Pike and instead favors what she calls "modern bus transit." Unfortunately, nowhere did she define this term, which isn't a real name for a type of transit. Personally, I favor "Star Trek"-style transporters on Columbia Pike, which would be far faster than any car, bus or train, but those are just as nonexistent.

Continue reading my latest op-ed in the Washington Post.

31 comments

Bikeshare is a good deal for Alexandria

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:31:00 EDT

by Jonathan Krall

Alexandria's City Council will soon decide whether to expand Capital Bikeshare in the city. Opponents claim that bikeshare is a waste of money that should be spent on other things, but ridership and revenue are exceeding expectations.

Photo by afagen on Flickr.

On May 6, the council will vote to fund an 8-station expansion, doubling the local CaBi fleet, and add CaBi operating funds to the city budget. However, some say that Alexandria is not getting a good deal. City Council members say privately that these residents have fixated on CaBi as the place to cut the budget in favor of their own causes.

The person leading this charge is Kathryn Papp, who has a history of opposing bicycles in Old Town. Papp argued last year that "adding bikes increases congestion" by slowing down cars. Now, she is presenting straw-man arguments against CaBi expansion.

"Every other city uses dedicated sponsors to cover operating costs, but not Alexandria," she states in a letter to the Alexandria Gazette-Packet on April 12, citing New York's Citibank-sponsored Citibike, which is still under construction. Papp notes that Alexandria also no longer receives federal grants to pay for bikeshare and will instead use $50,000 in development impact fees and $70,000 in revenue from real estate taxes.

In another letter to the Alexandria Times, Papp questions whether the city should pay for a service operated by Alta, a private company, in partnership with Alexandria, Arlington and DC. She claims that a financial dispute between Bixi, Alta's equipment maker, and the city of Montreal and a lawsuit from Bixi's software vendor makes Alta unfit to work with. Instead, she proposes that Alexandria use CaBi funds to reverse a proposed cut in library hours.

Conflating the problems of Bixi with Alta, the private company that operates CaBi, ignores the real question of whether it's actually working for Alexandria.

Alexandria is getting the same deal as Arlington, DC, and other cities with bikeshare systems. Like Denver's B-Cycle and Boston's Hubway, CaBi is a public-private partnership in which the city owns the equipment and contracts out operations to a for-profit company.

As with Minneapolis' Nice Ride system, CaBi lists a number of major sponsors on its website, though Nice Ride covers its operating costs with user fees and sponsored stations. Capital Bikeshare could partner with a corporate sponsor, but it's a regional system, and all of the jurisdictions involved should make that decision together.

Despite what Papp says, Capital Bikeshare also saves money. Capital costs of the proposed eight-station expansion are about that of a single DASH bus. Operating costs per ride are well under a dollar for CaBi, versus over a dollar for Metrorail and over two dollars for DASH. System-wide, CaBi moves about 8,000 people per day, almost as many as the 11,000 that DASH moves.

Papp complains that CaBi will get some financial support from local taxes, but Alexandria recently chose to dedicate 2.2¢ of its real estate tax rate to a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), including 3 designated transit corridors and supporting infrastructure for biking and walking. Given that 2 of the 4 busiest Alexandria CaBi stations serve nearby Metro stations, CaBi clearly fits in with the program's stated goals.

Besides, Alexandria can't simply move the funds to support libraries. TIP money must be spent on transportation, and since it's a new program, raiding TIP funds for libraries would only weaken it as a funding source. Just as CaBi is a transportation service that should be evaluated in the context of Alexandria's transportation program, libraries are a social service that should be evaluated in the context of Alexandria's other social services.

Capital Bikeshare has proven its worth to Alexandria, but a few detractors want to discredit this valuable service. The City Council should listen to the facts and support bikeshare funding. They will be voting on the budget next Monday; you can contact them here and voice your support.

40 comments

Landmark Mall forgets peds, bikes

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 08:36:00 EDT

by Jereme Altendorf

An Alexandria Transportation Commission representative opposes the current redevelopment plans for Landmark Mall, saying it lacks safe pedestrian and bicycling access from surrounding areas. (Patch)

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Count people and bikes in Alexandria

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:44:00 EDT

by David Alpert

The Alexandria Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee needs volunteers to conduct bike and pedestrian counts on May 9 and 11 in 14 locations around the city. Can you help?

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Beauregard rezoned

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:33:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

Alexandria has rezoned the Beauregard area, clearing the way for a massive redevelopment and increase in density. Some residents, however, are worried about the loss of affordable housing in the area. (Post)

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Landmark Mall redevelopment far off

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:29:00 EDT

by Nick Casey

The owner of the Landmark Mall in Alexandria would like to build a mixed use development, but Sears and Macy's would have to sign off on that and they aren't interested. (Post)

Comment

Seven Corners primed for redevelopment (Jan 23, 2012)

Don't forget bikes

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:27:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Alexandria is designing roads in Potomac Yard without bike lanes or other bike infrastructure, and that's a big mistake, says a cyclist. (Alexandria Times)

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Alexandria's "trolley" defended

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:50:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Alexandria's Transportation Commission doesn't want to cut the King Street "Trolley" bus from 15 minute to 20 minute headways. There was also a request for bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the capital plan. (Patch)

Comment

Alexandria gets a "trolley" (Mar 27, 2008)
Bikeshare could make transit to Old Town a real option (Aug 27, 2012)
Alexandria joins Capital Bikeshare (Oct 12, 2011)
Streetcars getting closer in Alexandria (Mar 2, 2009)
Army: Alexandria move will be ok because we say so (Oct 2, 2008)

Maryland, Virginia, fund these projects!

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:57:00 EDT

by Dan Malouff

Maryland and Virginia will both enact major new transportation funding bills this year. Neither bill says exactly which projects will be funded, but here are the top 10 projects in Maryland and Virginia that most deserve to get some of the funds.

Tysons grid of streets, no. 2. Image from Fairfax County.

1. 8-car Metro trains: Metrorail is near capacity, especially in Virginia. More Metro railcars and the infrastructure they need (like power systems and yard space) would mean more 8-car trains on the Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines.

2. Tysons grid of streets: Tysons Corner has more office space than downtown Baltimore and Richmond put together. Converting it to a functional urban place is a huge priority.

3. Purple Line: Bethesda, Silver Spring, Langley Park, College Park, New Carrollton. That's a serious string of transit-friendly pearls. The Purple Line will be one of America's best light rail lines on the day it opens.

4. Baltimore Red Line: Baltimore has a subway line and a light rail line, but they don't work together very well as a system. The Red Line will greatly improve the reach of Baltimore's rail system.

5. Silver Line Phase 2: The Silver Line extension from Reston to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County is one of the few projects that was earmarked in Virginia's bill, to the tune of $300 million.

6. Arlington streetcars: The Columbia Pike and Crystal City streetcars both have funding plans already, but could potentially be accelerated.

7. Route 7 transit. Leesburg Pike is the next Rosslyn-Ballston corridor waiting to happen. Virginia is just beginning to study either a light rail or BRT line along it.

8. Corridor Cities Transitway: Gaithersburg has been waiting decades for a quality transit line to build around. BRT will finally connect the many New Urbanist communities there, which are internally walkable but rely on cars for long-range connections.

Corridor Cities Transitway, no. 8. Image from Maryland MTA.

9. MARC enhancements: MARC is a decent commuter rail, but it could be so much more. Some day it could be more like New York's Metro North or Philadelphia's SEPTA regional rail, with hourly trains all day long, even on weekends.

10. Alexandria BRT network: This will make nearly all of Alexandria accessible via high-quality transit.

Honorable mentions: Montgomery County BRT network, Potomac Yard Metro station, Virginia Beach light rail, Southern Maryland light rail, and VRE platform extensions.

Cross-posted at BeyondDC.

51 comments

Alexandria wants to double CaBi

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:48:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Alexandrians are happy with their 8 Capital Bikeshare stations, and city officials want to double that by this fall and spread to new neighborhoods. But one reader frets that the city is cutting libraries while also expanding CaBi. (Alexandria Times, jimble)

Comment

Alexandria joins Capital Bikeshare (Oct 12, 2011)
Bikeshare could make transit to Old Town a real option (Aug 27, 2012)
Park Service will allow CaBi on the Mall (Sep 6, 2011)
Is your CaBi station getting full or empty? (Mar 23, 2011)
Bikeshare intensity maps can inform expansion choices (May 24, 2011)

DASH will cost more, do less

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 08:28:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Alexandria's DASH is raising fares. The King Street trolley will also come every 20 minutes instead of every 15, along with a few other service cuts, while a few lines will see greater service. (Patch)

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A road with a view

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:26:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

Alexandria plans to spend $125,000 to build models of the Potomac Yard Metro Station to gauge the visual impact from the George Washington Parkway and assuage resident opposition. (The Arlandrian)

Comment

Potomac Yard Metro opponents cite GW Parkway purity (Apr 24, 2012)
Alexandria weighing Metro station alternatives (Jun 3, 2009)
Alexandria anxious for Potomac Yard Metro in 2016 (Jan 28, 2011)
Potomac Yard group debates Metro location and auto-oriented principles (Feb 18, 2009)
Hope remains for Potomac Yard Metro west of CSX tracks (Oct 28, 2011)

Streetlights people

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:25:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

Alexandria has rolled out an excellent new system that lets residents report issues. It works well, but there's no way to report streetlight problems online. (Arlandrian)

Comment

Arlington confronts challenges of streetlight repairs (Mar 26, 2012)
Alexandria anxious for Potomac Yard Metro in 2016 (Jan 28, 2011)
Streetcars getting closer in Alexandria (Mar 2, 2009)
More people will ride buses only if information gets better (Aug 28, 2012)
Alexandria wants new Metro stations (Feb 5, 2008)

Logan Circle overtakes Columbia Heights as densest in region

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:22:00 EDT

by Dan Malouff

Density is a good thing for urbanism. More density means more shops and amenities nearby, better transit service, and shorter walks. But what qualifies as dense? Overall city density is often reported, but a more telling statistic is neighborhood density.

Thse two maps show DC neighborhood density at the time of the 2000 census (top) and 2010 census (bottom). I made the 2000 map using census.gov sometime after the 2000 census. Michael Rodriguez created the bottom map just recently. Unfortunately the two maps use different scales, but they're still informative.

In 2000 the densest census tract in the DC region was in northern Columbia Heights, between Spring Road and Newton Street. It had 57,317 people per square mile (ppsm). In 2010 that tract is up to 59,209 ppsm, but that's only good enough for 2nd place in DC, and 3rd regionally.

The densest tract is now southern Logan Circle, between Rhode Island and Massachusetts Avenues. It's boomed and is now a whopping 67,149 ppsm.

The rest of central Northwest, from Mount Pleasant down to Massachusetts Avenue, varies from around 30,000-50,000 ppsm. Capitol Hill is in the 20,000-30,000 ppsm range.

Meanwhile, in Alexandria, the tract at the corner of I-395 and Seminary Road is up to 59,886 ppsm, 2nd densest in the region after Logan Circle. There hasn't been any new development in that tract since 2000, but the suburban-style apartment towers in it may have fewer singles and more families, which could account for the increase. Crystal City is 45,448 ppsm, and Ballston is 43,788 ppsm.

Suburban Maryland's densest tract is in Langley Park, at 49,354 ppsm. Downtown Silver Spring is 34,816 ppsm, and downtown Bethesda is around 11,000 ppsm.

Cross-posted at BeyondDC.

48 comments

How Walgreens could fit in Del Ray

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:17:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Del Ray might not want Walgreens, but the healthiest local commercial corridors actually do have a few chain stores. And what if Walgreens could bring back an old-fashioned soda fountain? (RPUS)

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And...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:56:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Paul Krugman argues for congestion pricing and more transit. (NYT) ... Del Ray doesn't want Walgreens. (Examiner) ... Senators want a Latino museum in the now-vacant Smithsonian Arts and Industries building. (LA Times)

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And...

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:47:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

Alexandria passes its waterfront plan, again. (Examiner) ... A future Spingarn program could teach taxi driving as well as streetcar technology. (Examiner) ... Do DC's bike lane mixing zones work better than NYC's? (Streetsblog)

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Waterfront defended

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 08:28:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Alexandria's waterfront plan actually only adds 2% to the allowed building on the waterfront. The current and former planning commission chairs refute several myths about the waterfront controversy. (Old Town Patch, Thad)

Comment

It is time to embrace Alexandria's waterfront plan (Dec 12, 2011)
Should East Falls Church have a waterfront? (Jun 11, 2010)
Breaking: Alexandria coal power plant to close next year (Aug 30, 2011)
Alexandria wants new Metro stations (Feb 5, 2008)
A DC Planning Commission? (Mar 17, 2008)

And...

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 08:52:00 EDT

by David Alpert

What's the worst sea of surface parking in America? (Streetsblog) ... Beyond the initial framing, Martin Di Caro's article on parking minimums is pretty good. (WAMU) ... The DOJ sticks up for a photographer arrested for photographing police in Montgomery County. (NPPA) ... Alexandria approves its waterfront plan, again. (WAMU)

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Metrobeat?

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:53:00 EDT

by David Alpert

WMATA is pondering branding for 2 new BRT lines it's building in Arlington and Alexandria. Should it be "Metrobeat" or "Metroway" or something else? You can also vote on some possible bus designs.

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HOT lane ramp pollution stirs opposition

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 08:24:00 EDT

by David Alpert

An Alexandria neighborhood is trying to fight highway ramps VDOT wants to build near their houses for the I-95/395 HOT lanes. They commissioned a new environmental and traffic study which says the ramp will generate significant pollution. (WAMU)

Comment

Economy, opposition make VDOT postpone I-95/395 HOT lanes (Aug 18, 2009)
HOT lanes and the Arlington lawsuit, part 1: Myth vs. reality (Feb 14, 2011)
Zimmerman aces TPB, blocks I-66 widening (Feb 19, 2009)
Breaking: Alexandria coal power plant to close next year (Aug 30, 2011)
Widening I-66 is far from insignificant (Oct 6, 2008)

I'd hammer out a new waterfront plan

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:21:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

The Alexandria Waterfront redevelopment took a strange turn when famed folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger wrote to residents requesting that they do not modernize the waterfront. (Patch, Thad)

Comment

It is time to embrace Alexandria's waterfront plan (Dec 12, 2011)
Should East Falls Church have a waterfront? (Jun 11, 2010)
Breaking: Alexandria coal power plant to close next year (Aug 30, 2011)
Endorsements for Virginia local races and ballot questions (Oct 25, 2012)
Meet the next generation of planners (May 17, 2011)

DASH gets bike racks

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:12:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

Alexandria's DASH Bus has installed bike racks on its entire fleet of buses. A Virginia Department of Transportation grant covered the cost of retrofitting 53 buses in DASH's fleet that were purchased before 2011. (AlexandriaNews)

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