Posts about Week In Review

Visitors will walk far to MLK, as they do to most memorials: On August 28th, an estimated 400,000 people were expected to attend the dedication of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. They would have experienced what thousands of visitors find every day: it's hard to get to the memorials.

Is there a good alternative to liquor moratoriums?: Are liquor moratoriums the only way to address issues of peace, order, and quiet in certain neighborhoods, or are there more creative and more effective ways to address noise and traffic issues without stifling commerce or customer choices through public policy?

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Why isn't an Amtrak ticket cheaper in the Northeast?: Many DC-area residents would prefer to travel by train rather than by bus to other Northeastern cities, but some often find tickets too expensive. There are several reasons for higher fares, and a primary reason is simple economics.

A real evacuation plan wouldn't look like Tuesday: Imagine we needed to evacuate downtown DC and Arlington quickly, in the middle of the day. What would be the best way to do that?

Evans still doesn't understand parking limits: Since 2008 DC Council member Jack Evans has used Constituent Services Funds to reimburse members of his staff for 29 parking tickets totaling $3,341.19. The office of the DC CFO says that's taxable income.

Earthquake!: An earthquake just hit. It was a 5.8 magnitude in central Virginia. Is everyone and everything okay?

Bringing crowds to a game in style, minus the traffic: Like many colleges with large football programs, the University of Iowa faces major congestion problems on football game days, when tens of thousands of fans converge on its stadium. But Iowa has come up with an innovative solution to the traffic.

Other posts:

• DC earthquake history dates back to 1828
  
• Ask, and people will say something nice
  
• Florida Avenue gets closer to a "complete street"
  
• When stocking up for the weekend, think about your long-term emergency kit
  
• Competition won't drastically alter the car-sharing market
  
• Could green zebra striping improve cycle track crossings?
  
• Some seek alternatives to proposed Montgomery curfew
  
• Why sign regulations matter
  
• Safeway at Seven Corners fixes pedestrian access problem
  
• Ward 5 needs more, smaller ANC's
  
• Shaking up the Flickr pool
  
• Happy hour tonight, hack day on September 10

Fence will cut off park from Dupont Metro, 42 bus stop: The small triangle park across Q Street from the Dupont Circle Metro north entrance will soon get a long-needed renovation, but will also get a fence that will make it harder to use the park, walk along Connecticut Avenue, or wait for the bus.

Guardrails: Only for people in cars: Quick quiz: According to the Maryland State Highway Administration, what is the purpose of guard rails on roads? (1) to protect everybody. (2) to protect people in cars. The correct answer is (2).

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Taxi Magic online booking smooth, taxi ride not so much: Taxi Magic is an online service and mobile app that lets you easily request a taxi around much of the region (and nation). I tried it for the first time this weekend, and found the technology very smooth, though sadly the taxi driver who arrived wasn't nearly so high-quality.

Georgetown ANC redistricting plan marginalizes students: A redistricting plan proposed for Georgetown's ANC 2E would dramatically under-represent students attending Georgetown University. The proposal is a direct attempt to limit student involvement in neighborhood affairs.

Want a Whole Foods? Add residences, or face traffic: A mixed-use development right on Route 1 in Riverdale Park turned into a giant strip mall with a Whole Foods, after residents opposed the initial plan. But now residents fear the new plan will bring in too much traffic.

Guide to bikeway typology: As urban cycling becomes more common, new terms are entering the lexicon that people may not be completely familiar with. Here is a guide to the most common types of urban bikeways.

Would personalized "spider maps" be useful for DC?: London has a complex network of train and bus lines, and a unique type of diagram to help people navigate them, known colloquially as the "spider map." As part of the work at the Mobility Lab, we're looking into generating these for the DC region, but going one step farther, and creating personalized ones for any location.

Other posts:

• For a safe park, the best defense is a good offense
• What if the fire department ran like ABRA?
• Crosswalks: Is it time for a rethink?
• Zombie road rises from the dead in upcounty Montgomery
• Book review: Capital Losses
• Is disability parking necessary at sites without parking?
• Historic Preservation Review Board vacancies go unfilled
• Can a commercial enterprise succeed if hidden from view?
• Rainbows over the Flickr pool
• Join GGW for a happy hour on August 23
• Become a contributor, write about interesting events
• Cheh appoints self to school board by giving up on Hardy
• Many urban dwellers still lack option to live without a car

A color-blind Montgomery County is still a myth: Supporters of Montgomery County's proposed teen curfew say we shouldn't worry about racial profiling. But in this newly majority-minority jurisdiction, race is the one thing we should be talking about.

Arlington right to close slip lane in Arlington Ridge: Arlington wants to fix a pedestrian safety flaw and slow traffic in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood. But a group of vocal neighbors is loudly protesting the move, arguing it's worse for safety and claiming Arlington didn't listen to their concerns.

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Auto-free car renters juggle complicated insurance options: Urbanites in DC and elsewhere frequently utilize rental cars as an alternative to owning their own vehicles. However, without an auto insurance policy, some renters may be putting themselves at more risk than they realize.

Speeding suburban driving to DC won't fight unemployment: The good news: Mayor Gray has announced in recent months several large projects that will create new jobs in DC. The bad news: while these projects make a small dent in DC's unemployment rate, the reality is that only 28% of DC jobs go to DC residents.

GGW introduces a new comment policy: The comment threads at Greater Greater Washington have always been valued as a place where a thoughtful and open discussion occurs. But recently, some of those threads have taken a turn for the worse.

Why can't the feds telework on extremely hot days?: Federal government workers in the DC area are allowed to telework when it snows. Why aren't they encouraged to do so on extreme heat days? Fortunately, there are signs of progress.

New hospital a prime opportunity for TOD in Prince George's: A recently announced healthcare partnership could bring a much-needed new regional medical center to central Prince George's County. However, at least one commentator is floating suggestions for a massive sprawling complex instead of a compact campus located near one of the county's many barren Metro Stations.

Other posts:

• Video: DC cyclists get used to record heat
• Paint is cheap, but makes a big difference on roads
• Valencia shows new ideas for signs and public space
• Demolition by neglect plagues Anacostia
• Final report downgrades Montgomery "BRT"
• Old Anacostia's spirit unshakable despite vacant properties
• Lost Washington: Hammel's Restaurant
• Metro's Vital Signs a small step towards transparency
• Floating on the Flickr pool
• Rail~Volution coming to DC this October

ATU Local 689 answers your questions: A few weeks ago, we invited readers to pose questions to ATU Local 689, the union representing most Metro employees. Their political and legislative director, Lateefah Williams, was unfortunately very sick for a few weeks (but better now). Here are her answers to your questions.

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"Lane closed to ease congestion" actually not a crazy fail: Michael sent along this amusing "FAIL" photo... but is it really a fail at all?

Nelson's judge shows sympathy; Anne Arundel police don't: Raquel Nelson has finally encountered some compassion in her Georgia jaywalking conviction case, getting a minimal sentence and even a chance at a new trial from the judge. But a comment on another fatality closer to home, in Anne Arundel County, shows that windshield perspective in the justice system goes beyond Cobb County, Georgia.

Arlington credit union mocks bus riding: Every so often, someone marketing cars or car-related products decides to do so by mocking public transit. The latest example comes from an unexpected quarter: the Arlington Community Federal Credit Union.

Stop distorting the cost of living with public service subsidies: From rural air service to military base sitings to post office closings, many federal policies pick winners and losers among places for people to live. Exurban communities require much more expensive infrastructure, yet policymakers cling to a system that rewards building or living on cheap land but has the government subsidizing all the other associated costs.

Southwest Ecodistrict looks to fix '60s planning failure: The area along 10th Street in Southwest is now little more than a desolate heat island of bland federal buildings where few dare to tread after 5 pm. The Southwest Ecodistrict project seeks to change this by radically remaking this neighborhood into a vibrant place and a national showcase for sustainable development.

Other posts:

• DoD begins encouraging transit for BRAC commuters
• More and varied nightlife can make Silver Spring safer
• Two plans for Tysons Corner diverge on walkability
• Park Service inflexibility draws criticism from Congress
• Norton wants to push Park Service to be more responsive
• Open payment, open standards are in WMATA's future
• Lost Washington: Mary Foote Henderson's Boundary Castle
• Video shows plans for Crystal City redevelopment
• New coalition aims to improve regional planning
• Regional 511 could help riders amid patchwork of agencies
• Keeping cool by the Flickr pool

Teens need things to do, not a curfew: Yesterday, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett proposed setting a curfew on teenagers under 18, raising concerns about how young people are treated here and around the country.

Should Barry be worried about next year's Ward 8 primary?: Have Ward 8 voters grown tired of Marion Barry or is his reelection in 2012 a foregone conclusion? Will a challenger emerge that can mount an effective opposition campaign fueled by an alliance of newer residents and those long disgruntled with Barry's leadership?

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Georgetown's part-timers endanger retail: There are many benefits to living in a dense city. The most obvious is that with so many people living in close proximity, their joint buying power and habits can support shops and restaurants within walking distance.

Knocked on our heels, it's time to broaden the urbanist tent: The DC Council vote to strip Tommy Wells of his chairmanship of the Transportation Committee and his seat on the WMATA Board of Directors is a reality check for urbanists and smart growth advocates.

More residents won't make Wallach or U Street like Ballston: Despite support from the neighborhood ANC and historic staff, the Historic Preservation Review Board last month rejected designs for a 6-story building along the east side of 14th Street, agreeing with some neighbors who have organized to fight the proposal.

Brown criticizes GGW but still has no believable explanation: Kwame Brown criticized Greater Greater Washington to TBD, claiming we're wrong about his motivations for reshuffling committees. But his explanations continue to simply not hold water.

HDR time-lapse shows Washington in a new light: Photographer Drew Geraci created this great sequence of time-lapse HDR photos around the District (and surrounding jurisdictions).

Other posts:

• New Hampshire Ave bike lane has some flaws
• Bowser, Bulger get WMATA Board, Wells gets planning
• Evans discovers joy of cycletracks on Ward 2 bike ride
• Tenant purchase preserves affordable housing in DC
• Weekend station closures will become common on Metro
• GOP transportation bill's new direction is the same old one
• Should east of the river Circulator go to Shipley or Teeter?
• Let's talk pedestrian safety
• Rebuilt Wheaton High could give community a new face
• Let's talk ideas for open transit data and maps
• Snacking by the Flickr pool

Where could DC create a pedestrian mall?: On a recent trip to Charlottesville, I had a chance to enjoy its pedestrian mall. Initially it looks as if it could have been an organic, original part of the downtown, but it was constructed fairly recently, in 1976.

GGW debates: Build Metro above or below ground at Dulles?: On Wednesday, DC Mayor Vince Gray became the latest public figure to enter the fray over the proposed Metro stop at Dulles Airport. Today, our contributors are weighing in.

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On 4th, federal officials forget bikes are transportation, too: Bicycling is sometimes a recreational activity, but for many people it's an integral means of transportation. Federal officials securing the Mall for yesterday's festivities forgot that, keeping roadways open for cars to traverse but blocking all safe routes for bikers in the area.

Mobility, and livability, is about more than roads and cars: The US Department of Transportation has announced a third round of its TIGER grant program. Critics of TIGER, like CEI's Marc Scribner, are again bashing the program, this time because it focuses on "livability" instead of exclusively pushing driving.

Lucky riders can add value to their SmarTrips online: WMATA is rolling out the latest upgrade to the SmarTrip website, letting riders add money or passes to their cards online instead of having to go to the vending machines in stations.

Project Aura: a gorgeous take on bicycle lighting: Ethan Frier and Jonathan Ota, two industrial design students at Carnegie Mellon University, noticed a problem with night time bicycle safety. Specifically, how do you ensure side visibility when your lights are angled forward and back? Their solution is both unique and beautiful.

A brief history of Metrorail fare collection: WMATA has embarked on an ambitious program to revolutionize the way it collects fares from riders, allowing them to use a credit or debit card to pay their fare directly. This will increase convenience for riders, and lower the agency's costs for fare collection. But many riders wonder why they have not seen more changes in fare collection, and sooner.

Other posts:

• Montreal shows the way for Metro Forward
• Kwame Brown pushing tax cuts over his prior promises
• Android phones can now give real-time transit directions
• DDOT will remove "no peds no bikes" sign on Broad Branch
• Fireworks over the Flickr pool
• See you Sunday in Anacostia, 3 weeks at Clybourne Park

What's the status of our major transit projects?: With yesterday's news that the Baltimore Red Line is being advanced to Preliminary Engineering, it seems a good time to check up on the various rail and BRT projects in the region and report on their status.

DDOT may cancel L and M Street cycle tracks: First announced more than a year ago, DDOT's plans for crosstown protected bike lanes on L and M streets NW are now on the brink of being cancelled or postponed indefinitely.

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Ignorant editorial, thoughtful analysis juxtaposed in Post: Let's say you have some opinions about what Metro should do, but you actually know almost nothing about Metro's actual policies. You might talk to your friends about it or comment on blogs, but it's unlikely the Washington Post will put your ideas on its Sunday local opinion page.

Many Tysons developers aren't learning: Transforming Tysons Corner into a pedestrian-friendly urban environment is one of the region's most important goals, but some of the latest proposed development projects completely fail in urban design.

I wish this were... an active plaza in Ballston: Could an inviting urban plaza take the place of a fallow plot by the Ballston public garage?

Two stores pursue divergent futures for grocery shopping: Will grocery shopping in the future look the same as it does today? Two stores are pursuing very different visions of changing shopping, from a large multinational helping people buy with smartphones to a small store abolishing wasteful packaging.

DDOT gets closer to an Anacostia streetcar alignment: DDOT has narrowed the 10 options for the Anacostia streetcar to 4 possible alignments, three of which partially run along MLK Avenue, Anacostia's main street, and connect to the 11th Street bridge. The fourth option involves running the streetcar along the CSX railroad tracks, but negotiations with CSX are not final.

Other posts:

• DC turns blind eye to developer's potential sign infractions
• Fix the Taxi Commission, or abolish it?
• Public art should be rooted in the community
• People see old buildings from trains, too
• Small projects can have a large impact
• Lincoln's lost inaugural ballroom
• Temporary urbanism thrives in Rosslyn
• GAO says clarify WMATA board role, don't restructure
• Kicking back by the Flickr pool
• Sign up for the Anacostia field trip and Clybourne Park

Does redevelopment along transit have to be 18 floors?: Last Friday, I spoke to the Bethesda Chamber of Commerce. My interest spiked when I heard the first speaker, a visiting fellow in Brookings' Metropolitan Policy program, criticize the Planning Department. In his opinion, we were not maximizing the opportunity presented by the Purple Line in Chevy Chase Lake.

Public officials choosing private schools: is it our business?: Several members of the DC Council don't send their kids to public schools. Should voters care, or is it a private matter? These important private choices of public officials do tell us something about the beliefs of our elected leaders, but we shouldn't read too much into them.

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What's the best bike for CaBi lovers?: Capital Bikeshare has been a huge hit, with red bikes everywhere and massive membership numbers. One of its many benefits has been to introduce people to city cycling who might not have otherwise become regular riders.

In 2 letters, road behaviors contrast: Individual drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders naturally have differing views and observations when their modes of travel intersect. In many cases, those intersections are complicated. Below, two letters from readers, Bradley K. and Steve W., describe contrasting road behaviors from, respectively, the views of a driver and of a cyclist.

Station names are about usability, not neighborhood identity: Metrorail station names are long. Long enough, in fact, that they're a source of frequent debate, whether it's comparing Metrorail station names to those of similar systems, or proposing new station names.

Montgomery struggles to compete as both suburb and city: Montgomery County stands at a crossroads. Once-pristine suburban neighborhoods are starting to look worn out and suffer from disinvestment. Meanwhile, other areas are turning into urban enclaves, but they don't provide all of the amenities that traditional city neighborhoods offer. It's no longer the perfect suburb, but it's not yet the ideal city either.

Real ethics reform goes beyond rearranging the deck chairs: The District of Columbia is in an ethical crisis of unparalleled proportions thanks to the DC Council's pitiful standards. Real reform needs to address some of the serious problems, including members holding seats on nonprofit boards, having jobs which create conflicts of interest, and accepting nearly limitless corporate contributions.

Other posts:

• Despite rival visions, change is coming to Chevy Chase Lake
• Surprise surprise: "experts" picked by road lobbyists put road building at top of priority list
• How far has bicycling come since 1979?
• Are electric buses in the future?
• Join GGW at Anacostia Community Museum & Art Gallery
• What would you ask the transit union?
• More map contest results, part 5: Rounding out the set
• The East County Science Center should be an urban center
• More map contest results, part 4: Calling out peak services
• Could bikeshare directions come to Google?
• Paddling around the Flickr pool
• It's a wonderful community meeting

Would you pay $1 for more reliable rush hour bikeshare?: If Capital Bikeshare's new Reverse Rider Rewards program doesn't end up improving bike availability, the next step might include a small fee for rush hour trips to or from the busiest stations.

Police catch Met Branch Trail attackers, but dispatch problems remain: The Metropolitan Police Department still has a little ways to go to get used to dealing with the Metropolitan Branch Trail. They successfully caught some kids trying to attack riders, but gave discouraging messages to riders and dispatchers still are having trouble with locations on the trail.

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Where are DC's downtown surface parking lots?: Surface parking lots are the scourge of urbanism. They take up valuable land that could be used for activity-generating buildings, and they spread development out so that walking and transit use are more difficult.

AU's East Campus plan is a good start: American University's campus plan goes before the Zoning Commission on June 9th. It's imperfect, but the plan still deserves support.

DC begins removing old streetcar tracks: DC has begun a project to rehab and replace the streetcar tracks on O and P Streets in Georgetown.

Rosslyn has its own High Line: New York's High Line has become the darling of American parks, but did you know Rosslyn has been home to a similar elevated linear park for fifteen years?

Why a classical memorial better honors Eisenhower: This Monday, the anniversary of D-Day, the National Civic Art Society (NCAS) and the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICA & A) announced the winners of the Eisenhower Memorial Counterproposal Competition. This competition was initiated after one of the most famous modern architects, Frank Gehry, had been selected to design a memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower in Washington, DC.

Other posts:

• Urban big boxes are becoming common
• Ties are a total waste; all gifts have to be video games
• Integrate bus and rail by making transfers free?
• More weekend closures, less single-tracking for Metrorail
• More map contest results, part 3: Refreshing the old look
• Letter: For WMATA Board, think Greater Greater Washington
• Summer comes to the Flickr pool
• Weekend video: World's biggest bike share
• Intelligent Cities Forum asks how data can help planning
• Weekend videos: Police and bikes

Commissioner protests three-block bike project: One ANC commissioner is fighting a lonely battle against DDOT's effort to help cyclists traverse R Street NE in Eckington with sharrows and a one-block contraflow lane.

Improve campus life to fix Georgetown town-gown relations: Making the campus a more attractive place for students to live, rather than simply requiring all students to live on campus, is the way to ease worsening tensions between Georgetown University students and neighborhood residents.

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Hidden tunnels, bugs and bigamy: Construction workers near Dupont Circle uncover a tunnel dug by a Smithsonian entomologist circa 1910.

Envisioning a better Dupont Circle: Part of our "I wish this were..." series, we look at ways to make the Dupont Circle neighborhood even more of an urban gem. See also parts two and three

"Jackmandered" redistricting puts self-interest over sense: The proposed new boundaries for Wards 2 and 6 serve largely to secure the personal and political interests of one Councilmember.

Determining Metro fare should be simple: Tourists would have an easier time figuring how much they need to pay for a Metro ride if there was a fixed fare for paper farecard users, equal to the peak-of-the-peak fare.

Underground parking enables better public spaces: Putting parking underneath buildings, roads and parks accommodates drivers while allowing room for better land uses.

Map contest winners, part 5: One contestant innovates by showing "spurs" at key turning points, such as Silver Spring, along with including Amtrak, MARC and VRE lines.

Other posts:

• Park trails can increase bike usage east of the river
  
• DDOT posts CaBi under- and over-utilized station map
  
• As urban center, New Carrollton faces uphill battle
  
• Map contest results, parts 1 and 2.
  
• Remove rush-hour parking, or allow parking all the time?
  
• On the calendar: Streams of consciousness
  
• Enjoying the Flickr pool in the park