By Caitlin Rogger (Policy Manager) • August 20, 2019
It’s back to school time for kids across the Washington region, and some families are already puzzling over the first practical exercise: How to get them there. A “walking schoolbus” could be the solution: It gets several kids to walk to school together, escorted by one or more adults. All it takes is a little organization, a route people can follow, and showing up.
By Julie Strupp (Managing Editor) • August 20, 2019
Automobile supremacy has been written into the legal fabric of the United States for the past century, as government and industry leaders choked public transit and encouraged personal automobiles instead. Recently, University of Iowa law professor Greg Shill wrote a paper detailing how US law subsidizes driving.
By Joanne Tang (Editorial Board, Elections Committee) • August 20, 2019
Hand-wringing over “historic character” is common when people oppose new development, but it happens with transportation changes too. A recent scuffle over dockless e-scooters in Alexandria highlights this phenomenon.
A fire in a rowhouse on Kennedy Street NW killed one man and injured one boy. The house was an unlicesed rental unit, where 12 people, mostly Ethiopian immigrants, were crowded into very small rooms. (Post)
Richmond, Virginia made changes to its system and boosted bus ridership 17% last year, but some riders say that the readjusted routes are making it harder for to catch their regular bus. Both the successes and the problems Richmond saw are a good lesson for Metro as it works on a Bus Transformation Plan for the region. (Josh Kramer / WCP)
An on-duty police officer in Prince George’s County hit and injured a man with her police car on Indian Head Highway in Accokeek. The officer was already on administrative leave for another crash in DC on July 30. (Post)
A rider on a Revel moped crashed after hitting a pothole near 13th and P Street NW, breaking his collarbone. The for-hire mopeds first rolled out in DC over the weekend and have a top speed of 30 mph. (Rachel Kurzius / DCist)
The city banned scooters in most of the Oceanfront area and on streets with speed limits higher than 25mph. A councilmember says the ban is temporary while the city negotiates with scooter providers to restrict the number and range of the scooters. (Stacy Parker / Virginian-Pilot)
Construction to repair the bridge and add a connection to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail will start August 29. The Whitney Young will have a reversible center lane for rush hour traffic and the speed limit will drop to 30 mph. One side of the bridge sidewalk will be closed to pedestrians and cyclists. (Max Smith / WTOP)
Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House will close for seven months during construction of a taller security fence. The north sidewalk of the street and Lafayette Square will still be open for cyclists and pedestrians. (Michael Ruane / Post)
Montgomery County arrested someone accused of rape and released him on bond, despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) request to hold him in jail. The county does not comply with ICE’s immigration detainer requests by local law. (Natalie Delgadillo / DCist)
