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Get There Archive: Transportation Politics

D.C. transportation chief's chat is illuminating

Entrepreneur-turned-District transportation czar Gabe Klein opined on everything from bike sharing to streetcars during an hour-long online chat Friday, the first in a monthly series of chats he plans on transportation topics. Klein took questions and requests from the public for more than an hour. Some people wanted more tree boxes on public sidewalks; others complained about unrepaired utility cuts; another asked when streetscape improvements to Pennsylvania Avenue SE would start (within the next month). It's clear that Klein has a host of innovative projects on his plate to enhance biking, parking and walking and to get traffic moving faster in the city. Funding and bureaucracy could slow some big projects, like the ambitious network of eight streetcar lines the Fenty administration envisions covering 37 miles along K Street through downtown, H Street and Benning Road, Georgia Avenue/14th Street/Seventh Street, and Rhode Island Avenue/U Street. For a text of...

By Gene Fynes  |  November 20, 2009; 3:02 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Biking , Commuting , Congestion , Construction , Driving , Transportation Politics , transit Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Today's read: Montgomery likes light rail, not tolls

Corridor Cities Transitway: The Montgomery County Council endorsed building a light rail line and adding two reversible highway lanes to ease traffic congestion along the Interstate 270 corridor. (Katherine Shaver) Tolls too high, says council: It's just a recommendation, but the Montgomery council also is writing to the Maryland Transportation Authority saying the toll rates proposed for the Intercounty Connector would be too expensive for many motorists and would leave the highway with too few users to justify its costs. (Katherine Shaver) The 60-day public-comment period on the toll plan ends at 5 p.m. Monday. Comments can be submitted on the project's Web site, at www.iccproject.com or sent by mail to: ICC Project Office re: ICC Tolls 11710 Beltsville Drive Suite 200 Beltsville, MD 20705...

By Robert Thomson  |  November 18, 2009; 8:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (2)
Categories:  Transportation Politics , highways , intercounty connector , transit  | Tags: Dr. Gridlock, Today's Read Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Today's read: Controlling cars in Montgomery

County draws car-free blueprint: Most suburban growth plans -- including Montgomery's, until Tuesday -- discourage development in congested areas, including those near public transit, and encourage construction in more sparsely populated communities, on the theory that new developments should arise where traffic is still tolerable. Montgomery's new growth policy will also give the county an opportunity to improve its bus system and encourage more people to take the bus or subway. (Miranda S. Spivak) Council also backs I-270 HOT lanes: The County Council unanimously endorsed a plan to add reversible rush-hour lanes on parts of Interstate 270 and make solo commuters pay to use them. (Miranda S. Spivak) Metro to let monitors on tracks: Since spring, the agency had barred monitors from the body that oversees safety at Metro from getting onto the track bed while trains were in operation. "We are reversing that, we are rejecting that, we are...

By Robert Thomson  |  November 11, 2009; 9:22 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (1)
Categories:  Driving , Transportation Politics , transit  | Tags: Dr. Gridlock, Today's Read Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Reminder: Taxi Cab Boycott in Adams Morgan

Some District taxi operators say they will refuse to pick up passengers in Adams Morgan in the early morning hours on Saturday and Sunday to protest their continued opposition to the new metered fare system, and to a bill from council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) that would have overhauled the city's taxi industry. Graham withdrew that bill this week. But they're going on with the strike anyway. The proposal from Graham could have led to a medallion system, which drivers worried might require them to pay a monthly fee to operate in the District. Protest organizers said that, on Saturday and Sunday between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., taxis will not pick up customers north of U Street NW, east of Connecticut Avenue NW, south of Harvard Street NW or west of 16th Street NW. It was unclear how many taxi drivers planned to participate in the protest,...

By James Hohmann  |  October 2, 2009; 7:52 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (5)
Categories:  Transportation Politics Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Today's Read: Metro Chief Faces Challenge

The Metro board is likely to discuss the contract of General Manager John B. Catoe Jr. at its regular meeting today, Lena H. Sun writes in today's Post. He has solid support, but after months of turmoil in the rail system, some angry riders are calling for his resignation. Columnist Robert McCartney shares his experiences with Car-Free Day. Metro transit police officers have arrested more than 260 juveniles this year on offenses including robberies and assaults. (Yamiche Alcindor) Chevy Chase will wait two years, or until more detailed design work is finished, before deciding whether to file a lawsuit against the Purple Line transitway project. (Katherine Shaver) Drivers using the Intercounty Connector could pay toll rates of up to 35 cents per mile during peak commuting times. (Katherine Shaver)...

By Robert Thomson  |  September 24, 2009; 6:53 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Commuting , Metro , Transportation Politics , transit  | Tags: Dr. Gridlock, Today's Read Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Today's Read: Metro Safety, Transportation Politics, Taxis

The National Transportation Safety Board has issued urgent safety warnings about track circuits to Metro and the federal agencies that monitor rail safety, Lena H. Sun and James Hohmann write in today's Post. The warnings are part of the investigation into the June 22 Red Line crash. Meanwhile, Hohmann writes that the Metro board on Thursday is likely to approve a contract to repair all the doors on the 1000 Series rail car. These cars, the oldest, make up about a quarter of Metro's fleet. Since April 2008, Metro train operators have manually opened and closed the doors after four incidents in which the doors opened on the wrong side of trains. Construction of new 11th Street bridges could get started next month following D.C. Council approval of a plan for the federal government to transfer some of the needed property to the District, Tim Craig writes. And on the...

By Robert Thomson  |  September 23, 2009; 7:50 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Metro , Transportation Politics  | Tags: Dr. Gridlock, Today's Read Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Older Entries in This Category »

Today's Read: Metro Funding Bill Passes Congress, Robert Thomson , September 22, 2009
Metro Talks About Possible Fare Increases, Robert Thomson , September 10, 2009
O'Malley Backs Light Rail For Purple Line, Robert Thomson , August 4, 2009
O'Malley to Announce Purple Line Decision, Robert Thomson , August 3, 2009
House Panel Set to Hold Hearing on Metro Crash, James Hohmann , July 14, 2009
Each Driver Has Personal Misery Index, Robert Thomson , July 8, 2009
Purple Line Passes Important Test, Robert Thomson , June 17, 2009
Virginia Needs More Than Stimulus Can Provide, Robert Thomson , June 17, 2009
Who Owns the Streets?, Robert Thomson , June 16, 2009
DC Left Commuters In Lurch, VA Congressmen Say, Robert Thomson , June 5, 2009
Changes in Montgomery Bus Plan, Robert Thomson , April 22, 2009
Budget Cuts Pit Bus Riders Against Drivers, Robert Thomson , April 22, 2009
Montgomery Considering Bus Fare Increases, Robert Thomson , April 21, 2009
Hybrids Can Continue in Virginia HOV Lanes, Robert Thomson , April 21, 2009
Many Concerned About Speed Cameras, Robert Thomson , April 6, 2009
Riders Challenge Bus Service Cuts, Robert Thomson , March 25, 2009
Montgomery County Proposes Bus Cuts, Christopher Dean Hopkins , March 16, 2009
New Metrorail Line Really Coming, Robert Thomson , March 10, 2009
Metro Budget Deal Not Ready, Robert Thomson , March 5, 2009
Fairfax Planning to Undo I-66 Decision, Robert Thomson , February 25, 2009
Maryland Dreaming of Route 5 Upgrade, Robert Thomson , February 25, 2009
No Drama in Transportation Stimulus, Leaders Say, Robert Thomson , February 20, 2009
I-66 Spot Improvements Blocked, Robert Thomson , February 18, 2009
Delaware Considering I-95 Toll Plaza Improvement, Robert Thomson , February 11, 2009
Transportation Addition and Subtraction, Robert Thomson , February 10, 2009
Stimulating a Better Commute, Robert Thomson , January 29, 2009
The Year in Transportation, Mike McPhate , December 31, 2008
Purple Line Hearings Beginning, Robert Thomson , November 12, 2008
Metro Riders Urged to Flex Rights, Robert Thomson , October 30, 2008
Metro Should Bag the Searches, Robert Thomson , October 28, 2008
Hearing on I-66 Plan Tonight, Robert Thomson , October 27, 2008
Legislators Push Purple Line, Robert Thomson , October 23, 2008
Hearings Set on Fairfax Bus Fares, Robert Thomson , October 21, 2008
Maryland Releases Purple Line Study, Robert Thomson , October 17, 2008
Maryland to Cut Transit Services, Robert Thomson , October 17, 2008
VRE Holding Fare Hearings, Robert Thomson , September 16, 2008
The Future of Pedestrian Safety, Robert Thomson , August 12, 2008
D.C. Transportation Director to Metro, Robert Thomson , July 23, 2008
Rooftop Groundbreaking for HOT Lanes, Robert Thomson , July 22, 2008
Who Will Rule the Streets?, Robert Thomson , July 7, 2008
Why the Money Matters, Robert Thomson , June 23, 2008
Kaine Presents New Transportation Plan, Robert Thomson , June 19, 2008
Virginia Likely to Delay, Cut Projects, Robert Thomson , June 17, 2008
Kaine Talking Transportation Tonight, Robert Thomson , June 11, 2008
Northern Virginians Hear Kaine Plan, Robert Thomson , May 14, 2008
Plan Would Restore Transportation Authority, Robert Thomson , May 12, 2008
Despite Comeback, Rail Plan Still Faces Hurdles, Robert Thomson , April 30, 2008
MD Senate Passes Camera Bill, Robert Thomson , March 18, 2008
How Do You Want to Pay?, Robert Thomson , March 17, 2008
Hybrids Stay in HOV Lanes, Robert Thomson , March 17, 2008
Va. Transportation Taxes Halted Today, Robert Thomson , March 4, 2008
Another Blow To Northern Virginia, Robert Thomson , February 29, 2008
Kaine: Ice Storm Response "Abysmal", Robert Thomson , February 26, 2008
Md. Considering More Speed Cameras, Robert Thomson , February 20, 2008
Dulles Rail Not So Dead, Robert Thomson , February 6, 2008
Gov. Kaine Sticks by Dulles Rail, Robert Thomson , January 29, 2008
Plan B for Rail Transit?, Robert Thomson , January 28, 2008
Feds Slam Dulles Rail Project, Robert Thomson , January 24, 2008
Dulles Rail Decision Near, Robert Thomson , January 24, 2008
Dulles Rail Plan Vital to Suburbs, Robert Thomson , January 17, 2008
National Transport Report Draws Praise, Criticism, Robert Thomson , January 16, 2008
Toward a New Era in Transportation, Robert Thomson , January 15, 2008
Comment Time on Transportation Agenda, Robert Thomson , January 9, 2008
Fare Wars at Metro, Robert Thomson , October 10, 2007
New Meaning for HOT Lanes, Robert Thomson , October 1, 2007
Staying Here and Staying Mobile, Robert Thomson , September 17, 2007
An Unstoppable Train to Dulles, Robert Thomson , September 14, 2007
Anti-HOT Lane Petition Online, Robert Thomson , August 20, 2007
Revolt of the Slugs, Robert Thomson , July 26, 2007
Northern Virginia Gets Some Authority, Robert Thomson , July 13, 2007
Big Decision Tonight in Virginia, Robert Thomson , July 12, 2007
More Forums Set on Virginia Transportation, Robert Thomson , June 27, 2007
Virginians Debate Transportation Authority, Robert Thomson , June 22, 2007
Transportation Authority Moving Quickly, Robert Thomson , June 21, 2007
Fairfax Votes For Tysons Rail, Robert Thomson , June 18, 2007
Tough Decision on Tysons Rail, Robert Thomson , June 5, 2007
Fairfax Board Will Vote on Rail Line, Robert Thomson , June 4, 2007
District Floats Toll Ideas, Robert Thomson , May 3, 2007
Regional Board Punts on Va. Road Projects, Robert Thomson , April 18, 2007
Road, Rail Projects in Pipeline, Robert Thomson , April 17, 2007
Where Will Va. Transportation Money Go?, Robert Thomson , April 5, 2007
Kaine Proposes Changes to Transportation Bill, Robert Thomson , March 26, 2007
Citizen Impact on Transportation Issues, Robert Thomson , March 1, 2007
Meetings on Traffic and Transit Concerns, Robert Thomson , February 27, 2007
Imperfect Solutions Better Than None, Robert Thomson , February 12, 2007
It's Only Mostly Dead, Robert Thomson , February 2, 2007
Maryland vs. Virginia, Robert Thomson , January 22, 2007
Breakthrough in Virginia, Robert Thomson , January 19, 2007
What's Ahead For Projects, Robert Thomson , January 18, 2007
Maryland's Transportation Plans, Robert Thomson , January 16, 2007
Meet the New Boss, Robert Thomson , January 10, 2007
Kaine Sets Transportation Goals, Robert Thomson , January 4, 2007
What's Your New Year's Outlook?, Robert Thomson , January 3, 2007
Metro Moves to Control Costs, Robert Thomson , December 19, 2006
What About the Roads and Rails?, Robert Thomson , December 6, 2006
What the Elections May Bring, Robert Thomson , November 10, 2006
Bumper Politics, Robert Thomson , November 8, 2006
Turning on the Hydrant, Robert Thomson , November 7, 2006
Who's To Blame?, Robert Thomson , October 19, 2006
Impasse in Virginia, Robert Thomson , September 29, 2006
Va. Transportation Politics Heating Up, Robert Thomson , September 13, 2006
 
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