Saturday, July 9, 2011

Christmas in July: County Board Funds Vanity Projects Over Human Needs

Hi Yupette,

County Board did it again. Cut human services funding and appropriated $800,000 for beautifying the wastewater treatment plant. Also gave the wealthy $ignature-$ynetic theater group an $89,000 stipend. Also arranged a couple of land swaps with (apparently) no independent appraisal of the value of the land being swapped.

Stay tuned for Tuesday's continuation meeting where major land use plan (gentrification) changes for the Bergmann's site and surrounding neighborhood on Lee Hwy may or may not be on the agenda.

Ted

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Alexandria Pushing for Dedicated Bus Rapid Transit in Beauregard Corridor

Hello Yupette,

I attended tonight's Alexandria transportation forum about a dedicated transit corridor on South Beauregard Street.

Appears as though Alexandria Transportation Staff wants a dedicated bus rapid transit system rather than a shared-street streetcar system like what's planned for Columbia Pike. Alexandria Transportation Staff maintains that a dedicated bus transit system is the only way to finally get people out of their SOVs and into buses. They believe a dedicated BRT system would be fast, flexible, and significantly less expensive than a streetcar system.

What's sad about the inside the Beltway transportation planning process is how little people from different jurisdictions know about what's being planned for areas a mile or two from where they live but in another locality.

Alex.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Barcroft, Douglas Park Brace for National Guard Readiness Center Expansion

Hello, Yupette,

I'm not only worried about the massive in-fill planned for Columbia Pike, I'm also worried about the opening of the massive addition to the National Guard Readiness Center on George Mason Drive this month. We are getting the usual 'don't worry, be happy' from the Army, Jim Moran and Chris Zimmerman. Fact is there will be a lot more traffic of all kinds in and out of the Readiness Center and cutting through our quiet residential streets.

Our suburban neighborhoods, Barcroft and Douglas Park, were never, never, designed for this kind of infill. And the Readiness Center expansion was never mentioned during the Dover, Kohl design charettes last week.

The people who make these decisions don't live anywhere near the affected neighborhoods. Or, if they do, they live in 'protected enclaves'. Like Chris Zimmerman, who lives across from a wilderness area. Don't believe it? Here's a photo of Douglas Park across from his home.

Linda
Douglas Park