Monday, September 17, 2012

Chris Zimmerman's Legacy to the Pike: A Streetcar Named Disaster

Hello, Yupette:

I did extensive Web searches on "Streetcar Accidents", "Streetcar Bicycle Accidents", and "Streetcar Tracks Accidents" and it appears there are thousands of accidents and injuries every year in the United States and Canada alone when pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles of all types are involved in collisions with streetcars and streetcar tracks.

Best I can estimate there would be one fatality per year and hundreds of accidents and injuries if a streetcar system were constructed on the Pike. I don't see any discussion anywhere (except here) of the human costs arising from constructing a streetcar system on the Pike.

Why should we all suffer because of one person's inflated ego? Streetcars are the WORST transit option, by far, for Columbia Pike.

Pike Rider
Barcroft Apts.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Zimmie (and the rest of them) is bound and determined to leave his "mark" (legacy?) before he retires to his rich, elite, gated, "safe" community somewhere else, and cost, convenience, etc. be damned. "I want my trolley now, now, now, and I'll scream and yell and hold my breath until my face turns blue until I get my way." The trolley, the "artisphere", "splash parks", etc., etc. - and one wonders why property taxes keep going through the roof to the point where regular working people have to take out a loan just to pay their property taxes.

Hey, its the "Arlington Way"!

Anonymous said...

How about "Chris Zimmerman Park"? A 50 foot by 50 foot plaza surrounded on all four sides by 30 story luxury apartment and condo buildings and ground floor upscale retail? With $800,000 of public art provided by taxpayers.

Anonymous said...

Plazas? How about the disgraceful Courthouse Plaza, owned by Zimmy's favorite pet REIT - Vornado?

Anonymous said...

County Board wants every neighborhod to look like Clarendon between Washington Blvd. and Wilson Blvd., i.e., a Yuppie City composed of blocks of almost identical 5-story apartments and condos. Except near their own single-family home enclaves, of course.

Anonymous said...

Can long-suffering Clarendon residents enjoy a "Douglas Park Day" in Douglas Park?

Can Douglas Park residents have a spray park in Douglas Park?

How about building an $800,000 public art wall in Douglas Park celebrating the life and career of Chris Zimmerman?

Lance Spandex said...

How about a "Tour de Douglas Park"? Park around the park, unload bicycles starting at 7 AM Saturday and Sunday mornings. Make obeying stop signs and speed limit signs optional. Also, we need some food trucks parked around the park to feed hungry bicyclists and spectators.

Theo - Westover said...

Thanks for this. I am going to start driving to Douglas Park on weekends with my bicycle on my SUV and riding my bicycle there, since Zimmy wants to make Westover a regional recreation-entertainment area.

How about starting at 7 AM this Saturday at the Park?

Anonymous said...

Can we have beach volleyball in Douglas Park? County has the heavy equipment to put down the sand.

Anonymous said...

Taste of Douglas Park? Food trucks parked up and down Quincy Street?

Anonymous said...

Douglas Park Octoberfest?

Pedro said...

Cinco de Mayo en Douglas Park? Ole' Jose' aka Walter.

Anonymous said...

Octoberfest Bicycle Week in Douglas Park? BYOB

Anonymous said...

Reality Check - two squirrels fight over an acorn in Douglas Park and the cops and animal control are on the scene in 5 minutes. Chris Zimmerman is an arrogant elitist and he gets worse all the time.

Anonymous said...

As a matter of fact, there are a couple of squirrels that are always fighting in Douglas Park. Neighbors have named them Chris and Mary Beth.

Anonymous said...

Zimmerman's legacy - an urbanized mess.

Anonymous said...

Zimmerman watched the Metrorail system become a safety disaster at WMATA. What makes you think he cares about vehicle-pedestrian-bicycle safety on the Pike?

Anonymous said...

Anyone who has watched Courthouse Plaza deteriorate while Vornado takes its time making necessary repairs has got to wonder about the urbanization Vornado is inflicting on Arlington, thanks to the soon to be retired County Board, County Manager, etc.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone else see the Letter to the Editor in yesterday's Post about the passengers who were stuck in a Red Line train for 2 hours on September 18th?

Mary Hynes has succeeded Zimmy, Mr. WMATA Excuse is now Ms. WMATA Excuse.

Anonymous said...

Baby Boomer Mantra: "I'm retiring in ___ months (or I'm retiring in ____ years) and I'm moving away. Why should I care?"

Anonymous said...

Zimmy et.al. are classic urban village idiots. Metrorail was designed for low density urban and suburban transit. Columbia Pike was designed as a suburban arterial. Zimmy needs to impose massive urbanization on Arlington to satisfy his megalomaniacal cravings and reward the corporate and political Dr. Feelgoods who hype his arrogant ego