Jim Durham🚌🚶‍♂️🚴‍♂️

I believe that the city-provided sketch indicates staff is proposing to remove two parking spaces to Commonwealth to accommodate a crosswalk across Commonwealth.

IIUC annexation resulted in new and unnamed streets that officials wanted to “systematize" so in 1953 the Alex City Council adopted Ordinance No. 769, which stated that streets running in a generally north–south direction “shall, insofar as possible, bear the names of Confederate military leaders.”

Before-After Project Evaluations DDOT website sharing information about Before/After project evaluations.

Try this link to a list of DDOT Before /After reports and then select the 9th street project... before-after-evaluations.ddot.dc.gov#projects

Here's the full page/analysis for 9th street:https://before-after-evaluations.ddot.dc.gov/pages/9th-st-analysis~0f1ea273780a4bbc9f1bf214871c9de4

Before/after analysis of separated bike and ped facilities consistently show safety benefits and increases in number of people walking and bicycling... maybe near Braddock Rd Metro in #AlexandriaVA soon!

ACPS' draft CIP budget for the next 6 years is 26% ($58M) higher than estimates of available City revenue for ACPS' capital needs over that period. Is Sup. Kay-Wyatt expecting School Board members to close a 26% CIP budget gap via Add/Deletes by Dec 11?

The Flamingo Is Open | Virginia Theological Seminary

The last time I checked, the Flamingo Cafe at the Virginia Theological Seminary was also open - good placed for a coffee, espresso or pastry during the day. vts.edu/deans-commen...

Iowa City Made Its Buses Free. Traffic Cleared, and So Did the Air.

Great article re: the value of fare free buses. Ridership in Iowa City "surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 18 percent." By combining fare free with frequent, all-day service in high density areas @dashbusva.bsky.social ridership was 40% higher in 2024 than in 2019!
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/18/c...

The boards voted to replace the word "adopt" with "endorse" before approving the resoluton. While the article correctly says the boards endorsed the DMVMoves plan, some might see the headline's use of the word "adopt" as a bit misleading.

Nicely done. This map makes it readily apparent why higher frequency service on @dashbusva.bsky.social Line 32 is important. Line 32 serves areas of both high residential density (orange) and businesses (red) in SW Alexandria!

Higher-frequency service makes DASH more useful for more people and provides positive economic return. NVTC found that “Every dollar Virginia invests in transit in Northern Virginia generates an additional $1.60 in statewide revenue, a 160% return on investment. novatransit.org/valueoftransit

100% Weekday evenings are a non-starter for many residents, especially those with children. ACPS & School Board need to add weekend events, with language translation support, to engage those who cannot attend weekday evening events.

Thanks. That should help people understand the issue better. I expect to see an advocate statement or press release on Thursday.

These are my notes of a statement read by Mayor Gaskins from the dais after resuming the City Council public session, and just before adjourning.

"In the meantime, as a Council, we will continue to stand in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors and explore policies to protect the safety of all in our community."

"Given the ICE tactics we have observed already here in Alexandria and around the country, we ask him to reconsider his current practice and cease any transfer of inmates pursuant to ICE administrative warrants and detainers."

"We also recognize that this program has been in place under previous Democratic and Republican presidential Administrations and prior sheriffs. We do not allege that the sheriff's practice is unconstitutional, though we note that it is voluntary."

More..."We recognize that the Sheriff's Office is an independently elected constitutional office possessing the discretion to determine whether to honor such administrative warrants."

For too long, the Sheriff has issued statements that he only responds to warrants, without noting that he is only required to respond to judicial warrants, not administrative warrants or detainers. Hopefully, @ryanbelmore.bsky.social
will explain all of this to Alexandria!

Thank you Mayor & Council Members for: "As a council, each of us has shared individually and collectively that we disagree with the Sheriff's current practice...we ask him to reconsider his current practice and cease any transfer of inmates pursuant to ICE administrative warrants and detainers.":

I hope that I can refrain from over-generalizing insights from Tuesday's elections. Electorates in VA and NYC are not the same, and not likely to be the same as the electorates in mid-term congressional districts. IMHO, winners on Tuesday assembled coalitions applicable to their circumstances.

So many issues, so many unanswered questions. Will the myriad of ACPS problems result in the School Board taking effective action to hold ACPS leadership accountable?

Some SB members then gave speeches about the need for SB-City Council trust and teamwork. Unbelievable!

The City staff proposed to continue to explore options for efficiencies in high school student transportation. In opening remarks, the SB Chair announced that the SB was not interested in doing that. Quite a surprise to Council members.

Wow. The School Board chair announced a Board decision about student transportation, but there has not been a transparent decision process, i.e. there has been no public hearing or vote. Just wow!

View of the Portland train station.

I was in Portland earlier this month... it was not 'war ravaged'; rather, it was noticeably cleaner and more pleasant than i had seen in three visits in recent years www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Good-looking bollards on a cycle track (two-way protected bike lane) in Eugene, OR.

Yes. People on bicycles are supposed to stop at stop signs, as are drivers of motor vehicles. There are subsets of both communities, i.e., drivers and bicyclists who stop, others just slow down and others "Blow through them". DM if you have follow-up questions. Thanks, Jim

Led by Tysons, Fairfax apartment rents continue rise, deviating from national trend | FFXnow

"Across the D.C. region, the median overall rental rate in July was $2,207, up 0.5% year-over-year. Nationally, it was $1,402, down 0.8%. The decline [in rents] nationally is due in part to an influx of new construction..." www.ffxnow.com/2025/08/04/l...

"People will ride when you give them [frequent] service that they can rely on!" City Council and @alexandriavagov.bsky.social staff need to assess funding options that will enable @dashbusva.bsky.social to meet both 15-minute service frequency and environmental policy goals.