Urban planning: The built environment

I'm not sure if this sub is close enough. None of the architecture ones I looked at had recent activity.

But man, is brutalism ugly. There's like 2 brutalism buildings I've ever liked

Proposal Would Link Highway Funding to Zoning

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/02/127572-proposal-would-link-highway-funding-zoning

@urbanplanning

Are there any US cities that are working on plans to use existing freight rail lines for commuter rail?

As an example, I noticed when I was in Tampa that their freight rail routes (mostly owned by CSX) could actually have decent coverage for commuter rail from the suburbs to downtown Tampa.

I also noticed that these freight rail lines seemed to very rarely have freight trains traveling on them.

Are there any US cities that are working on developing commuter rail lines that either share these freight rail lines, or would build their own lines right alongside them using existing right of way?

Newton's new Village Center Overlay District (VCOD) zoning was passed by the City Council Last Week. The VCOD is designed to allow for the concentration of housing and commercial opportunities near transit.

https://www.newtonma.gov/government/planning/village-centers

@urbanplanning

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/8638019

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/7381135

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	[**Truck driver who killed cyclist fined $2,000**](https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/09/25/langenkamp-sarah-plea-bike-crash-bethesda/)
	The fatal crash, which killed diplomat Sarah Langenkamp as she was bicycling home from her children’s school in a Maryland bike lane in 2022, did not meet the threshold in Maryland law for vehicular manslaughter, according to prosecutors. The driver pleaded guilty to “causing serious injury or death to a vulnerable” person and was given the maximum fine allowed by state law. The driver’s license will be suspended up to a maximum of six months, to be determined. (This article might be behind a paywall)  <em>([Dan Morse / Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/09/25/langenkamp-sarah-plea-bike-crash-bethesda/))**
	
	**New flood maps for Arlington show more buildings at risk of flooding**
	New FEMA maps that more accurately depict flood risks in an era of climate change-driven storms and limit some uses of buildings in the highest risk areas, will take effect November 16. Although approximately 300 buildings are affected, Arlington County has relatively few properties at the highest risk of flooding, in part because the county has been buying up land in floodplains as recommended in its 1957 stormwater plan.  <em>([Jo DeVoe / ARLNow](https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/25/more-arlington-properties-are-now-located-within-floodplains-county-says/))**
	
	**Shops in Penn Branch apartment building gets grant from Amazon**
	The Jair Lynch-backed development of an apartment building on the rear parking lot of the Shops of Penn Branch at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Branch Avenue SE has received a grant from Amazon to move forward. The project, on hold for years, will provide 189 units, with 179 of the units being affordable for those making between 60 and 80% of the area median income. (This article is behind a paywall. Disclosure: Senthil Sankaran, Principal of the Amazon Housing Equity Fund, also serves on the GGWash Board of Directors).  <em>([Tristan Navera / Business Journal](https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2023/09/25/shops-at-penn-branch-jair-lynch-amazon-housing.html))**
	
	**Marley Ridge condo owners, DCHA split over repairs and condition of the building**
	The DC Housing Authority owns nine units in the 36-unit Marley Ridge complex, an ownership stake that gives DCHA significant influence over the condo board. As many units fall into disrepair, some residents are frustrated that DCHA has not stepped up (in the absence of an active condo board president) to play more of a role in condo board decision-making. (This article is behind a paywall).  <em>([Danny Nguyen / Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/09/25/dc-housing-marley-ridge/))**
	
	**Alexandria City Council and architectural review board disagree on whether it’s okay to paint brick**
	The debate comes after the City Council overturned an Alexandria Board of Architectural Review decision that would have forced a King Street property owner to remove paint from 1960’s-era brick facade that he had painted over.  <em>([Vernon Miles / ALXNow](https://www.alxnow.com/2023/09/25/city-council-bar-divided-on-whether-alexandria-should-stay-a-red-brick-town/))**
	
	**Georgetown residents petition for streatery rules and reforms**
	The petition to the Georgetown BID expresses concerns about parking and aesthetics and asks the BID to set and enforce rules about materials and design *and to take down streateries that sit unused for long stretches or during the off-season, among other changes.  <em>([Christopher Jones / The Georgetowner](https://georgetowner.com/articles/2023/09/18/georgetown-coalition-for-public-spaces-launches-petition-drive-to-regulate-improve-streateries/))**
	
	**National Cathedral installs new stained glass windows of Black Americans marching for justice**
	The new windows, by Kerry James Marshall and Andrew Goldkuhle, replace windows honoring Confederate generals who led the southern rebellion in the Civil War and fought to maintain slavery in the south. A ceremony dedicating the new windows was held at the Cathedral on Saturday and attended by many Black leaders in DC, including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson who read from Martin Luther Kind Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”  <em>([Peter Smith / Afro](https://afro.com/national-cathedral-replaces-windows-honoring-confederacy-with-stained-glass-homage-to-racial-justice/))**
	
	**BWI has best day since before COVID-19 pandemic Friday**
	Officials at Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) reported its highest ridership day since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last Friday. This is a welcome sign for the airport and is attributed to several new flights at the airport. (This article is behind a paywall).  <em>([Daniel Zawodny / Baltimore Banner](https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/culture/travel/bwi-pandemic-busiest-travel-day-Y2GSTAQ5YBDUDOGVVXFWYZEIK4/))**
	



[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/91081/breakfast-links-driver-fined-2000-for-killing-cyclist-sarah-langenkamp#comments)
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		<span>Gaithersburg and Rockville are </span><span>the third- and fourth-largest cities in Maryland</span><span>, with nearly 70,000 residents each. These two Montgomery County municipalities </span><span>regularly top lists of the nation’s most diverse places</span><span> and are the backbone of the region’s biotech industry. It’s in Rockville where scientists </span><span>mapped the human genome</span><span> and </span><span>found a potential HIV cure</span><span>, and in Gaithersburg where they </span><span>discovered a COVID-19 vaccine</span><span>. What happens here has echoes that go way beyond the borders.</span>

That’s why we reached out to candidates in three key races to learn about their views ahead of the general election November 7. In Rockville, voters will choose a new mayor and, for the first time, six city councilmembers (up from four previously), while in Gaithersburg, voters will select three city councilmembers. These are all nonpartisan races. In the general election, voters can choose up to six candidates in addition to the mayor.

We’re sharing the questionnaire responses we received here as a service to the public. Questionnaire responses also inform our endorsement decisions, which we’ll announce later this month.

Wait, how does this work?

Gaithersburg and Rockville have a unique distinction: both cities run their own public services, like parks, police, and zoning, unlike most of the Washington region where those things happen at the county level. Thus, the Rockville and Gaithersburg city governments have a lot of power over a big chunk of our region. Both cities also have council-manager governments, in which the mayor is more of a figurehead and votes as part of the City Council, which in turn appoints a city manager to run day-to-day affairs. This has a lot of similarities to Arlington County’s government, which has a Chair instead of a mayor. Both Rockville and Gaithersburg have at-large councils, in which everyone votes for the same candidates regardless of where they live.

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			<figcaption><i>Main Street in Gaithersburg's Kentlands neighborhood. [Image](https://www.flickr.com/photos/beyonddc/36326119665/) by Dan Malouff licensed under  Creative Commons.</i></figcaption>
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When they take office this winter, the cities’ new representatives will face some new challenges.

Governor Wes Moore announced that he’ll move forward with plans to add four toll lanes to I-270, which runs through both cities. Rockville opposes the project, while Gaithersburg supports it. Both cities pushed back on Montgomery County’s newly-passed rent stabilization law, though they’ll face pressure to do something similar. In addition, Rockville’s council will have to appoint a new city manager, who resigned in August due to performance issues.

Voters in Rockville will also decide on four ballot questions, including whether to allow 16-year-olds and non-citizens to vote, as well as setting term limits for councilmembers and creating representative districts.

Both Rockville and Gaithersburg will have vote-by-mail as an option. In Rockville, all registered voters will receive a ballot in the mail by October 13, while in Gaithersburg, voters have to request a ballot be mailed to them. In both cities, voters can mail their ballots back, place them in a drop box, or vote in person. Here’s information on how to do that in Rockville and Gaithersburg.

Here’s what the candidates had to say

Below we are excited to share the questionnaire responses we received, organized by race. Click on a linked name to view that applicant’s questionnaire. If a name is not linked, it’s because that candidate did not submit a questionnaire.

			<li><span>Monique Ashton</span>
			</li><li><span>Mark Pierzchala</span>
		

		</li></td>
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			<li><span>Danniel Belay</span>
			</li><li><span>Kate Fulton</span>
			</li><li><span>Richard Gottfried</span>
			</li><li><span>Harold Hodges</span>
			</li><li><span>Barry Jackson</span>
			</li><li><span>Ricky Mui</span>
			</li><li><span>David Myles</span>
			</li><li><span>Anita Neal Powell</span>
			</li><li><span>Paul Scott</span>
			</li><li><span>Izola Shaw</span>
			</li><li><span>Marissa Valeri</span>
			</li><li><span>Adam Van Grack</span>
		

		</li></td>
		<td>
		
			<li><span>Neil Harris</span>
			</li><li><span>Yamil Hernández</span>
			</li><li><span>Daniel Lukomsky</span>
			</li><li><span>Shanika Whitehurst</span>
			</li><li><span>Omodamola Williams</span>
			</li><li><span>Robert Wu</span>
		

		</li></td>
	</tr>
</tbody>

If you’d like to learn more about the candidates, you can attend one of three candidate forums in Rockville this fall, while Gaithersburg has bios for each candidate on the city website. WABA also has questionnaire responses for Rockville and Gaithersburg candidates. And don’t forget, our Elections Hub is your one-stop shop for questionnaires, endorsements process details, and our endorsements themselves. Access the hub anytime from the “2023 Elections” link in the upper right corner of our website.

	<i>Top image: [Photo](https://www.flickr.com/photos/beyonddc/24344051093/in/photolist-6ZuVYm-6ZuVW9-daJ3YS-cLsHt9-D6cCfR-cLsK6E-dAePcg-dAePdn-cLsFZo-DUmuG2-D5SRK5-BExhau-cLsFxJ-cLsHRS-cLsPUd-9jNoov-cLsQnj-9jRu1A-cLsN3d-cLsF2b-cLsR3w-cLsGkW-fpEQD3-87dWdz-a7k4fH-cLsNvU-cLsGRG-cLsKEW-cLsJk9-cLsLaU-cLsLBN-SPqgeW-cLsMDY-cLsJGu-cLsNXY-cLsM51-9jRu7f-cLkD8o-9jNoZ8-9jRtHf-E1gWwN-D6cZPn-9jNovM-9M2m4y-cLsPqU-a7juN8-cLGeZm-7ar79z-7ar7eg-7auVoU) of Rockville Town Center by Dan Malouff. </i>


[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/91071/rockville-gaithersburg-2023-election#comments)

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	[**Historic Preservation Office recommends that HPRB approve office-to-residential conversion near Dupont Circle**](https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/hpo_recommends_approval_for_157-unit_office-to-residential_conversion_propo/21499)
	Located at 1625 Massachusetts Avenue NW, the office building will move one step closer toward becoming 157 apartments, assuming the Historic Preservation Review Board follows the recommendation of the Historic Preservation Office and votes to approve the project. The exterior of the building will remain unchanged as it undergoes renovations.  <em>([UrbanTurf](https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/hpo_recommends_approval_for_157-unit_office-to-residential_conversion_propo/21499))**
	
	**Events DC expected to help fund renovation of the last unfinished piece of Nationals Park**
	Events DC is set to spend $3 million to fit out the interior of a space at the ballpark that was long designated for retail and entertainment, near Potomac Avenue and First Street SE. The space was never finished, and last September, the latest in a series of temporary certificates of occupancy expired, threatening to shut down the entire park for noncompliance. (This article is behind a paywall)  <em>([Tristan Navera / Business Journal](https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2023/09/22/washington-nationals-park-retail-events-dc.html?cx_testId=40&amp;cx_testVariant=cx_4&amp;cx_artPos=4#cxrecs_s))**
	
	**Several West Baltimore homeowners feel trapped in poorly constructed new homes**
	Homeowners in a west Baltimore development, many of whom are Black, face issues like mold, uneven floors, cracked foundations, and ill-fitting windows in homes that are just a few years old. Most of the homeowners purchased their houses with the help of HUD funding and if they sell before owning the homes for ten years, they will lose some of their equity. (This article is behind a paywall)  <em>([Hallie Miller / Baltimore Banner](https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/housing/uplands-home-problems-3EMEF6XAFJAAZJQXWXOSFBFFAM/))**
	
	**Zoning, transportation among the big issues Virginians face in the polls**
	All 100 House of Delegate seats and 40 Senate seats are up for grabs in Virginia General Assembly elections this fall. Combined with local government races, the election is sure to have an impact in hot-button issues like zoning, transportation, and education.  <em>([Margaret Barthel / DCist](https://dcist.com/story/23/09/21/2023-northern-virginia-election-guide/))**
	
	**Apartment construction pipeline for DC area loses some steam**
	The number of apartment units under construction in the Washington region has declined thanks to high construction costs and difficulties securing financing. The decline comes as the region continues to face a housing shortage.  <em>([Brianna Crane / Axios](https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2023/09/23/new-apartments-washington-dc))**
	
	**Interior elements of new office building in Reston mimic Capitol Beltway**
	A new office building at Reston Station has elements of its interior based on the Capitol Beltway. Namely, it utilizes walking paths around each floor that feel like the highway. The new office also includes a jazz cafe that’s inspired by DC’s jazz scene.  <em>([Fatimah Waseem / FFXnow](https://www.ffxnow.com/2023/09/22/software-company-opens-new-capital-beltway-inspired-offices-at-reston-station/))**
	



[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/91064/breakfast-links-dupont-office-to-residential-conversion-heads-toward-historic-preservation-review-board-vote#comments)
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		It’s hard to believe, but the days are cooling down and the leaves are starting to change color—that means it’s time for our Fall Mixer at Metrobar! This casual event is the biggest gathering of transit fans and housing advocates around and you will have the chance to connect with hundreds of like-minded people. Bring your friends and family and join GGWash on Wednesday, September 27 for a night of fun in the fresh air—no SmarTrip card required! If the $30 ticket price doesn’t seem doable, you can [use this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJO5ngNDNFqdetoCUTqlmtSCa1Sjx4UEgkbMBoEQVZxT7hXQ/viewform?usp=sharing) to request one of our pay-it-forward tickets or to sign up to volunteer. [Learn more &amp; RSVP here.](https://ggwash.org/event/ggwash-fall-mixer-2023)


- Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2023
- Time: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
- Location: Metrobar

**Volunteer to clean up our waterways: **Anacostia Riverkeeper and Washington Gas are hosting a cleanup from the Stadium-Armory Metro to Kingman Island. At Kingman Island you will sort and weigh the trash that was picked up along the way. The goal is to stop trash on the ground from entering the river. All necessary equipment will be provided. They recommend that you wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and closed-toe shoes. The cleanup happens rain or shine. All ages welcome. Learn more & RSVP here.

- Date: Tuesday, September 26, 2023
- Time: 3:45 pm - 6:30 pm
- Location: Stadium-Armory Metro Station, 100 19th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003

**Celebrate the new Crystal City Bike Network with a bike ride: **The People Before Cars Coalition, a partnership of local stakeholders established by the National Landing Business Improvement District (BID), works to create safer and more accessible transit networks around National Landing. They want to celebrate the newly implemented Crystal City Bike Network (CCBN), and for you to join them! The CCBN is an initiative in Arlington County to decrease the number of bicycle facilities in Crystal City by ensuring the bicycle lanes are protected and buffered. The ride starts at Conte’s Bike Shop and ends at The Freshman for a happy hour. They will be providing complimentary bike valet at the happy hour. Learn more & RSVP here.

- Date: Thursday, September 28, 2023
- Time: 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
- Location: Conte’s Bike Shop, 1350 S Eads St, Arlington, VA 22202

**Attend a webinar on reducing roadway injuries and death in Fairfax: **George Mason University’s Regional Elected Leaders Initiative (RELI) is hosting a webinar on how Fairfax County can work towards reducing roadway injuries and deaths. There will be a panel with four experts answering questions like: How are enforcement, engineering, and education strategies being utilized to reduce risk of injury or death to roadway users around popular gathering places (libraries, parks, schools) in Fairfax? How can those specific locations be evaluated and what implications are there for similar locations? Who gets to choose what short and long term mitigations are the most appropriate? And, what local- or state-level policy changes could make the roads safer for everyone in Northern Virginia? Learn more & RSVP here.

- Date: Friday, September 29, 2023
- Time: 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
- Location: Virtual via Zoom

**Learn about climate change’s connection to household financial wellbeing: **Climate change fueled events, such as heat waves and floods, have been shown to impose significant financial costs on households across the US. In order to help understand the importance of this connection, the Urban Institute is hosting a hybrid webinar on understanding risk and building resilience when it comes to climate change and household financial wellbeing.

The webinar will explore the causes and consequences of climate-related financial stress, including a discussion with the assistant secretary of the US Department of the Treasury. The panel section of the webinar will feature several professionals who will expand on that discussion by discussing the opportunities that households, policymakers, and communities have to prepare and respond to these climate driven financial burdens. Learn more & RSVP here.

- Date: Friday, September 29, 2023
- Time: 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
- Location: Urban Institute, 500 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024 (in-person) or Virtually

**Join the citywide Hunt: **It’s a food and housing puzzle hunt and you’re invited to join! Local non-profit Game Genius is hosting their annual citywide puzzle hunt, and this year’s theme is Food and Housing. Form your team, solve puzzles, and learn about local organizations and changemakers in the process! The games begin when the first clue is dropped on Friday, September 29 and can be played until the evening of Monday, October 9. You can either compete against the clock for a grand prize that is awarded based on speed and accuracy or you can solve the puzzle at your own pace. Learn more & buy tickets here.

- Date: Friday, September 29, 2023
- Time: 6:00 pm
- Location: Within the Washington, DC, boundary

**Take a community ride to an ice cream shop: **Hill Family Biking is back with another community ride. Join them on Saturday, September 30 to ride your bike around Navy Yard: past Audi Field, Nationals Park, and the new Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge. The route includes a block of the new M St SE two-way protected bike lanes!

The ride ends at Ice Cream Jubilee at Yards Park. There will be volunteer marshals and an MPD bike team participating in the ride to make sure no one gets separated from the group. Additionally, there will be tools available for you to use for bike maintenance if you arrive fifteen minutes early, as well as experienced amateur bike mechanics on site to assist you. Learn more & RSVP here.

- Date: Saturday, September 30, 2023
- Time: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
- Location: Garfield Park, 3rd & G St SE, Washington, DC 20003 (meet on the 3rd St SE side by the tennis courts)

View more upcoming events on our calendar!

**Community members submit events for inclusion on our events posts and in our events calendar. **Submit your event here. Submissions may be edited for context and clarity.

[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/91070/events-usher-in-fall-at-the-ggwash-fall-mixer#comments)

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		<p>**A version of this article originally appeared on [Streetsblog](https://usa.streetsblog.org/2023/09/20/study-how-low-income-people-really-use-micromobility).**

			<figcaption><i>Graphic: Monash University/Lime </i></figcaption>
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			<figcaption><i>Graphic: Monash University/Lime </i></figcaption>
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[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/91062/study-how-low-income-people-really-use-micromobility#comments)
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	[**Car congestion is worsening in the region while rail transit ridership lags**](https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2023/09/22/dc-commute-cars-traffic-metro/)
	As more people return to in-person work, more are choosing to drive, leading to congestion that increases trip times by as much as 20 percent on weekdays and 25 percent on weekends. Meanwhile, although bus ridership has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels, ridership on the region’s rail systems continues to lag. (This article may be behind a paywall).  <em>([Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2023/09/22/dc-commute-cars-traffic-metro/))**
	
	**House Oversight Committee passes bill authorizing redevelopment of RFK stadium**
	The RFK Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act has made it through the House Oversight Committee and is now awaiting a final vote on the House floor. If passed, the bill will extend the District’s lease on the 190-acre site and allow more flexibility in terms of what can be developed on the site. Mayor Bowser has expressed strong support for redeveloping the site with a new Commanders stadium, while members of the DC Council are divided about what should be built. (**Disclosure: Eleanor Barker’s partner works for Congresswoman Norton, who co-sponsored the bill.**)  <em>([Matt Blitz / DCist](https://dcist.com/story/23/09/21/bill-dc-rfk-stadium-site-lease-advances-house-oversight-committee/))**
	
	**Alexandria’s City Council set to support Arlington’s application for Shirlington Transit Center expansion**
	Next week, the Alexandria City Council will vote to support Arlington’s funding application to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for an expanded transit center in Shirlington. Officials in Alexandria believe the city’s own residents will benefit from the expansion, as additional buses would also serve Alexandria.  <em>([Vernon Miles / ALXNow](https://www.alxnow.com/2023/09/20/alexandria-likely-to-throw-its-weight-behind-arlington-transit-project/))**
	
	**More Montgomery County residents are facing food insecurity**
	Montgomery County residents are facing food insecurity at levels higher than during the peak of the pandemic. The end of additional SNAP benefits, increased cost of living, and other factors have exacerbated the issue. Furthermore, those affected are disproportionately people of color.  <em>([Julie Rasicot / MoCo360](https://moco360.media/2023/09/21/more-montgomery-county-residents-are-facing-food-insecurity-than-at-the-height-of-the-pandemic/))**
	
	**Arlington set to allocate additional funds to Bluemont Junction Trail**
	The Arlington County Board will consider allocating additional funds to the Bluemont Junction Trail safety project. If approved, the funds will go to redeveloping pedestrian and cyclist intersections and improving trails for people with disabilities.  <em>([James Jarvis / ARLNow](https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/21/county-board-poised-to-allocate-funding-for-more-upgrades-to-bluemont-junction-trail/))**
	
	**Maryland resumes bidding process for BWI concessions contract**
	Maryland has resumed the bidding process for a new contractor to run BWI’s concessions. Seven months ago, the state suspended the search amid accusations that the process had been rigged, but new terms and conditions have allowed the process to resume.  <em>([Josh Kurtz / Maryland Matters](https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/09/20/state-restarts-controversial-bidding-process-for-bwi-airport-concessions-contract/))**
	



[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/91051/breakfast-links-car-commutes-worsen-as-more-return-to-in-person-work#comments)
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	[**FHWA gets involved as DDOT delays persist in replacing confusing Southeast/Southwest Freeway overhead signs**](https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2023/09/freeway-frenzy-on-i-395-persists-amid-years-long-delay-in-updating-dc-signs/)
	Two years after the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved DDOT’s request to renumber portions of I-395 to reduce driver confusion and crashes near the 3rd Street Tunnel exit, some online apps have updated the numbering but DDOT’s overhead signs remain outdated. FHWA has approached DDOT to push for timely sign replacement.  <em>([Dave Dildine / WTOP](https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2023/09/freeway-frenzy-on-i-395-persists-amid-years-long-delay-in-updating-dc-signs/))**
	
	**“Extreme lack” of existing and newly built homes on the market contributing to rising prices in region**
	While high interest rates have caused homeowners to hang onto their current homes with locked-in low rates, a shortage in new construction is also driving up housing prices. The Washington region has 49% fewer newly constructed homes on the market than in 2015. (This article is behind a paywall)  <em>([Michele Lerner / Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/20/new-construction-remains-low/))**
	
	**Pedestrians to be better protected under new Arlington Country crosswalk ordinance requiring drivers to stop**
	The Arlington Country Board is set to move forward on an ordinance that requires drivers to come to a full stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk, whereas previous county code only required them to yield. One-third of fatal crashes in Arlington between 2018-2022 involved a pedestrian.  <em>([Jo DeVoe / ARLnow](https://www.arlnow.com/2023/09/20/county-poised-to-require-drivers-to-come-to-a-full-stop-for-pedestrians-in-crosswalks/))**
	
	**West Baltimore neighborhood stuck with vacant properties due to 17-year-old contract between city and developer**
	In 2006, the City of Baltimore struck a deal with developer La Cité, in which the city would assemble parcels of land and demolish homes in the historically Black Poppleton neighborhood that La Cité would then redevelop. La Cité hasn’t moved forward with any redevelopment and the city remains the owner of now-vacant parcels and is bound to the contract terms, frustrating residents who want to see the community revitalized. (This article is behind a paywall).  <em>([Giacomo Bologna / Baltimore Sun](https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/real-estate/bs-bz-poppleton-community-20230920-yrshc34rhbf5hknq55bewqyizu-story.html))**
	
	**Sugarloaf Mountain closed to hikers following a burglary; some suggest connection to ongoing zoning debate**
	Nonprofit organization Stronghold closed Sugarloaf Mountain to the public following a burglary attempt in August, defying the mandate to provide public access and frustrating hikers, with a petition to reopen garnering 3,000 signatures. Some say that Stronghold is simply reevaluating its security measures, while others see this as a move by Stronghold to demonstrate to the county that it can shutter the mountain if ongoing zoning reforms don’t go Stronghold’s way. (This article is behind a paywall).  <em>([Baltimore Sun](https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-wp-sugarloaf-mountain-closure-20230920-bgvgtewyfncsde6fg74xqn3fgm-story.html))**
	
	**Calls renewed for paving Palisades Trolley Trail to create bike path**
	Calls for paving the underused Palisades Trolley Trail to create a 10-foot-wide bike path have resurfaced with the opening of a new high school in DC’s Palisades neighborhood. Advocates argue that a paved path would provide a safe route for students and residents while reducing traffic congestion. Plans also suggest the trail could eventually connect to Georgetown, requiring the purchase and restoration of the dilapidated Foundry Branch Trestle Bridge.  <em>([Luke Lukert / WTOP](https://wtop.com/dc/2023/09/calls-renewed-for-woefully-underused-trail-to-become-bike-path-to-new-dc-high-school/))**
	



[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/91038/breakfast-links-delays-in-replacing-southeast-southwest-freeway-signage-continue#comments)
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		<span>After years of backlash against former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s Beltway widening plan, in August the Moore administration introduced a modified proposal to address congestion. The new plan nixes the controversial public-private partnership, which would allow a private company to profit from tolls decades into the future. Nonetheless, it still entails road-widening, which critics point out induces more traffic demand. They argue the state should improve transit instead.</span>

In 2017, Hogan announced a $9 billion plan for a massive widening of the Capital Beltway, I-270, and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, to be financed largely by a private company. Civic and environmental groups and officials, especially in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, feared destruction of homes and parkland and increased traffic. The plan was eventually scaled back, and that version was approved in a 2022 Federal Highway Administration Record of Decision.

In 2023, Gov. Wes Moore’s new administration announced it was moving ahead with another modified version. It would rebuild the American Legion Bridge and add two lanes in each direction from the bridge along the Beltway to the I-270 spur in the first two phases, with a third phase to follow.

Under the new $4 billion plan, the State of Maryland has applied for a $2.4 billion federal grant to move forward.

Wider highways equal…environmental benefits?

Moore’s decision has spurred opposition from environmental and citizens’ groups.

“We’re in a climate crisis, and the number one source of climate pollution is the transportation sector. And we will not convert to electric vehicles fast enough,” said Brian O’Malley, president and CEO of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance. “This still is primarily a plan to bring federal funding and state funding to widen highways.”

Opponents call instead for a mixture of better transit, more walkability and bikeability, and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, pointing out that widening roads almost always leads to more traffic and a return to congestion within a few years.

The Record of Decision does show a positive climate outcome from adding lanes, stating that “Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions with the Selected Alternative are expected to decline in the Opening (2025) and Design (2045) years for all GHG pollutants.” However, a host of studies, along with real-world experience, show that road-widening almost always induces additional traffic and increases vehicle miles traveled, ultimately worsening the climate crisis.

The Maryland Sierra Club, in explaining its joint lawsuit to stop the project, argues that, “MDOT is not disclosing details about its claim that the toll lanes will reduce traffic, while the US Department of Transportation said it could not confirm the ‘plausibility’ or ‘validity’ of MDOT’s traffic findings.” The lawsuit also claims that the project threatens historic and environmentally sensitive sites.

Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld described the Moore plan as friendly to transit and shared vehicles.

“The biggest difference is our focus is on transit and other opportunities, particularly demand management,” Wiedefeld said. “We are focusing on that as the starting point … how do we promote people to not use single-occupancy cars?”

Under the new plan, added lanes will be free for car- and van pools. Bus service will be greatly improved, partly through greater cooperation with Virginia in connecting lines across the bridge. Near-term options include express buses or bus rapid transit (BRT) to run on the new lanes, and Wiedefeld also pointed to “eventually looking at higher use alternatives. The bridge would be designed to support heavier vehicles” such as rail. Wiedefeld also said demand management — charging different amounts depending on usage — would keep traffic flowing.

At least one fierce opponent of the original plan supports the Moore version.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich argued that, by starting work at the American Legion Bridge, the Moore plan is tackling the biggest choke point first, positioning it to avoid “terrible bottlenecks in Hogan’s plan,” for instance where the lanes narrow on I-270. Elrich also lauds the decision to ask for federal money rather than relying on a private company.

Moore’s plan leaves the door open to more widening

The future scope of the Moore plan is uncertain. That’s because the modified plan retains the 2022 Record of Decision, which allows all the capacity of Hogan’s version. Elrich emphasized that this is a maximum and the road widening won’t necessarily be anywhere near that capacity.

The first two phases will widen a section of Beltway lanes, and this could be followed by modest expansion on I-270 using public money, or a large expansion which could entail a return to controversial private financing.

“We don’t ever want to negate the possibility for other funding mechanisms, but the reality is right now we are focusing on the public financing option,” Wiedefeld said. Wiedefeld and Elrich both stressed that the plan could change based on community input and other factors.

However, critics such as Kyle Hart, Mid-Atlantic Field Representative at the National Parks Conservation Association, argued that maintaining the current Record of Decision invites an environmentally and socially disastrous future. Hart said the process was flawed from the beginning of the Hogan administration, when transit-based solutions were scrapped without real consideration, and this has continued in the Moore version.

“If you followed the whole [environmental impact statement] project from the beginning, there was never any serious consideration of anything other than toll lanes in either direction. They never did a comprehensive study on reversible lanes, on HOV lanes, on transit alternatives … they always had this eye toward adding toll lanes,” Hart said.

Hart argues it would be better to start from scratch. However, that would necessitate “another two to three year process,” said Elrich.

Opponents of the project argue lane widening in one area invariably leads to choke points elsewhere, which leads to calls for further widening upstream or downstream.

“When you widen to solve a bottleneck, say where 495 and 270 intersect, then that induces more travel, and then you have bottlenecks in other places that require road widening at major arterials up and down 270 and at other pinch points around 494,” O’Malley said. “That’s been the experience since ‘60s, there’s always more bottlenecks, and the net result is far more traffic.”

The inevitable result, in this analysis, is future calls for more lanes in a cycle of unending widening.

Hart also pointed out that forests improve air quality and the plan would remove three acres of parkland permanently, with over 15 acres gone or damaged for the next 50 or 60 years. This includes old-growth forest that will never fully recover, habitat crucial to many species like the endangered long-eared bat, said Hart.

Elrich, however, argued that the Moore plan provides necessary relief for an untenable traffic situation.

“It is a mess today, and it is absurd for people to have to exist in these conditions. And there’s no transit that’s viable to replace this right now,” Elrich said.

Alternatives for the future

If new lanes are built, a primary issue is how to keep them flowing.

Opponents of more widening, such as Brian Ditzler writing in Maryland Matters, argue that adding toll lanes undercuts equity, since “any form of the toll lane plan divides the wealthy from the rest,” allowing free flowing traffic only for those who pay.

Wiedefeld, however, said that such schemes have, in fact, improved traffic flow in free lanes.

“I don’t quite agree that there’ll be gridlock. We’ve seen in other areas where the non-toll lanes move as well. They move slower than the toll lanes, but they’re moving,” for instance on the I-95 corridor.

Wiedefeld also defended the equity of the Moore plan, arguing that increased public transit will help those without cars. Elrich suggested setting tolls by income as a possible remedy to lane inequity, which he says is now technologically possible.

A low-impact way to increase capacity would be reversible lanes which enable traffic flows in the direction of commuters, notably on I-270 north of the Beltway, Elrich said. He also advocated for express buses on the new Beltway lanes that connect seamlessly with the BRT network Montgomery County is building.

Widening opponents argue that a mix of other policies will best fight traffic congestion.

“There are so many powerful incentives in the US and in Maryland to drive that an all-of-the-above approach will lead to more driving,” said O’Malley. He argued that car dependence is inherently inequitable, in part because, “Black people, people of color, are more likely to suffer the health impacts from particulate matter … which is a major cause of a lot of cardiovascular health problems, ground level ozone, etc.”

Hart said a mix of better public transportation, more telecommuting, off-hours commuting, and HOV lanes would be a more tenable plan to get to a 15% reduction in peak hour driving that would counter congestion. Boosting transit would be a better use of local resources, said O’Malley.

“Why are we prioritizing this project, and not investing in the MARC growth and investment plan, to expand and improve commuter trains, the locally operated transit systems in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County?” O’Malley said.

Disclosure: Ethan Goffman is an occasional volunteer for the Maryland Sierra Club and, in 2018, wrote in opposition to the original Hogan administration plans to widen the Beltway and I270.

The Sierra Club is involved in active litigation and therefore declined to comment for this article.

[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/91040/inside-the-debates-over-maryland-gov-moores-modified-beltway-widening-plan#comments)

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		Transit ridership has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels in DC and nationally, and many transit providers, including WMATA, currently face fiscal cliffs as federal pandemic aid runs out. However, as Tracy Loh* and I discussed in [a report for the Brookings Institution in August](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/ensuring-the-intertwined-post-pandemic-recoveries-of-downtowns-and-transit-systems/), there is still a bright future for transit, if we plan for it.

Commutes are overrepresented in transit trips in DC and other high-ridership metro areas

While most travel in the US is not to or from work — the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) found that only 23% of trips were commutes — travel to work made up a much larger share of transit trips in high-ridership metro areas. In 2017, only six metro areas (New York, Chicago, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle) had 5% or more of all trips made by public transit, and between 49% (in the Seattle area) and 61% (in the DC area) of these transit trips were to or from work.

			<figure>
			
				
			
			<figcaption><i>According to 2017 National Household Transportation Survey data, the DC metro area had the second-highest share of all trips made by public transit among large metro areas, as well as the largest share of public transit trips made for commutes to or from work. [Image](https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/YCr67/full.png) by Brookings Institution used with permission.</i></figcaption>
			</figure>

Because Metro and other transit systems in high-ridership metro areas have historically depended on commuters for the majority of their ridership, they are particularly vulnerable to any decrease in commuting, whether due to an economic downturn or an increase in remote work, such as the one produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

DC has retained some of the highest remote-work rates in the US

While Americans’ lives have returned to pre-pandemic normal in many ways, the increase in remote work seems to be here to stay: roughly 15% of Americans worked from home most days in 2022, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

among the twenty largest US metro areas**</caption>
<thead>
	<tr>
		<th scope="col">Rank</th>
		<th scope="col">Metro area</th>
		<th scope="col">2022

		Work-

		From-

		Home

		Share</th>
		<th scope="col">2017

		Transit

		Mode

		Share</th>
	</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">**1**</td>
		<td>**San Francisco, CA**</td>
		<td align="right">**27%**</td>
		<td align="right">**6.3%**</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">**2**</td>
		<td>**Washington, DC**</td>
		<td align="right">**25%**</td>
		<td align="right">**7.2%**</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">**3**</td>
		<td>**Seattle, WA**</td>
		<td align="right">**25%**</td>
		<td align="right">**5.1%**</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">4</td>
		<td>Denver, CO</td>
		<td align="right">24%</td>
		<td align="right">2.1%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">5</td>
		<td>Phoenix, AZ</td>
		<td align="right">22%</td>
		<td align="right">1.4%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">6</td>
		<td>Tampa, FL</td>
		<td align="right">21%</td>
		<td align="right">0.4%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">7</td>
		<td>Atlanta, GA</td>
		<td align="right">21%</td>
		<td align="right">2.1%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">8</td>
		<td>Minneapolis, MM</td>
		<td align="right">21%</td>
		<td align="right">2.5%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">**9**</td>
		<td>**Boston, MA**</td>
		<td align="right">**21%**</td>
		<td align="right">**6.4%**</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">10</td>
		<td>Philadelphia, PA</td>
		<td align="right">19%</td>
		<td align="right">3.5%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">11</td>
		<td>San Diego, CA</td>
		<td align="right">19%</td>
		<td align="right">2.5%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">12</td>
		<td>Dallas, TX</td>
		<td align="right">18%</td>
		<td align="right">1.2%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">13</td>
		<td>Baltimore, MD</td>
		<td align="right">18%</td>
		<td align="right">3.8%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">**14**</td>
		<td>**Chicago, IL**</td>
		<td align="right">**17%**</td>
		<td align="right">**7.0%**</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">15</td>
		<td>Los Angeles-, CA</td>
		<td align="right">17%</td>
		<td align="right">2.8%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">16</td>
		<td>Detroit, MI</td>
		<td align="right">16%</td>
		<td align="right">1.5%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">**17**</td>
		<td>**New York, NY**</td>
		<td align="right">**16%**</td>
		<td align="right">**12.3%**</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">18</td>
		<td>Miami, FL</td>
		<td align="right">15%</td>
		<td align="right">2.0%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">19</td>
		<td>Houston, TX</td>
		<td align="right">13%</td>
		<td align="right">1.7%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right">20</td>
		<td>Riverside, CA</td>
		<td align="right">11%</td>
		<td align="right">1.1%</td>
	</tr>
	<tr>
		<td align="right"></td>
		<td>**US Total**</td>
		<td align="right">**15%**</td>
		<td align="right">**2.5%**</td>
	</tr>
</tbody>

However, the shift to increased work from home has not been distributed evenly across the country. Of the six metro areas in which the NHTS reported that 5% or more of trips were made by public transit before the pandemic, three — San Francisco, DC, and Seattle — were the top three metros by work-from-home share in 2022. In fact, among metro areas of at least five hundred thousand people, only San Francisco, Austin, and Raleigh, North Carolina, have higher rates of work-from-home than the DC area, where 25% of workers worked from home most days in 2022.

This has partly been a consequence of liberal telework policies for federal employees, though the Biden administration is pushing for more in-office work for federal workers starting this fall. Nevertheless, the increase in work-from-home in the DC area is broader and also involves private-sector workers.

The pandemic has made demand for transit more continuous across the service day and week

The decrease in commuting to downtown jobs has reduced transit ridership nationally and in DC in particular. In spring 2023, 65% of Metrorail trips were to or from work, compared to 80% before the pandemic.

Metrorail ridership is at roughly 53% of 2019 levels, thanks largely to a drop in commute trips. Non-commute ridership has reached over 90% of pre-pandemic levels, while commute ridership is roughly 43% of pre-pandemic levels. This decrease has also substantially changed the time distribution of ridership, as shown in the graph below.

			<figure>
			
				
			
			<figcaption><i>Compared to pre-pandemic, the largest drops in Metrorail ridership have been to weekday peak trips, resulting in a much flatter distribution of ridership over the course of the average weekday.  [Image](https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/6s4CJ/full.png) by Brookings Institution used with permission.</i></figcaption>
			</figure>

In 2019, ridership during the morning and afternoon weekday peaks was roughly four times ridership at midday, while in 2022 these peaks were only one to 1.5 times midday ridership. Furthermore, overall weekday ridership was much closer to weekend ridership in 2022 than 2019.

This more even time distribution of when passengers ride Metro actually has potential benefits for the system, because the extra service that transit agencies run to serve peak ridership is extremely inefficient compared to basic all-day service.

Running extra service during peak hours increases capital costs by requiring buses and rail cars that only operate for a few hours a day. For example, 41% of BART rail cars in pre-pandemic San Francisco were only needed for peak service.

Plus, running peak-only service requires bus and train operators to work “split shifts” of morning and evening hours with a large gap in the afternoon, which may require higher pay and make recruiting new operators more difficult. This kind of schedule is also associated with on-the-job sleepiness, worker stress, and fatigue.

Trips to downtown still matter, but the importance of bus trips and trips between walkable residential neighborhoods has increased

Despite the reduction in in-person office work, trips to the District’s downtown core are not dead.

In 2019, 14 stations in downtown DC — every station south of L St NW and west of 2nd St SE except for Union Station and Waterfront — had the majority of their weekday Metrorail boardings during the afternoon peak (see endnote for more detail). During the first five months of 2023 — the most recent data available — 30% of all weekday Metrorail trips still began at these stations.

This should not be surprising given the synergistic relationship between dense downtowns and transit. Downtown DC, like other dense commercial cores, has limited, expensive parking. This discourages driving, whether by workers, shoppers, tourists, or residents of the neighborhood.

Devoting less downtown land to parking — which is only possible when public transit is a viable alternative for getting downtown — means that more of this land can be devoted to uses that contribute to the vibrancy of the core. At the same time, downtowns with less parking correlate with higher transit ridership across whole metro areas, as seen in the graph below.

			<figure>
			
				
			
			<figcaption><i>The share of metro area trips (not just commuters) made by public transportation drops as the share of downtown devoted to parking increases. [Image](https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/tY6oF/full.png) by Brookings Institution used with permission.</i></figcaption>
			</figure>

Ridership changes since the start of the pandemic have also highlighted the importance of bus service. While Metrorail ridership first exceeded 50% of its pre-pandemic value in the first half of 2023, Metrobus ridership had returned to nearly 60% of its pre-pandemic value in the third quarter of 2021, and is now above 85% of pre-pandemic ridership.

This pattern is not unique to the DC area: As shown in the chart below, urban rail ridership dropped lower than bus ridership at the start of the pandemic in the five metro areas with the shares of pre-pandemic trips made by public transit (New York, Chicago, DC, Boston, and San Francisco), and rail ridership recovery has lagged behind bus ridership recovery in all of these metro areas except New York.

			<figure>
			
				
			
			<figcaption><i>Ridership recovery versus the same quarter in 2019 for the main urban rail and urban bus systems in Washington, DC, New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle. [Image](https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/7TyOC/full.png) by Brookings Institution used with permission.</i></figcaption>
			</figure>

Likewise, it is not only Metrobus that has shown better ridership recovery rates than Metrorail, as seen in the chart below. Of the DC region’s seven highest-ridership bus networks, all except for the DC Circulator have achieved ridership recovery rates above 60%, and two — Fairfax Connector and Alexandria’s DASH — have higher ridership now than they did in 2019.

			<figure>
			
				
			
			<figcaption><i>Other than DC Circulator, the major bus systems in the DC area have seen substantially better ridership recovery rates than Metrorail, with Fairfax Connector and DASH buses having higher ridership in the first half of 2023 than in the first half of 2019. Image by the author.</i></figcaption>
			</figure>

Bus ridership’s better recovery is a consequence of the types of trips and riders that buses serve. Metrorail is a largely radial system originally designed to bring suburban commuters to downtown jobs, and 48 of the system’s 98 stations feature park-and-ride lots, with a number of outlying stations surrounded by little other than giant parking garages and surface lots.

These outlying stations perform an important role in allowing suburban commuters to get downtown without their cars clogging DC streets, but the areas they serve are built around car trips and are generally hostile to pedestrians. Unsurprisingly, data from WMATA’s Metrorail ridership portal shows that these outlying stations had some of the highest drop-offs in ridership between the first five months of 2019 and the first five months of 2023.

Bus routes, on the other hand, mostly serve circumferential trips between neighborhoods outside of downtown, trips that are less affected by the decrease in commutes to downtown offices.

Furthermore, while bus riders nationally tend to have lower incomes than rail riders, this effect is especially pronounced for Metrobus and Metrorail. According to pre-pandemic data, 52% of Metrobus riders were low-income, 55% were from carefree households, and 81% were people of color, all populations for whom transit ridership has dropped substantially less.

We need to fund Metro, and to think about how to adjust to long-term changes in travel types

Transit does have a future in the DC area, but this future depends on us.

Like many US transit systems, Metro faces a fiscal cliff as lower ridership — especially on Metrorail, which has higher fares but lower operating costs per passenger — has left the system dependent on federal pandemic aid, which will run out at the end of the current fiscal year next June. Inflation has driven Metro’s costs up faster than fares have increased, and state and local subsidies have not kept up either. Even if ridership fully recovers to pre-COVID levels, according to WMATA the system will have a $900 million deficit by 2035.

In the short term, finding the money to close the funding gap and prevent massive service cuts in next July is the most important part of making sure that Metro, and transit in our region generally, has a future.

However, much more work is necessary to return to the number of transit trips per capita in the region fifteen years ago and eventually achieve Metro General Manager Randy Clarke’s stated goal of one million daily Metrorail trips. This requires improving our transit systems and adapting to the “new normal” of travel patterns. We need to increase the reliability and frequency of service, both for Metrorail (where frequency has massively improved over the past six months) and for buses.

Opening more bus lanes and increasing bus signal priority has the potential to improve reliability and, by speeding up service, reduce operating costs as well. Frequent bus service, with headways of less than fifteen and, ideally, less than ten minutes, is particularly beneficial for non-commute trips because it enables “trip-chaining,” in which multiple destinations are combined into one journey.

Likewise, in a world where weekday peaks are a smaller share of overall transit ridership, bus routes should be designed to provide all-day, every-day service, rather than more-expensive-to-operate peak-only service designed for downtown commuters. For those bus routes where high-frequency service is not viable, clockface scheduling, with service every hour, half-hour, or twenty minutes throughout the service day will make them a more reliable and convenient alternative to driving.

Fare reform is necessary as well. While the recent implementation of free transfers between Metrorail and Metrobus is a welcome improvement, transfer between all the region’s bus networks should also be free. This does not mean that transit fares should be eliminated, however: while the elimination of fares on Alexandria’s DASH buses two years ago has likely contributed to the network’s record-breaking ridership, it has also required substantial increases in the subsidies the system requires, increases that could instead be used to improve service.

The task of maintaining and increasing the region’s transit ridership cannot be entirely left to transit agencies: much of the required work involves improvements to other parts of the region’s built environment. More housing needs to be built near transit stations and in mixed-use, walkable areas with higher densities and well-connected street networks that encourage walking and cycling while making transit service more effective and efficient.

This will require upzoning low-density neighborhoods closer to the region’s core, while restricting sprawl on the exurban fringe and retrofitting car-oriented areas such as Tysons and Prince George’s County’s Blue Line corridor to be more walkable and transit-oriented. These land-use changes are not just about public transportation: reducing the need for car travel is essential for the region’s environmental sustainability and building more dense, walkable neighborhoods can help reduce the gentrification pressure on existing walkable neighborhoods in the region’s core.

Endnote

- **the three downtown transfer stations (Metro Center, Gallery Place, and L’Enfant Plaza);**
- **Farragut North and Judiciary Square on the Red Line;**
- **Foggy Bottom, Farragut West, McPherson Square, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, Federal Center SW, and Capitol South on the Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines;**
- **Archives on the Yellow and Green Lines;**
- **Navy Yard/Ballpark on the Green Line.**

In addition, Medical Center (home to the NIH and Walter Reed) and three stations in Tysons (Tysons, McLean, and Greensboro) also had the majority of weekday boardings during the afternoon peak. This data is from WMATA’s Metrorail ridership portal.

*Editor’s note: Tracy Hadden Loh is Chair of GGWash’s Board of Directors and she represents the District of Columbia on the WMATA Board of Directors.

[Comment on this article](https://ggwash.org/view/90879/transit-washington-dc-ridership-future-pandemic#comments)