Posts about Public Health
Sustainability
Whiny press abandons all analysis when it comes to fees
Reporters try to present arguments objectively and fairly, but that doesn't seem to extend to fees, tolls, and taxes, when it's apparently totally fine to write an article for a professional newspaper talking about how much a new charge "sucks."
Photo by RussellReno.
Either that, or else during the holiday break, all the good reporters and editors go on vacation. Those are the only two explanations that come to mind for articles like this NBC Washington piece about the Dulles toll hike (to pay for the Silver Line) and the bag fee (to pay for environmental cleanup).
Writer Patti Petitte leads with, "Bad news for the new year: 2010 is going to cost you more," and ends with, "In conclusion, um... Happy New Year?" Petitte could just as easily have written an article that starts, "Good news for the new year: A long-awaited transit line is moving ahead in Northern Virginia, and the Anacostia River will get some much-needed love."
Petitte even gets it wrong, saying that the charge is for non-recyclable bags, while in fact it's for all bags. That means even if this bill had been far, far less impactful, she would still have been whining.
It certainly appears that area editors handed out assignments to "write about how bad new fees are." What else would explain this lede from Michael Laris' article in the Washington Post on the same topic:
Speeding drivers, tow truck operators and fast-food fans who prefer not to be confronted with calorie counts are among those who might be frustrated by new laws in Maryland in the New Year.The law in Maryland mandates disclosure of information to consumers. It took quite a contortion for Laris to fit that into his list as something that could be bad for Marylanders. Next, will we see a story with a lede like, "Parents who prefer not to know about the lead content in toys their children put in their mouths might be frustrated by a new product safety initiative from the Obama administration"?
Most of these whiny articles don't bother to delve into the reasons behind the laws. They could have interviewed supporters and opponents of each to try to explain the arguments for and against, but that would just get in the way of phoning in the article and getting on with the holiday break.
The most content-free piece was the City Paper's "Confessions of a Wi-Fi Loafer" column, in which Christine MacDonald writes a whole post about how one Petworth listserv poster said charging for Saturday parking "completely sucks." I know it's the holidays and nobody wants to actually work, but the City Paper is still a newspaper. Are they thinking that some blogs involve people posting their quick reactions to items without any serious thought, and therefore they ought to get in on that?
Development
Hyattsville: the next Bethesda, or the next River Terrace?
Hyattsville has seen a great deal of promising development in the last few years. The crown jewel, the Hyattsville Arts District, has inspired the moniker "the new Bethesda," insinuating good houses, potential for retail, and transit access. It's one place in Prince George's County where elements of transit oriented development are starting to flourish. Hyattsville hosts two Green Line stations. Adjacent Riverdale Park hosts a Camden Line MARC station and two future Purple Line stations.
Bleak forecast for West Hyattsville. Flickr photo by democracyinaction.org.
Recently on Imagine, DC, I featured the West Hyattsville Metro Station, opining that transit oriented development could continue across the Anacostia River/Northwest Branch Park into nearby Chillum. At the heart of that area, less than 900 feet from the Metro platform, is an industrial area west of the intersection of Chillum Road and Queens Chapel Road. A commenter pointed out toward this Gazette article which tells of Washington Gas's plans to construct a liquefied natural gas plant on the site.
There are several major issues with such heavy industry being placed at this site. Low and medium density residential development completely surrounds the site, much of it even closer than the Metro platform. Heavy industry this close to residences has proven highly detrimental to health and quality of life, such as in River Terrace in Northeast, adjacent to a coal power plant. Residents there are 3 to 5 times more likely to have cancer, asthma, or chronic bronchitis than other DC residents. On top of this, Chillum residents' real estate values will also plummet.
Since residential development surrounds the site, industrial traffic will need to drive through residential areas to reach the new Washington Gas facility. Neither Chillum Road nor Queens Chapel Road are exactly industrial corridors. Though there is already other industrial traffic induced by the site's current uses, a fuel plant on the site will undoubtedly increase the amount of HazMat cargo on these residential roads.
The site also sits atop the Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park about a mile and a half from where it connects to the Anacostia River. This is disturbing considering the horribly polluted state of the Anacostia, and it could potentially counteract efforts to clean up the river.
Finally, and most importantly, locating heavy industry so close to mass transit is a very poor use of land. This spot ought to hold a mixed-use transit-oriented development, being just a 5-minute walk to the Metro. There is even a pedestrian bridge over the Northwest Branch, almost anticipating this type of development. Heavy industry on that site could very well deter people in Chillum from walking to the station, which would in fact counter efforts to redevelop the north side of the Metro station.
Washington Gas needs to build this plant to meet rising demands, and this is their most cost effective alternative. But is it worth it to sacrifice a community of this sort? Industry such as this ought to be constructed along industrial corridors or near interstate highways that can better facilitate industrial traffic. Plots of land surrounded by residences and near parks and mass transit should be used for something better for the regional economy than a fuel plant.
Sustainability
Grocery stores scarce for many DC residents
Please welcome Lynda Laughlin, a family demographer at the U.S. Census Bureau and a resident of Petworth. (Lynda's posts are, of course, her own opinions and not official U.S. Census statements.) Welcome Lynda!
Photo by Wiedmaier on Flickr.
Grocery stores and supermarkets are many residents' primary source of food. Having access to affordable sources of food has a major impact on our quality of life and public health. But while wealthy neighborhoods have an ample supply of supermarkets, in many parts of DC, grocery stores are few and far between.
The District of Columbia has 24 major grocery store chains and 10 smaller/regional food markets. There are 15 Safeways, three Whole Foods, six Giants, two Harris Teeters, six Yes! Organic Markets, one Super Fresh, and one Trader Joe's. There are plans for an Ellwood Thompson in Columbia Heights and a Yes! Organic Market in Petworth.
As the map demonstrates, grocery stores are not evenly distributed across the District. Wards 2 and 3 have 16 grocery stores. That's one store for every 8,911 residents. Ward 4 is the most populated ward (about 75,000 people), but only has one grocery store. There are only three grocery stores east of the river for residents of Wards 7 and 8. That's one store for every 47,151 residents. Communities with large populations in poverty or large minority populations have poor access to grocery stores. Wards 4, 5, 7, and 8 are all majority African-American and all have large numbers of residents living in poverty, while wealthier, whiter Wards 2 and 3 have almost half the city's grocery stores.
For low-income residents without a car, poor transit access to grocery stores is an immediate barrier to healthful eating. Sadly, inadequate access to grocery stores is not unique to DC. It is a common problem across urban areas, and cities and states haven't done enough. A few states have taken some steps. In Pennsylvania, for instance, the state contributed $30 million in seed money to lure grocery stores to low-income neighborhoods in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. New York City recently passed legislation for up to 1,000 "green carts" to operate in certain areas of the city to sell fresh produce.
What kind of initiatives could DC take to ensure equal access to healthier (and affordable) food options? How can convenience store owners be convinced to carry more than Tasty Kakes and Utz potato chips? Could we change land-use policies to prioritize food? City officials and urban planners need to realize the important role they can play in ensuring access to healthy food and improving the quality of life for urban residents.
Roads
Afternoon links: (Rail)road to the future
Photos by Suzan Tobin.
Yes to high-speed rail: You probably saw this Monday, but USDOT is talking to contractors about designing a new high-speed Northeast Corridor rail link. Congress funded the study (but not yet the line itself) in October. Via DCist.
No to a Shell: Tomorrow at 1 pm, DDOT's Public Space Committee will consider the proposed Shell gas station at 14th and Maryland, NE. Right near the revitalizing H Street corridor, that major corner should have some retail or apartments, not a gas station. The hearing is at 1 pm, 941 North Capitol St, 7th Floor. Via Frozen Tropics.
Convert those garages into cafes: Suzan Tobin suggests in Planning Magazine that suburbs can become mixed-use quite easily, by legalizing accessory retail, like cafes, bookstores, or flower shops in the garages of today's houses.
Driving makes you fat: So says a new study by University of Tennessee and Rutgers researchers, reports Jalopnik. Tip: Joel.
How about one at DC USA? Check out this amazing bike parking system in Japan. Via BoingBoing; tip: Alex.
Roads
Thomas mocks Fenty's superior transportation choice
Mayor Fenty travels everywhere in a Smart Car. It's not as eco-sensitive as Tommy Wells' bike, but really, for a mayor who probably does have to drive everywhere it's quite a good choice.
Fenty's Smart Car is a smarter choice.
Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. doesn't seem to think so. At a recent groundbreaking in Eckington, according to Bloomingdale (For Now) (via Richard Layman):
In a cheesy comment, he noted that he had driven from the Wilson Building in a V8-powered SUV, while Mayor Fenty had driven over in his Smart Car. Councilman Thomas told Mayor Fenty that he should abandon the Smart Car and get back in something with "more horsepower" so he could make it to these events more quickly. All things said, I'd much rather that those driving would all follow the Mayor's example instead of barreling around in gas guzzlers like the Councilman.Would Thomas really rather everyone took up more space, guzzled more gas, emitted more pollution, and created more danger to pedestrians, other motorists, and (through rollovers) themselves by driving big muscle SUVs? More likely Thomas doesn't really want those things, but is instead still stuck in the testosterone-laden "big car equals power" mindset.
Councilmember Thomas recently launched a major initiative to providee asthma screenings and education for Ward 5 residents. Ward 5 has the second-highest asthma rate in DC, surpassed only by Ward 7. Thomas should have praised Mayor Fenty for arriving at the event in a Smart Car, avoiding dumping more pollution into Ward 5's air. Thomas should set an example toward improving the health of his constituents by dumping the SUV for a Smart Car, Prius, taking the bus, or bicycling the short distance from his house to the Rhode Island Avenue Metro to get to work when he doesn't have to attend groundbreaking ceremonies.
Over a third of the residents of Thomas' ward do not own cars; it'd be great to see Thomas thinking about their needs instead of reinforcing the antiquated notion that owning a big SUV is the American Dream.
@ggwash
- Successful speed cameras require fair speed limits
- Amid scandal, don't lose sight of Gray's policy achievements
- Bethesda gets new but terrible bike racks
- Montgomery plans 160-mile, "gold standard" BRT system
- DC's parks are 5th best in the nation, says "Park Score"
- DC's divide need not be black and white
- Live chat with Matt Yglesias
Greater Washington
District of Columbia
