By Caitlin Rogger (Deputy Director) • May 17, 2021
Covid-cautious transit riders may breathe a sigh of relief this week, as WMATA shares this image to show how its ventilation system works to keep airflow moving on Metro rail cars.
By George Kevin Jordan (Managing Editor) • May 17, 2021
GW hosts two paneled discussions about what planners do, and how it intersects with environmental justice. What’s the big deal with a little security? Celebrate Bike to Work Day across the region this Friday, and more in this week’s (virtual) urbanist events.
Around the world, cities that do the best job of catering to the needs of women cyclists also have the highest level of cycling overall, a new study finds — and the US has among the lowest share of female-identified riders on the planet.
Metro is gearing up to retire its 2000 and 3000 series trains after 40 years, replacing them with the 8000 series in 2024. The new cars are expected to include air filtering, digital displays with realtime transfer data, and phone charging. (Daniella Byck / Washingtonian. Tip: Azan)
DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson is introducing a bill that would carve out another exception to DC’s eviction moratorium, allowing landlords to evict tenants after attempting to get rental assistance. But critics say DC’s rental assistance program, STAY DC, hasn’t even seen successful implementation yet, so it’s not clear people will be able to access aid to begin with. (Amanda Michelle Gomez / City Paper)
Maryland Democrats are pushing for the Reconnecting Communities Act, federal legislation that would offer grants to communities to remove highway projects. Politicians held a news conference at Baltimore’s “Highway to Nowhere,” pointing to it as an example of a project that cleaved apart Black communities and exacerbated inequality. (Jeff Barker / Baltimore Sun)
The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing is moving forward on a zoning application to build 561 affordable housing units at Arlington’s Marbella Apartments. The project would include 193 “family units” and 132 senior units. (Nena Perry-Brown / UrbanTurf)
If you’re two weeks past your final vaccine dose, you don’t need to wear a mask outdoors in DC or in businesses that don’t require it. You still need one for airports, public transit, schools, healthcare settings, and some other places. (Jordan Pascale / DCist. Tip: Chester B.)
A driver struck a pedestrian with their side mirror on Leesburg Pike on Sunday and then left the scene, according to Fairfax County police. The pedestrian fell to the ground and was struck by multiple other drivers, who did remain at the scene. (Meagan Flynn / Post)
Even cicadas ride Metro in artist Carlos Carmonamedina’s illustrations imagining Brood X as DC tourists. In the illustrations, cicadas wait for a Metro train, push baby cicadas around the Wharf, and scooter through Tenleytown. (Andrew Beaujon / Washingtonian)
