Purple planning in Bethesda
Bethesda’s Apex Building may become three highrise buildings and a Purple Line station. The redevelopment could also incorporate an underground tunnel for the Capital Crescent Trail. (Bethesda Magazine)
Take it or leave it
Most DC residents support the idea of paid family leave, but only when the employer has to pitch in to the fund. The debate DC Council will debate whether to tax employers or employees at a hearing today. (Post)
Perilous platforms
Overcrowding in stations is dangerous, and WMATA’s new safety oversight office is trying to curb it. The feds are looking into a complaint that poor directions and cramped conditions put riders “close to a deadly incident.” (WAMU)
Fund us, finally
Congress has finally agreed on five years’ worth of transportation funding. There’s money for transit, bike and pedestrian programs, and faster installation of positive train control, along with more roads. (Post)
Public pier coming soon
The 7th Street Recreational Pier, public space tied to “The Wharf”, a development that’s in the works, may be here sooner than planned. The pier is set to have retail, benches, swings, and a gathering area at the end. (WBJ)
More cycling in Virginia
Northern Virginia has 230 more miles of bike lanes, paths, and trails today than in 2003, and VDOT is working to update its plans for more. Overall, the demand for bike-friendly routes continues to rise. (TheWashCycle)
Glimmer of hope
Once a premier shipping destination, City Place Mall in Silver Spring fell into disrepair in recent years. With mixed-use centers becoming more popular, are new tenants and a facelift enough to save an indoor mall? (Post)
Benefits of density
Cities can be stressful, but living close to public transportation and in dense urban environments could actually cut people’s likelihood of getting depressed because moving and socializing are easier. (CityLab)
And…
Locally crafted goods may soon be branded with a “Made in DC” label. (City Paper) … A park in England is painting reflective stripes on wild ponies so that drivers stop hitting them. (CityLab, KC) … A local jazz duo has immortalized the golden rule of Metro with a song called “Stand Right.” (Post)
Top image: Photo by scattered1 on Flickr.
Buying Walter Reed
DC will buy the former Walter Reed campus for $22.5 million. The city will then lease the land to a developer who has plans to build 2,000 residential units, two charter schools, and space for homeless veterans, among other uses. (WBJ)
Plans for Franklin Park
Designs are out for the overhaul of Franklin Park in downtown DC. The renovated park will have a cafe, a children’s play area, a new fountain, and wider sidewalks. (WBJ)
Park (your bike) for free
The secure bike storage at College Park station is now free to those with a registered SmarTrip card. Similar facilities are under construction at East Falls Church and Vienna Metro stations. (TheWashCycle)
Airbnburn
DC Council candidate David Garber strongly criticized Vincent Orange’s proposed Airbnb regulations. Garber said the bill will negatively affect homeowners and restrict consumer choice in favor of industry interests. (Borderstan)
Solar ray of hope
The Pepco-Exelon merger has resurrected plans to install solar panels atop DC Water’s Blue Plains Treatment Plant. But the deal must move quickly, with panels installed before federal solar tax credits expire next year. (WBJ)
Calling out crime
Residents say crime is the leading problem in DC. The homicide rate is up 58% over last year, but most other crime is actually down by about 2%. (Post)
The hours less traveled by
Off-peak Metro trips account for almost one third of daily Metro travel. The number of off-peak journeys for non-work purposes has been growing steadily since 2007. (PlanItMetro)
Real-time subway saga
New York still doesn’t have real-time information for over half of its subway lines. Why? It’s a saga of aging infrastructure and the series of overambitious plans to fix it. (The Atlantic)
And…
Alexandria has added 3 miles of bike lanes. (TheWashCycle) … Arlington County unanimously approved the redevelopment of the Ballston Common Mall. (ARLnow) … More Uber rides mean New York’s transit agency is losing out on $10 million per year from taxi surcharges. (WNYC)
Top image: Photo by WRAMC 1909-2011 on Flickr.
Bye bye, FreshPAC
After waves of criticism, the PAC affiliated with Mayor Bowser is shutting down. FreshPAC officials said that group had become “too much of a distraction for the mayor.” (WAMU)
Equity on the 11th St Bridge
The 11th Street Bridge Park now has an “equitable development plan” that outlines strategies for job creation, housing preservation, and small business support for neighborhoods on both sides of the bridge. (City Paper)
No homeless vets in VA
Virginia is the first state to meet the federal standards for ending effective homelessness amongst veterans. The designation means that there are no homeless veterans except those who were offered housing but chose to deny it. (Post)
DC’s economic bust?
Economists are growing concerned that DC’s economic prospects look poor. With a heavy reliance on the federal government and a slow-to-recover GDP, Washington’s economic future is worrisome. (Post, Matt G.)
First comes the bike lanes
Are bike lanes a sign of gentrification? Though they’re newer and most commonly used by a wealthier crowd, bike lanes are a public good that’s free for all. So why are people afraid of displacement? (Post)
Arlington’s mall investment
Arlington County may contribute $55 million in a public-private partnership to redevelop Ballston Common Mall. It would be the first time Arlington has used a tax increment financing district to fund a project. (WBJ, KC) (Tip: KC)
Give us our trees, Trump
Thousands of people are fighting to get Donald Trump to replace the 450 trees he cut down to create scenic views of the Potomac River from his Loudoun County golf course. (DCist)
More roads = more traffic
Transit planners always warn of induced demand, and in a rare admission by a transportation authority, California’s DOT acknowledged that increased highway capacity doesn’t actually reduce congestion. (CityLab)
And…
Islamic advocates were successful in their petition to close Montgomery County Public Schools on the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Adha. (Post) … Potomac will be featured on the next “Real Housewives” series. (DCist) … A local photographer’s new series proves the beauty of the Tidal Basin persists through all four seasons. (Post)
Top image: Photo by crystalndavis on Flickr.
Norton backs bikeway
Delegate Holmes Norton is asking for a protected bikeway on Louisiana Ave near Union Station. There has been talk and some planning for a bikeway there. (Roll Call)
Benefits, please
On January 1st, DC will require companies with more than 20 employees to offer a commuter benefit program. Employees can deduct up to $130/month from their paycheck before taxes for transit costs. (Post)
Uber changes the game
Uber trips originating in Wards 7 and 8 have grown 600% compared to last year. Historically, it’s been difficult to get taxi service east of the Anacostia River. (City Paper)
Credit cards on CaBi
Soon Capital Bikeshare members will be able to swipe their credit cards to check out a bike instead of using their key fob.
Metro’s going green
Metro is looking for partners to add solar energy farms to some stations. Metro could then sell back the energy produced to help fund operations. (PlanItMetro)
Stop highway expansion
Using the logic from US Transportation Secretary Foxx’s op-ed on Metro, several transit advocacy groups in Maryland are calling for a moratorium on highway expansions until dangerous areas are made safer. (ACT)
US lightrail boom
Since 2000, 78 new light rail or streetcar systems have opened worldwide. 23 of those are in the United States, the most of any one country. France is second with 20. (Railway Age)
Fast walkers club
Do you ever get frustrated stopped behind a slow walker on the sidewalk? A retailer in Liverpool, England is changing that by putting “Fast Track” lanes outside of their stores to help ease pedestrian congestion. (CityLab)
Top image: Photo by Phil Roeder on Flickr.
A general manager, almost
The WMATA Board has selected Neal Cohen as Metro’s next general manager. Cohen has served as CFO and VP for several aerospace and airline companies. But it’s not a done deal; salary negotiations are still ongoing. (Post)
More time for PTC
Congress has passed a bill that gives railroads three more years to implement positive train control technology. The original deadline at the end of this year would have halted commuter and freight rail service across the country. (WTOP)
Teetering toward tolls
Plans to add toll lanes to I-66 outside of the Beltway are nearing final approval. The Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the expansion project, bringing it one step closer to federal funding. (WAMU)
Creative cops
A Montgomery County police officer posed as a homeless man with a cardboard sign to catch drivers using their cell phones … A DC cop’s dance off with a teen has gone viral. The cop says she was just doing her job to help diffuse conflict. (Post)
Test the testing
A panel will decide if students in Maryland are tested too much. The panel includes Montgomery County Schools superintendent Larry Bowers, who successfully pushed to get rid of final exams in his schools earlier this year. (Post)
Drive-to urbanism
Atlanta has walkable places but most people arrive to them by car. The city wants to combat drive-to urbanism by improving transportation options on all streets, even those outside of developing areas. (Streetsblog)
For the public good, or not
Cities with large minority populations spend less on public goods, like roads, parks, and police, than more homogeneous cities do. Why? One theory is that whites create private alternatives to public goods because they don’t want to put money toward public funds they fear will be spent poorly. (Post)
The self-driving choice
How should self-driving cars react to an unavoidable fatal accident? In theory people tend to like the idea of saving the lives of many at the cost of one, but what happens if that one is you? (Post)
Idaho in Europe
The Idaho Stop, which allows cyclists to treat red lights as stop signs and stop signs as yields, is becoming prominent throughout Europe. Even during political campaigns candidates are standing up for the stop. (The Guardian)
Top image: Photo by Kevin Harber on Flickr.
Not thinking fare-dimensionally
WMATA board members from DC will not support a budget plan that raises fares or cuts service. They’ve threatened to use “jurisdictional veto,” which allows them to stop any proposed action. (Post)
Boy mom, you sure can hydrate a WMATA
The WMATA Rider’s Union held their first meeting Monday. 100 people came out to discuss grievances and brainstorm solutions. Leaders believe the group will finally get WMATA on track. (Post)
That’s like a baby’s toy
The region’s congressional delegation is pushing a measure that would keep WMATA under federal oversight. The PROMPT Act would give the Transportation Secretary oversight and allows funds to be used for rail safety. (Post)
I-66 flux capacitor
Fairfax officials voted unanimously to support VDOT’s plan to turn two lanes of I-66 into HOT lanes. The approval comes with the contingency that planners must continue to work with the community through the process. (WTOP)
Hoverboards don’t work on water
DDOT plans to improve bike lanes in DC by standardizing bike lane striping at intersections and extending bike lanes into the road when a bike lane runs through a work zone. (TheWashCycle)
Mayor, I (don’t) like the sound of that
DC councilmembers are responding to Mayor Bowser’s new political action committee with a bill to close loopholes on PACs. Councilmember Mary Cheh warned PACs could make DC like Tammany Hall.(WAMU)
I’m your density. I mean your destiny
One of Southwest Waterfront’s remaining parcels has a developer. Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6D chose a developer who promised a mix of housing, retail and a commitment to the arts. (WBJ)
Damn! The skyway is jammed
In the late ‘60s, there were plans to build the Three Sisters Bridge and elevated highway system in DC. If it weren’t for the effortless fighting by a few men, some of DC’s neighborhoods, like Shaw or Georgetown, wouldn’t exist today. (Washingtonian)
Where we’re going we don’t need roads
Millions of people use Waze to see real time traffic and alternative routes. If Waze were to include public transportation networks in its analysis, even fewer people would be stuck in traffic. (Gizmodo)
Great Scott!
Reston will be renaming itself “Hill Valley” in honor of Back to the Future Day. The five day long celebration includes screenings of the movies, including an red carpet event with Christopher Lloyd himself. (CNN, Washingtonian)
Top image: Still from Back to the Future
Can’t afford Congress Heights?
A redevelopment near Congress Heights Metro will demolish four apartment buildings and tenants likely won’t be able to afford to live in the new buildings. But the city has control over a fifth building, which could be an opportunity for more affordable housing, (Post)
Bathroom debate
DC will soon build several small homeless shelters to replace DC General, but the design is up in the air. Private rooms with shared bathrooms are more cost effective, but advocates for the homeless argue that apartment style housing is better for families. (WAMU)
Shoplifting surveillance
An app lets Georgetown shop owners share information and alert police about suspicious shoppers. But in some cases, shop owners instead used the app for racial profiling. (Post)
Spooky streets
Throughout the region there are “ghost roads,” roads that have been abandoned and forgotten. Whether their demise was intentional or not, they’re pretty eerie looking. (WTOP)
Whooo goes there?
A territorial owl is attacking runners on the Capital Crescent Trail. Trail users are advised to avoid running at dusk during prime hunting time. The owl may follow you on the trail, but you can follow it on Twitter. (Bethesda Beat)
Celebrity cyclists
Celebrities are just like us; they like riding bikes too. Usher spent his birthday on Bikeshare riding through DC and Washington football star Alfred Morris rides a trail in Ashburn to get to practice. (Borderstan, PeopleForBikes)
Penn Ave bike lane mistake?
In his book, Gabe Klein defends the decision to scrap the original design for Pennsylvania Avenue’s bike lanes and move them into the median. But David Cranor still thinks that in this case, Gabe was wrong. (TheWashCycle)
And…
WMATA will get its first zero-emission all-electric bus next year. (Mass Transit) … China blows DC traffic out of the water with its incredible 50-lane traffic jam. (CityLab) … Fairfax Connector is making changes to several of its bus routes in December. (Post)
Top image: Photo by WDCEP on Flickr.
Whose rail line is it anyway?
Experts have serious concerns about possible Federal Railroad Administration oversight of Metro. It’s not clear the FRA’s system is all that much safer than what Metro’s currently doing. (WAMU)
Bowser deals with Exelon
Mayor Bowser has agreed to support Exelon’s takeover of Pepco after negotiating for the energy giant to invest $78 million in DC. Bowser says the deal would bring 100 jobs to the city, but there’s still lots of opposition. (City Paper)
Paying off Safeway
DC will pay Safeway $900,000 per year not to block a Walmart from moving in next door at the Skyland center in Ward 8. The Walmart itself won’t fall within the zone Safeway could restrict, but the parking lot will. (WBJ)
So long, paper farecard
Metro is getting rid of paper farecards. By the end of this week, fare machines in 8 stations will only offer SmarTrip cards. The system should be completely paperless by March. (Post)
Stop building!
An Arlington County Board candidate says there might be too much development in Pentagon City. One of his key endorsers is the guy who ran against the Columbia Pike streetcar. Likeminded neighbors have been fighting new housing nearby for years. (ARL Now)
Bike priority areas
Baltimore and Towson have fallen far behind in building safe and comfortable bicycle facilities. Montgomery is the only county in the state of Maryland that has designated areas where biking and walking take priority. (Baltimore Sun)
Viva White Oak
After 4 years with no real progress, a proposed town center development in White Oak is alive and well… with a new name: Viva White Oak. Residents hope it’ll bring urban development to eastern Montgomery County. (WBJ)
Breaking ground
THEARC, the arts and education center in Ward 8 where President Obama has visited multiple times, will expand with a new building to include a boys’ school, a black box theater, and exhibition space for the Phillips Collection. (WBJ)
And…
Yogis beware: it’s illegal to strike a yoga pose on Metro tracks. (DCist) … Apple reversed a decision and approved the app that alerts drivers of DC speed cameras. (Post) … Chicago is turning some of its train cars into moving libraries. (Mental Floss)
Top image: Photo by Tripp on Flickr.
What’s next for Museum Square
Residents rallied to try to preserve affordable housing at the Museum Square apartments at 4th and K NW as the building’s Section 8 contract expires. A DC law would let them buy the building, but the owner will only sell for $800,000 per unit. (WAMU)
Red card Buzzard Point
DC will use eminent domain to take two acres of land at Buzzard Point for the new soccer stadium. Though DC and owner dispute the value, this is a far cry from the 2005 conflict with 30 land owners over the ballpark. (WBJ)
Fight fires not parking tickets
DC’s firefighters complain that they get too many parking tickets. So, The DC Council is considering a bill to give special parking permits to park on the street. (NBC4)
Don’t blame pedestrians
If a turning driver hits a pedestrian, it’s more likely the driver was on a cell phone than the pedestrian. Moira McCauley of All Walks DC rebuts misconceptions from Ashley Halsey III’s recent article on distracted walking. (Post)
Salary standstill
DC retail establishments are hiring more employees than ever, but their pay is staying stagnant. DC retail workers earn an average of $26,881 per year, down from $28,913 in 2007 and $27,274 in 2002. (District, Measured)
Uber to the rescue
Uber subtly called out Metro, reminding customers that their service isn’t affected by slower headways. The sly marketing ploy has people wondering if Pool, Uber’s split fare ridesharing system, is coming our way. (Post)
Two wheels or two feet?
In DC it’s illegal to walk or run in a bike lane, yet it happens all the time. Cyclists claim it’s too dangerous, but joggers say it’s the best place to run. How can both parties find a way to coexist safely? (Post)
Which city?
How well can you identify a city? Could you guess from its street pattern? This quiz will test your knowledge of city street patterns. (The Guardian)
Top image: Photo by West Side Neighborhood Alliance on Flickr.
He’s here!
Pope Francis has arrived in DC, and maybe he’ll bless Metro! Cell service could get spotty because lots of people will be uploading photos and video at once; try texting and charge your battery. (City Paper, DCist)
No Popemageddon
All the encouragement to stay home seems to have worked; Metro is seeing lighter ridership than normal, and traffic is light as well. However, there were more train problems on both the Orange and Red
More Metro madness
Over 250 people got stuck on a Green Line train that lost power in a tunnel near Petworth yesterday. It took over an hour to get everyone off and much longer to restore full Green and Yellow line service. (Post)
Fill the opening
WMATA says it will hire a general manager by the end of 2015, but Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe is tired of waiting. A private company going this long without a CEO would go out of business, he says. (Post)
Proceed with housing
The DC Council has approved a residential development of 350 units, anchored by Whole Foods, for Florida Avenue NW. We previously reported that some councilmembers were unsure or stalling. (WBJ)
Familiar phenomenon
Expensive housing is nothing new in the US; the percentage of their income renters pay for housing has been rising for 5 decades. A big reason is that land costs have risen while wages haven’t. WIll there be a tipping point? (Post)
MJ in MD
Maryland is going to start licensing medical marijuana growing facilities and dispensaries, and the drug should be on the market by the end of next year. Some leaders oppose the change but while welcome the potential job growth. (Post)
Do your job, ANCs
DC Councilmember Brianne Nadeau says ANC commissioners who frequently skip meetings need to go. Her new bill would force those who miss 3 meetings in a row to resign for failing to represent their community. (Borderstan)
Hit and run
Police just arrested a driver who, in August, hit a woman on foot on Southern Avenue then fled the scene. A similar crime happened on the same block in April, and the driver from that one will be sentenced this month. (City Paper)
Top image: Image by Dan Malouff.