D.C. needs to get a lot more car friendly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
People driving in cities suffer from problems of geometry- if more people are in cars then the only way to make more room for them is to take space from something else. You want parking? I have never driven into a pay lot in DC and not been able to find a spot so I aside you want on street parking. Ok, that takes a lane away from driving. Do you want to close the sidewalks then so that cars can go there? If you really want to be able to drive I. The fort you should advocate for more public transportation so that fewer people are in cars. 30 people can fit on a bus that takes up the space of three cars. Would you really prefer those people be in 30 cars?

I think what drivers want is a return to what they had: ample street parking. In recent years, these spaces have been intentionally reduced. First city spaces were stripped to install city bikes, which could easily be installed on sidewalks as well. Then parking was removed for food trucks. Then parking was removed for bike lanes. These were existing spaces that worked fine. All the spaces on Connecticut Ave NW (on the Zoo side) have been removed for no explicable reason. While public transportation does make sense in most instances, it certainly isn't the most desirable way to commute during a pandemic.

All drivers demand is the right to have as much convenience as possible when driving with as little cost or responsibility. Ample, cheap parking and high speeds, damn the costs to everyone else.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
People driving in cities suffer from problems of geometry- if more people are in cars then the only way to make more room for them is to take space from something else. You want parking? I have never driven into a pay lot in DC and not been able to find a spot so I aside you want on street parking. Ok, that takes a lane away from driving. Do you want to close the sidewalks then so that cars can go there? If you really want to be able to drive I. The fort you should advocate for more public transportation so that fewer people are in cars. 30 people can fit on a bus that takes up the space of three cars. Would you really prefer those people be in 30 cars?

I think what drivers want is a return to what they had: ample street parking. In recent years, these spaces have been intentionally reduced. First city spaces were stripped to install city bikes, which could easily be installed on sidewalks as well. Then parking was removed for food trucks. Then parking was removed for bike lanes. These were existing spaces that worked fine. All the spaces on Connecticut Ave NW (on the Zoo side) have been removed for no explicable reason. While public transportation does make sense in most instances, it certainly isn't the most desirable way to commute during a pandemic.

All drivers demand is the right to have as much convenience as possible when driving with as little cost or responsibility. Ample, cheap parking and high speeds, damn the costs to everyone else.

OK, so you want to be able to store your personal property in public space at the expense of pedestrians? Saying it can "easily" be installed on sidewalks doesn't make it so- sidewalks are already where street signs, street lamps, electrical wires, etc are installed. There are many street in DC where it is a squeeze to even ride a wheelchair or push a stroller down the street; putting bike racks there instead of the street is unfair to pedestrians.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
People driving in cities suffer from problems of geometry- if more people are in cars then the only way to make more room for them is to take space from something else. You want parking? I have never driven into a pay lot in DC and not been able to find a spot so I aside you want on street parking. Ok, that takes a lane away from driving. Do you want to close the sidewalks then so that cars can go there? If you really want to be able to drive I. The fort you should advocate for more public transportation so that fewer people are in cars. 30 people can fit on a bus that takes up the space of three cars. Would you really prefer those people be in 30 cars?

I think what drivers want is a return to what they had: ample street parking. In recent years, these spaces have been intentionally reduced. First city spaces were stripped to install city bikes, which could easily be installed on sidewalks as well. Then parking was removed for food trucks. Then parking was removed for bike lanes. These were existing spaces that worked fine. All the spaces on Connecticut Ave NW (on the Zoo side) have been removed for no explicable reason. While public transportation does make sense in most instances, it certainly isn't the most desirable way to commute during a pandemic.

All drivers demand is the right to have as much convenience as possible when driving with as little cost or responsibility. Ample, cheap parking and high speeds, damn the costs to everyone else.

OK, so you want to be able to store your personal property in public space at the expense of pedestrians? Saying it can "easily" be installed on sidewalks doesn't make it so- sidewalks are already where street signs, street lamps, electrical wires, etc are installed. There are many street in DC where it is a squeeze to even ride a wheelchair or push a stroller down the street; putting bike racks there instead of the street is unfair to pedestrians.

I think the PP was being sarcastic. It does sound very close to what people are asking for, but they just don't say it as explicitly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is perfect. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If D.C. continues to implement measures that it make it more difficult to drive -- especially in this new era when more and more people are turning away from mass transit -- then I think the cars, the people, the jobs that people drive to, and the tax base will simply go elsewhere.

The tax base in DC is people who live there because people who work there don’t pay income taxes to DC. I would argue the opposite of your conclusion here- people who like living in cities are more likely to favor better public transportation over more car infrastructure. So DC should cater to residents who pay property and income taxes and not the people who like living in the suburbs and want to drive everywhere.

I am a DC resident and if you make it easier to walk, cycle and take public transport then that is attractive to me and will keep me in the city. With the increase in remote work I also have the ability to work remotely and stay in DC rather than have to take a job in VA (I work in tech)

People who commute to DC For work and entertainment so pay taxes everything they purchase anything. Sadly it’s harder to purchase anything becisss so many merchants and service businesses have closed. Because people coming in from the burbs stopped coming. There weren’t enough locals to bike into these establishments to keep them open.

Also the businesses that people commute to pay taxes. From a business standpoint it is easier and cheaper to operate a business in VA.

The taxes generated by commuters do help to support the streets, schools and residents of DC. In fact Commuter taxes are a freebie, no sickle service program dollars are spent in them and no monies are spent educating the children of these commuters.

If it’s too hard to get into the city for work then the employees will out pressure on business to remain remote. When that happens it sets off its own cascade. Eventually businesses from office space. Less active commercial real estate means less tax revenue generated. Less. Workers in the city spending., etc., eventually offices start moving to Tysons free parking and metro access that is convenient for the folks that lives there and folks who live in the city start doing the reverse commute to Dulles and Tyson’s via the public transportation and bike trails you all regard so highly.

Win, win for the suburbanites and Va state coffers who now are able to add to the tax base through the demand for services created by all the jobs moving to VA. We don’t want you all to move here our schools are full and we like the ease of access to well functioning public services. Va will gladly take the workers and commuters and the revenue that they and the companies they work for generate. Do you think it’s just happenstance that Tyson and Reston/Dulles are being made more commuter friendly through the widening of 66 and the introduction of the silver line through to Dulles. They never actually thought anyone would take the metro to the airport. No sillies it was to accommodate highly skilled workers from DC and the close in suburbs to jobs in those areas. Same thing with Crystal city.

In time when DC residents who now have to commute by car or rail to VA for work realize that the infrastructure to get them out of the city to their suburban jobs has been destroyed to make room for bike paths. The bike paths will be stripped to add vehicle capacity and the open spaces and vacant office buildings downtown will be bulldozed and razed to make room for commuter garages to make access to downtown metro easier for commuters to VA.

Heck who knows maybe once the infrastructure returns to DC streets some VA and MD commuters will start wanting to venture back in to the city. It’s all about balance people and capitalism is what makes this country function.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If D.C. continues to implement measures that it make it more difficult to drive -- especially in this new era when more and more people are turning away from mass transit -- then I think the cars, the people, the jobs that people drive to, and the tax base will simply go elsewhere.

The tax base in DC is people who live there because people who work there don’t pay income taxes to DC. I would argue the opposite of your conclusion here- people who like living in cities are more likely to favor better public transportation over more car infrastructure. So DC should cater to residents who pay property and income taxes and not the people who like living in the suburbs and want to drive everywhere.

I am a DC resident and if you make it easier to walk, cycle and take public transport then that is attractive to me and will keep me in the city. With the increase in remote work I also have the ability to work remotely and stay in DC rather than have to take a job in VA (I work in tech)

People who commute to DC For work and entertainment so pay taxes everything they purchase anything. Sadly it’s harder to purchase anything becisss so many merchants and service businesses have closed. Because people coming in from the burbs stopped coming. There weren’t enough locals to bike into these establishments to keep them open.

Also the businesses that people commute to pay taxes. From a business standpoint it is easier and cheaper to operate a business in VA.

The taxes generated by commuters do help to support the streets, schools and residents of DC. In fact Commuter taxes are a freebie, no sickle service program dollars are spent in them and no monies are spent educating the children of these commuters.

If it’s too hard to get into the city for work then the employees will out pressure on business to remain remote. When that happens it sets off its own cascade. Eventually businesses from office space. Less active commercial real estate means less tax revenue generated. Less. Workers in the city spending., etc., eventually offices start moving to Tysons free parking and metro access that is convenient for the folks that lives there and folks who live in the city start doing the reverse commute to Dulles and Tyson’s via the public transportation and bike trails you all regard so highly.

Win, win for the suburbanites and Va state coffers who now are able to add to the tax base through the demand for services created by all the jobs moving to VA. We don’t want you all to move here our schools are full and we like the ease of access to well functioning public services. Va will gladly take the workers and commuters and the revenue that they and the companies they work for generate. Do you think it’s just happenstance that Tyson and Reston/Dulles are being made more commuter friendly through the widening of 66 and the introduction of the silver line through to Dulles. They never actually thought anyone would take the metro to the airport. No sillies it was to accommodate highly skilled workers from DC and the close in suburbs to jobs in those areas. Same thing with Crystal city.

In time when DC residents who now have to commute by car or rail to VA for work realize that the infrastructure to get them out of the city to their suburban jobs has been destroyed to make room for bike paths. The bike paths will be stripped to add vehicle capacity and the open spaces and vacant office buildings downtown will be bulldozed and razed to make room for commuter garages to make access to downtown metro easier for commuters to VA.

Heck who knows maybe once the infrastructure returns to DC streets some VA and MD commuters will start wanting to venture back in to the city. It’s all about balance people and capitalism is what makes this country function.

Tilting at windmills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If D.C. continues to implement measures that it make it more difficult to drive -- especially in this new era when more and more people are turning away from mass transit -- then I think the cars, the people, the jobs that people drive to, and the tax base will simply go elsewhere.

The tax base in DC is people who live there because people who work there don’t pay income taxes to DC. I would argue the opposite of your conclusion here- people who like living in cities are more likely to favor better public transportation over more car infrastructure. So DC should cater to residents who pay property and income taxes and not the people who like living in the suburbs and want to drive everywhere.

I am a DC resident and if you make it easier to walk, cycle and take public transport then that is attractive to me and will keep me in the city. With the increase in remote work I also have the ability to work remotely and stay in DC rather than have to take a job in VA (I work in tech)

People who commute to DC For work and entertainment so pay taxes everything they purchase anything. Sadly it’s harder to purchase anything becisss so many merchants and service businesses have closed. Because people coming in from the burbs stopped coming. There weren’t enough locals to bike into these establishments to keep them open.

Also the businesses that people commute to pay taxes. From a business standpoint it is easier and cheaper to operate a business in VA.

The taxes generated by commuters do help to support the streets, schools and residents of DC. In fact Commuter taxes are a freebie, no sickle service program dollars are spent in them and no monies are spent educating the children of these commuters.

If it’s too hard to get into the city for work then the employees will out pressure on business to remain remote. When that happens it sets off its own cascade. Eventually businesses from office space. Less active commercial real estate means less tax revenue generated. Less. Workers in the city spending., etc., eventually offices start moving to Tysons free parking and metro access that is convenient for the folks that lives there and folks who live in the city start doing the reverse commute to Dulles and Tyson’s via the public transportation and bike trails you all regard so highly.

Win, win for the suburbanites and Va state coffers who now are able to add to the tax base through the demand for services created by all the jobs moving to VA. We don’t want you all to move here our schools are full and we like the ease of access to well functioning public services. Va will gladly take the workers and commuters and the revenue that they and the companies they work for generate. Do you think it’s just happenstance that Tyson and Reston/Dulles are being made more commuter friendly through the widening of 66 and the introduction of the silver line through to Dulles. They never actually thought anyone would take the metro to the airport. No sillies it was to accommodate highly skilled workers from DC and the close in suburbs to jobs in those areas. Same thing with Crystal city.

In time when DC residents who now have to commute by car or rail to VA for work realize that the infrastructure to get them out of the city to their suburban jobs has been destroyed to make room for bike paths. The bike paths will be stripped to add vehicle capacity and the open spaces and vacant office buildings downtown will be bulldozed and razed to make room for commuter garages to make access to downtown metro easier for commuters to VA.

Heck who knows maybe once the infrastructure returns to DC streets some VA and MD commuters will start wanting to venture back in to the city. It’s all about balance people and capitalism is what makes this country function.

People who want to shop in the suburbs have been doing so for decades. The era of people coming into DC to shop ended around 1965. ALL retailers have to adjust to online and regional threats. That has been the case for about 20 years, once Amazon became a viable online retail threat on a national scale.

Making DC more car friendly doesn't change that. In fact, it forces retailers to be nimble to server the local residents, which is why we see nail salons, barber shops, restaurants and coffee shops instead of mattress stores and other store front retail that is better done online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If D.C. continues to implement measures that it make it more difficult to drive -- especially in this new era when more and more people are turning away from mass transit -- then I think the cars, the people, the jobs that people drive to, and the tax base will simply go elsewhere.

The tax base in DC is people who live there because people who work there don’t pay income taxes to DC. I would argue the opposite of your conclusion here- people who like living in cities are more likely to favor better public transportation over more car infrastructure. So DC should cater to residents who pay property and income taxes and not the people who like living in the suburbs and want to drive everywhere.

I am a DC resident and if you make it easier to walk, cycle and take public transport then that is attractive to me and will keep me in the city. With the increase in remote work I also have the ability to work remotely and stay in DC rather than have to take a job in VA (I work in tech)

People who commute to DC For work and entertainment so pay taxes everything they purchase anything. Sadly it’s harder to purchase anything becisss so many merchants and service businesses have closed. Because people coming in from the burbs stopped coming. There weren’t enough locals to bike into these establishments to keep them open.

Also the businesses that people commute to pay taxes. From a business standpoint it is easier and cheaper to operate a business in VA.

The taxes generated by commuters do help to support the streets, schools and residents of DC. In fact Commuter taxes are a freebie, no sickle service program dollars are spent in them and no monies are spent educating the children of these commuters.

If it’s too hard to get into the city for work then the employees will out pressure on business to remain remote. When that happens it sets off its own cascade. Eventually businesses from office space. Less active commercial real estate means less tax revenue generated. Less. Workers in the city spending., etc., eventually offices start moving to Tysons free parking and metro access that is convenient for the folks that lives there and folks who live in the city start doing the reverse commute to Dulles and Tyson’s via the public transportation and bike trails you all regard so highly.

Win, win for the suburbanites and Va state coffers who now are able to add to the tax base through the demand for services created by all the jobs moving to VA. We don’t want you all to move here our schools are full and we like the ease of access to well functioning public services. Va will gladly take the workers and commuters and the revenue that they and the companies they work for generate. Do you think it’s just happenstance that Tyson and Reston/Dulles are being made more commuter friendly through the widening of 66 and the introduction of the silver line through to Dulles. They never actually thought anyone would take the metro to the airport. No sillies it was to accommodate highly skilled workers from DC and the close in suburbs to jobs in those areas. Same thing with Crystal city.

In time when DC residents who now have to commute by car or rail to VA for work realize that the infrastructure to get them out of the city to their suburban jobs has been destroyed to make room for bike paths. The bike paths will be stripped to add vehicle capacity and the open spaces and vacant office buildings downtown will be bulldozed and razed to make room for commuter garages to make access to downtown metro easier for commuters to VA.

Heck who knows maybe once the infrastructure returns to DC streets some VA and MD commuters will start wanting to venture back in to the city. It’s all about balance people and capitalism is what makes this country function.

I live in DC and work in MD, so I pay payroll taxes to DC but not MD. I bring my lunch most days and I bike to work or take the metro so I don't pay for parking so the benefit to MD from my taxes is minimal. Yes, the company I work for presumably pays MD taxes.

Here are the following benefits and potential benefits I get from MD:
- Paved roads
- Fire protection
- Police protection (this is real- I was mugged near my work and the police responded promptly and without asking if I was an MD resident)

No, MD does not pay to educate my kids but neither does DC since they are in private schools.

Obviously I can't compute if the tax amount that I pay vs the benefits from tax-payer funded services I receive. But to say that it is a "freebie" for DC to have a business that pays taxes but doesn't have to educate all the kids of the workers is widely overstating it. Some of the best maintained roads are those that funnel commuters into the city; this paving and repaving is done by DDOT at taxpayer expense. You can't say you want DC to make the city more car accessible and in the same breath say that car commuters don't use any city resources.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What would more car friendliness look like, specifically? Where is the parking being built? What's being done to "ease traffic"?

It looks like LA. multi lane roads that are unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists. Huge parking garages everywhere. Smog and traffic congestion at all hours of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the subway is going to be unusable, and everyone is fine with that, then we need to accommodate people where they are -- in cars.

There are going to be far more people on the roads and that means we need a lot more parking, more emphasis on easing traffic, etc. Ridership on the subway is down 75 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

I didnt used to drive all that much, but now with the subway basically in moth balls, I drive everywhere.

This.

People driving in cities suffer from problems of geometry- if more people are in cars then the only way to make more room for them is to take space from something else. You want parking? I have never driven into a pay lot in DC and not been able to find a spot so I aside you want on street parking. Ok, that takes a lane away from driving. Do you want to close the sidewalks then so that cars can go there? If you really want to be able to drive I. The fort you should advocate for more public transportation so that fewer people are in cars. 30 people can fit on a bus that takes up the space of three cars. Would you really prefer those people be in 30 cars?

I think what drivers want is a return to what they had: ample street parking. In recent years, these spaces have been intentionally reduced. First city spaces were stripped to install city bikes, which could easily be installed on sidewalks as well. Then parking was removed for food trucks. Then parking was removed for bike lanes. These were existing spaces that worked fine. All the spaces on Connecticut Ave NW (on the Zoo side) have been removed for no explicable reason. While public transportation does make sense in most instances, it certainly isn't the most desirable way to commute during a pandemic.

Parking spaces are necessary but you also need to realize that they are subsidized from tax dollars of people with and without cars for the storage of cars on public land. Deciding that the best use of public land and tax dollars for convenient car storage is what you are doing when you complain about parking.

And as with anything, if you build it, they will come. If you build lots of parking and widen roads to accommodate cars, you will get more cars. If you build a safe connected bike route, you will get more bikes on the road and more cars off the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the subway is going to be unusable, and everyone is fine with that, then we need to accommodate people where they are -- in cars.

There are going to be far more people on the roads and that means we need a lot more parking, more emphasis on easing traffic, etc. Ridership on the subway is down 75 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

I didnt used to drive all that much, but now with the subway basically in moth balls, I drive everywhere.

This.

People driving in cities suffer from problems of geometry- if more people are in cars then the only way to make more room for them is to take space from something else. You want parking? I have never driven into a pay lot in DC and not been able to find a spot so I aside you want on street parking. Ok, that takes a lane away from driving. Do you want to close the sidewalks then so that cars can go there? If you really want to be able to drive I. The fort you should advocate for more public transportation so that fewer people are in cars. 30 people can fit on a bus that takes up the space of three cars. Would you really prefer those people be in 30 cars?

I think what drivers want is a return to what they had: ample street parking. In recent years, these spaces have been intentionally reduced. First city spaces were stripped to install city bikes, which could easily be installed on sidewalks as well. Then parking was removed for food trucks. Then parking was removed for bike lanes. These were existing spaces that worked fine. All the spaces on Connecticut Ave NW (on the Zoo side) have been removed for no explicable reason. While public transportation does make sense in most instances, it certainly isn't the most desirable way to commute during a pandemic.

Parking spaces are necessary but you also need to realize that they are subsidized from tax dollars of people with and without cars for the storage of cars on public land. Deciding that the best use of public land and tax dollars for convenient car storage is what you are doing when you complain about parking.

And as with anything, if you build it, they will come. If you build lots of parking and widen roads to accommodate cars, you will get more cars. If you build a safe connected bike route, you will get more bikes on the road and more cars off the road.

Wishful thinking. Last time I checked barely anyone uses the bike lanes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the subway is going to be unusable, and everyone is fine with that, then we need to accommodate people where they are -- in cars.

There are going to be far more people on the roads and that means we need a lot more parking, more emphasis on easing traffic, etc. Ridership on the subway is down 75 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

I didnt used to drive all that much, but now with the subway basically in moth balls, I drive everywhere.

This.

People driving in cities suffer from problems of geometry- if more people are in cars then the only way to make more room for them is to take space from something else. You want parking? I have never driven into a pay lot in DC and not been able to find a spot so I aside you want on street parking. Ok, that takes a lane away from driving. Do you want to close the sidewalks then so that cars can go there? If you really want to be able to drive I. The fort you should advocate for more public transportation so that fewer people are in cars. 30 people can fit on a bus that takes up the space of three cars. Would you really prefer those people be in 30 cars?

I think what drivers want is a return to what they had: ample street parking. In recent years, these spaces have been intentionally reduced. First city spaces were stripped to install city bikes, which could easily be installed on sidewalks as well. Then parking was removed for food trucks. Then parking was removed for bike lanes. These were existing spaces that worked fine. All the spaces on Connecticut Ave NW (on the Zoo side) have been removed for no explicable reason. While public transportation does make sense in most instances, it certainly isn't the most desirable way to commute during a pandemic.

Parking spaces are necessary but you also need to realize that they are subsidized from tax dollars of people with and without cars for the storage of cars on public land. Deciding that the best use of public land and tax dollars for convenient car storage is what you are doing when you complain about parking.

And as with anything, if you build it, they will come. If you build lots of parking and widen roads to accommodate cars, you will get more cars. If you build a safe connected bike route, you will get more bikes on the road and more cars off the road.

Wishful thinking. Last time I checked barely anyone uses the bike lanes.

DC spends so much money per cyclist it would be cheaper if the city just paid each of them $10,000 to take the bus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the subway is going to be unusable, and everyone is fine with that, then we need to accommodate people where they are -- in cars.

There are going to be far more people on the roads and that means we need a lot more parking, more emphasis on easing traffic, etc. Ridership on the subway is down 75 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

I didnt used to drive all that much, but now with the subway basically in moth balls, I drive everywhere.

This.

People driving in cities suffer from problems of geometry- if more people are in cars then the only way to make more room for them is to take space from something else. You want parking? I have never driven into a pay lot in DC and not been able to find a spot so I aside you want on street parking. Ok, that takes a lane away from driving. Do you want to close the sidewalks then so that cars can go there? If you really want to be able to drive I. The fort you should advocate for more public transportation so that fewer people are in cars. 30 people can fit on a bus that takes up the space of three cars. Would you really prefer those people be in 30 cars?

I think what drivers want is a return to what they had: ample street parking. In recent years, these spaces have been intentionally reduced. First city spaces were stripped to install city bikes, which could easily be installed on sidewalks as well. Then parking was removed for food trucks. Then parking was removed for bike lanes. These were existing spaces that worked fine. All the spaces on Connecticut Ave NW (on the Zoo side) have been removed for no explicable reason. While public transportation does make sense in most instances, it certainly isn't the most desirable way to commute during a pandemic.

Parking spaces are necessary but you also need to realize that they are subsidized from tax dollars of people with and without cars for the storage of cars on public land. Deciding that the best use of public land and tax dollars for convenient car storage is what you are doing when you complain about parking.

And as with anything, if you build it, they will come. If you build lots of parking and widen roads to accommodate cars, you will get more cars. If you build a safe connected bike route, you will get more bikes on the road and more cars off the road.

Wishful thinking. Last time I checked barely anyone uses the bike lanes.

How are you determining this? Most of the time I look out my window at home, no one is driving down the street, either. I wouldn't say it was a waste of money for them to have paved it, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the subway is going to be unusable, and everyone is fine with that, then we need to accommodate people where they are -- in cars.

There are going to be far more people on the roads and that means we need a lot more parking, more emphasis on easing traffic, etc. Ridership on the subway is down 75 percent from pre-pandemic levels.

I didnt used to drive all that much, but now with the subway basically in moth balls, I drive everywhere.

This.

People driving in cities suffer from problems of geometry- if more people are in cars then the only way to make more room for them is to take space from something else. You want parking? I have never driven into a pay lot in DC and not been able to find a spot so I aside you want on street parking. Ok, that takes a lane away from driving. Do you want to close the sidewalks then so that cars can go there? If you really want to be able to drive I. The fort you should advocate for more public transportation so that fewer people are in cars. 30 people can fit on a bus that takes up the space of three cars. Would you really prefer those people be in 30 cars?

I think what drivers want is a return to what they had: ample street parking. In recent years, these spaces have been intentionally reduced. First city spaces were stripped to install city bikes, which could easily be installed on sidewalks as well. Then parking was removed for food trucks. Then parking was removed for bike lanes. These were existing spaces that worked fine. All the spaces on Connecticut Ave NW (on the Zoo side) have been removed for no explicable reason. While public transportation does make sense in most instances, it certainly isn't the most desirable way to commute during a pandemic.

Parking spaces are necessary but you also need to realize that they are subsidized from tax dollars of people with and without cars for the storage of cars on public land. Deciding that the best use of public land and tax dollars for convenient car storage is what you are doing when you complain about parking.

And as with anything, if you build it, they will come. If you build lots of parking and widen roads to accommodate cars, you will get more cars. If you build a safe connected bike route, you will get more bikes on the road and more cars off the road.

Wishful thinking. Last time I checked barely anyone uses the bike lanes.

How are you determining this? Most of the time I look out my window at home, no one is driving down the street, either. I wouldn't say it was a waste of money for them to have paved it, though.

The continual build out of bike infrastructure is not justified based on the low overall number of bikes utilizing the lanes, you would think there are at least 100,000 bike commuters based on the build out and that is nowhere near true. Meanwhile more and more cars continue to use roads and lanes are shrinking. Supply and demand isn't being followed at all.