Are National Parks for Commuting? DC Decision a Big Win for Human Power

During the pandemic, streets across the U.S. were reclaimed for human activity—but now, many cities are undoing those changes. Not so in DC's Rock Creek Park, where road closures have been made permanent.

Bikeability, Safe & Productive Streets, Walkability, News, Top StoryBen AbramsonJanuary 20, 2023Parks, parks, Washington DC, Pedestrian Safety, pedestrian safety, bikeability, walkability, Safe and Productive Streets, #SlowTheCars

Northern Virginia Highway Plans Would Fuel a Massive Increase in Driving

North Virginia will make multi-billion dollar decisions this year on the region’s transportation future—decisions that are only going to induce more driving.

#NoNewRoads, Transportation, Upzoned, Top StoryBill PughApril 25, 2022car dependency, car culture, transportation, transportation spending, Washington DC, induced demand, highways, highway spending, freeways, freeway widening, #NoNewRoads, Virginia

Who Should Be Able to Veto New Housing Production?

Should states and counties push back against local governments to crack open more options for housing, or will that be counterproductive?

Upzoned, Podcast, Suburban Experiment, Neighborhoods, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 13, 2022Podcast, podcast, Upzoned, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, suburban experiment, suburbs, Washington DC

Don't Mistake Development for a City

Despite their layouts, these islands of apparent urbanism out in the countryside are a sign that we’re doing something very, very wrong.

Big Box Stores, Top StoryAddison Del MastroApril 12, 2022urbanism, Development, development, suburbs, big box stores, business, Washington DC, Virginia, STROADS, Addison Del Mastro

A Drive Through “the Ugliest Place in Maryland”: Part 2

Our drive continues through the area once called “the ugliest place in Maryland.” When you look around, though, you can find the building blocks for an urban transformation in these suburbs.

Neighborhood Design, Neighborhoods, Top StoryAddison Del MastroOctober 29, 2021Addison Del Mastro, urbanism, Maryland, Washington DC, photos, neighborhood, Neighborhood Design, Neighborhoods, traditional development pattern

A Drive Through “the Ugliest Place in Maryland”: Part 1

Let’s take a drive down Rockville Pike, a major thoroughfare near DC. What kinds of development patterns will we find as we pass through each ring of suburbia?

Neighborhood Design, Neighborhoods, Top StoryAddison Del MastroOctober 28, 2021Addison Del Mastro, urbanism, Maryland, Washington DC, photos, neighborhood, Neighborhood Design, Neighborhoods, traditional development pattern

The Taco Truck and the Thrift Store

We glorify our country’s rough-and-tumble entrepreneurial history, yet we often look down on people who embody it today, and on the commercial landscapes that result.

#ChaoticButSmart, Big Box Stores, Neighborhoods, Race, Top StoryAddison Del MastroAugust 17, 2021Addison Del Mastro, retail, Maryland, Washington DC, big box stores, poor neighborhoods, Chaotic but Smart

Exclusionary Zoning Arguments Haven't Changed in 94 Years

In 1926, activists were using the claim that their cities had enough “zoned capacity” elsewhere to argue against allowing apartment buildings in their own neighborhoods. Today, they still do. And they’re still wrong.

Herriges, Housing, Top Story, ZoningDaniel HerrigesJune 9, 2020zoning, race, Washington DC, Greater Greater Washington

Listen Up, Washington: No New Roads

The advocacy group Transportation for America makes a bold move on transportation funding. We applaud them for it.

#NoNewRoads, Marohn, Transportation, Top StoryCharles MarohnOctober 7, 2019Transportation For America, Washington DC, Strong Towns Book, transportation spending

Why Is That House or Storefront Vacant?

In an area where the population is growing, one question often vexes neighbors: why is that house or storefront vacant? It just doesn’t seem to make sense. Why do landlords leave properties empty when they could be getting rent?

Finance, Economic Development, Cost of Development, Top StoryTracy Hadden Loh and Michael RodriguezAugust 30, 2018retail, mixed use, Washington DC

In Washington DC, Gentrification may also mean Integration

Gentrification is producing more diverse schools and growing enrollment in Washington, DC.

Schools, Top StoryJoe CortrightMarch 27, 2018Washington DC

Why the Purple Line is a Strong Project and Worth the Investment

The Purple Line corridor truly merits a rail investment, not a bus rapid transit route.

Top Story, Transportation, Member Post, Public TransitSean EmersonSeptember 28, 2017Light Rail, public transportation, Washington DC

A Purple Line Alternative and a Lesson in Strong Towns Thinking

Instead of building competing transit systems that are not compatible; why not work on utilizing existing systems to accomplish our goals while remaining economically sustainable?

Top Story, Transportation, Public TransitMatthew KeadleSeptember 26, 2017public transportation, bus, Light Rail, Washington DC

The Impact of Stroads in a Suburban Immigrant Community

Langley Park’s auto-oriented development pattern imposes unneeded costs and burdens upon those who can least afford them.

Walkability, Top Story, Suburban Poverty, Roads and Streets, Member Post, #SlowtheCars, Public TransitSean EmersonAugust 19, 2016STROADS, immigrants, Washington DC, bus, auto-oriented, page highlight

Drive-To Urbanism

New Urbanist developments are increasingly popular, yet they still betray a key tenet of the new urbanist movement: they can often only be reached by car.

Top Story, Urban Design, WalkabilityKevin PoseyJuly 29, 2016Washington DC, Ohio

Let's get serious about public bathrooms

Public restrooms are a public health issue. Any town that wants to get serious about welcoming tourists into its walkable areas and encouraging its residents to spend more of their time downtown, needs to implement a public restroom strategy.

Quednau, Top StoryRachel QuednauJuly 7, 2016Washington DC, New York, Public Health

The Next Baby Boom: Affordable Urban Lifestyles for Millennials with Children

Tulsa, OK is one of the most unlikely suspects to attract urban, entrepreneurial millennials. Yet here we are.

#StrongCitizens, Member Post, Top Story, Urban Design, Walkability, Top EvergreenJennifer GriffinJuly 1, 2016family, children, urbanism, Washington DC, New York, Millennials, mixed use, schools, page highlight, housing

There's an empty seat at your community meeting. Whose is it?

New residents are arriving in our city every month. Who is speaking up for their housing needs?

#StrongCitizens, Housing, Member Post, Top StoryDavid WhiteheadJune 16, 2016Washington DC, Greater Greater Washington, community engagement

Learning Virtue Through Public Transit

Public transit does more than just get us to our destination. It can also teach us to be better people.

Faith, Proppe, Transportation, Top StorySara Joy ProppeMay 31, 2016Washington DC, public transportation

The Transportation Burden

The cost of commuting places a disproportionally heavy burden on the working poor--some of whom pay as much as 75% of their income on transportation. The gap between “making it” and “falling behind” is literally being exacerbated by the mistakes of transportation and land use planning past.

Transportation, Top Story, HousingStephen HardyApril 5, 2016Washington DC, Milwaukee, commuting

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