By Tracy Hadden Loh (Advocacy Committee) • January 28, 2020
Maryland Senate Bill 229 proposes to extend to the entire state a right which is currently granted only to the nine counties of the Eastern Shore—local veto power over the construction of new toll facilities. This legislation would clearly impact Governor Hogan’s proposal to widen the Beltway and I-270 with toll lanes, and merits discussion on the appropriate balance of state and local control. Unfortunately, the Washington Post Editorial Board attacked SB 229 as being against the will of the people in a piece that was short on facts and long on rhetoric.
By Conor Shaw (Guest Contributor) • January 28, 2020
Mayor Muriel Bowser has set an ambitious goal of creating 36,000 new housing units in the District of Columbia by 2025. The Office of Planning, the agency responsible for outlining DC’s long-term growth, released a report in October 2019 detailing specific targets for housing creation in eleven planning areas. Mid City (which includes Eckington) needs 4,210 new housing units, 1,010 of which should be affordable units, in the next five years to meet the Mayor’s goals. The good news is that Eckington offered map amendments to meet that housing challenge. No “shaming” necessary. So why were changes that would allow for more dense housing in Eckington rejected?
The number of houses available to buy in the Washington region hit the lowest level in a decade in December with only 5,489 active listings. If no new houses come onto the market, the current supply would run out within two months, fewer than the six month standard for a balanced market. (Urban Turf)
Fairfax County Supervisors will request a little over $8 million from the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission in order to add a new Fairfax Connector bus line, plus new bike and pedestrian infrastructure in south Reston. (Fatimah Waseem / Reston Now)
County Executive Marc Elrich announced that Wade Holland, who has been the interim Vision Zero Coordinator for Montgomery County since 2017, would take over the job permanently. (Kate Masters / Bethesda Beat. Tip: Chester B.)
Cars have seatbelts, but what about protective headgear to prevent concussions or traumatic brain injuries, especially given that 50-70% of TBIs in America happen as the result of a motor vehicle crash. Should drivers look to cyclists for a lesson in safety? (Lloyd Alter / Streetsblog)
Governor Ralph Northam proposed a 4 cent gas tax hike to raise a projected $1 billion over four years. He plans to spend the money on the state’s ambitious new rail plan and on a transportation fund. (Luz Lazo / Post)
Arlington County plans to buy about a third of the electricity produced at a solar farm in Pittsylvania County, Virginia in order to power 83% of the county government’s electricity needs and meet its renewable energy goals. Amazon will purchase the rest of the farm’s output to power its HQ2 and regional facilities. (ARL Now)
Learn about the Capitol building, from contest to design it, to the Freedom statue crowning the dome, to the 100-year-old subway system still running for Congressional staff in its basement. (Morgan Voight / DCist)
Jack Evans’ decision to run for the DC Council seat he resigned from less than two weeks ago has drawn opposition from his former Council colleagues and Mayor Bowser, and confused many of his former consitutents in Ward 2. (Post, Neal Augenstien / WTOP)
