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I agree, I completely rely on transit and don’t own a car, but it’s clear a lot of activists want to penalize owning a car. Transit can out compete car ownersh

I agree, I completely rely on transit and don’t own a car, but it’s clear a lot of activists want to penalize owning a car. Transit can out compete car ownership on its own merits (see NYC, DC & Boston) but it requires significant investment which most are unwilling to accept. Imo the fundamental problem is that most activists are fundamentally fairly left leaning and public/private partnerships would be the best way to build out subway/light rail systems in up and coming cities. Due to ideological commitments they’re unwilling to consider this option.

clairity 6y ago
in LA, almost every train stop has nothing over it, like no retail, no commercial, and no residential at all. it's such an easy win to have a commercial developer build a 6-story mixed use complex right on top of the station. but no, we need to make sure everyone has to walk at least 1/3 of a mile to their final destination.
- alistairSH 6y ago
  That's one place northern VA is doing ok, finally. With the Metro extension to Dulles Airport (and beyond), they did revise the zoning and development plans in the blocks surrounding the stations. Millions of sqft of mixed-use developments are going in where previously it was low-rise office and massive spans of asphalt parking. Part of it is economics - proximity to the metro made the land more valuable. But part was the county BOD and planning commissions putting their foot down and making changes to zoning (changes to min parking requirements, changes to housing density, etc). As somebody who lives across the street from the edge of one of these zones, it's a mixed bag. I get to walk to work. Next year, there will be a new grocer on my way. Pretty good. The downside is more traffic, especially on bridges across the airport access road (we really need 4-5 instead of the 3 that exist today). And, as land values have gone up, developers are trying their hardest to buy up parkland and convert it to condos/offices.

clairity 6y ago

in LA, almost every train stop has nothing over it, like no retail, no commercial, and no residential at all. it's such an easy win to have a commercial developer build a 6-story mixed use complex right on top of the station. but no, we need to make sure everyone has to walk at least 1/3 of a mile to their final destination.

alistairSH 6y ago
That's one place northern VA is doing ok, finally. With the Metro extension to Dulles Airport (and beyond), they did revise the zoning and development plans in the blocks surrounding the stations. Millions of sqft of mixed-use developments are going in where previously it was low-rise office and massive spans of asphalt parking. Part of it is economics - proximity to the metro made the land more valuable. But part was the county BOD and planning commissions putting their foot down and making changes to zoning (changes to min parking requirements, changes to housing density, etc). As somebody who lives across the street from the edge of one of these zones, it's a mixed bag. I get to walk to work. Next year, there will be a new grocer on my way. Pretty good. The downside is more traffic, especially on bridges across the airport access road (we really need 4-5 instead of the 3 that exist today). And, as land values have gone up, developers are trying their hardest to buy up parkland and convert it to condos/offices.