Nick Sementelli
@nsementelli.bsky.social
710 followers 240 following 220 posts
National progressive political strategist by day, local safe streets and housing advocate by night. @ggwash board member.
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Reposted by Nick Sementelli
mkorman.bsky.social
I am serving on the Workgroup on the Reorganization of the Maryland Transit Administration. Why do I seek reform? This is why. Maryland’s commuter rail is not living up to its potential and we can do better. Just check out our neighbor.
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
yonahfreemark.com
Puerto Rico and DC—both part of the US, of course—collectively have more than 4 times the population of South Dakota, which Thune represents.
atrupar.com
Thune: "If the Democrats had won the majority, they probably would've tried to nuke the filibuster. And then you'd have four new senators from Puerto Rico and DC, you'd have a packed Supreme Court, you'd have abortion on demand ... "
nsementelli.bsky.social
Car brain: Delivery trucks endangering the lives of the most vulnerable users (cyclists and pedestrians) by parking in bike lanes and crosswalks is perfectly fine.

But the minute it inconveniences drivers, that's when suddenly it becomes a problem.
maustermuhle.bsky.social
It's also notable that in the time since Larson was killed, Columbia Road NW was rebuilt with protected bike lanes and a dedicated bus lane on one portion. Some residents say the redesign is worse because... delivery trucks illegally park in the lanes of traffic.
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
wsinger.bsky.social
Events DC should have paid to the District government an additional $68.7 million in “excess cash” according to DC law
dcauditor.wpenginepowered.com
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
davidzipper.bsky.social
"Though robotaxis have notched up impressive growth, they look ploddingly pedestrian compared with far zippier pedal-powered rivals. [Waymo] proudly proclaims that its cars do around 250k trips a week. Yet in NYC alone that number of trips is made every three days using the city’s bikeshare scheme."
Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport
Pedal power is booming, spinning up a new culture war
www.economist.com
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
maustermuhle.bsky.social
It was almost four years ago that Nina Larson was killed by a driver as she crossed Columbia Road NW in Adams Morgan. (Story: dcist.com/story/21/11/...) It took until this week for the driver to be found guilty of two misdemeanor offenses.
24-Year-Old Aspiring Opera Singer, Restaurant Worker Killed By Driver In Adams Morgan
Nina Larson was an aspiring opera singer, American University graduate, and employee at Mintwood Place in Adams Morgan.
dcist.com
nsementelli.bsky.social
He looks like a college student dressed up as Angus King for Halloween
ericmgarcia.bsky.social
Spotted: Angus King introducing Ron Wyden to his son Angus King III, who is running for Governor
Angus King, an old white man with a moustache, standing next to Angus King III, a younger white man in a black suit, next to Ron Wyden, an older white man in a charcoal blazer
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
holz-bau.bsky.social
since denver launched its e-bike rebate program - the have sold 10,000 e-bikes and reduced an estimated 1,000,000 car trips - replacing millions of VMTs and reducing air pollution

there are no climate silver bullets... but damn - e-bikes and e-cargo bikes are close

denvergov.org/Government/A...
Denver Celebrates 10,000 E-Bike Rebates
Since its inception in April 2022, Denver has distributed over 10,000 electric bikes (e-bikes) to community members through its pioneering e-bike rebate program. As the first U.S. city to implement su...
denvergov.org
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
grudgie.bsky.social
This is indistinguishable from Newsmax.

WaPo has fallen further than any other once reputable paper
johnsipher.bsky.social
Time to truly cancel your WaPo subscription (even though they still have some great reporters).

“Not only does Donald Trump deserve the Nobel Peace Prize, but there has arguably never been an American president who deserved it more.”

I just can’t.

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
Opinion | Yes, Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize
His Gaza agreement, though still fragile, adds to an unprecedented peacemaking record.
www.washingtonpost.com
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
davidzipper.bsky.social
The #1 piece of advice that TransLink's CEO offers other North American transit agencies:

Provide frequent service
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
transportenvironment.org
🚛 The Netherlands is seeing a major shift in urban freight thanks to zero-emission zones for freight in 18 of its cities.

By early 2025, 78% of new vans were electric -- compared to just 9% across the EU.

📑 New @cleancitiescampaign.org briefing: bit.ly/431I7al
Clean Cities Campaign graph with the title: Dutch municipalities with zero-emission zones for freight have a higher share of electric vans.
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
michaelcaley.bsky.social
there are so many things a New York City mayor doesn't really have power to do (funding service expansions of any pretty much any sort) but Zohran keeps finding spaces where a mayor really can make a big difference by determining policies and priorities for City Hall

it's exciting
davecolon.bsky.social
Whether it's universal daylighting or restarting Mayor Adams' stalled bus lanes, Zohran Mamdani told Streetsblog he'll get his agenda done even if means fighting the DOT deep state or the big shot political bosses who just endorsed him nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/10/09/m...
Mamdani Vows To Defy DOT Insiders, Political Bosses To Pursue His Streets Agenda - Streetsblog New York City
Mamdani pledged stand up to bureaucrats and political power players who oppose his plans to make streets safer and buses faster.
nyc.streetsblog.org
nsementelli.bsky.social
This is what's in store for opening day of the new Commanders stadium unless we start building a second station right away
chenderson.bsky.social
Closing the larger entrance for the Navy Yard-Ballpark station for escalator repair 1 week before Nationals Park hosts 3 sold out events leads to this.

Dangerous bottleneck on the street level. Bottleneck at the machines. And near empty cars because folks can’t actually get to the platform in time.
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
mims.bsky.social
Humans evolved a cognitive 'social proof' system for establishing what's true (if enough of the people around me believe something, I'll go along) and media fragmentation + social media has completely and totally hijacked it

Feels like AI will only make this worse
lordbusinessman.bsky.social
"no in the future people will cryptographically verify what's true and-" no they will not. People are fucking stupid.
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
bstum.bsky.social
I’d love if it people who are not actual residents of DC don’t speak for those of us who are.
atrupar.com
Rep. Riley Moore: "I think the actual residents of Washington DC are very happy with the outcome. And I think the actual residents of Chicago and our other great cities here in America would actually like to have safe streets and not people murdered every night."
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
thewaroncars.bsky.social
Idea: keep the inhalers, get rid of half a million cars per year.
Headline: 
Climate pollution from inhalers has the impact of half a million cars per year, study finds
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
fieldofschemes.bsky.social
Clark Hunt has offers of $750m in hand from KS and MO, but continues to say he needs county subsidies as well, which does make one wonder whether the Chiefs really need a new stadium if it'd only be profitable if taxpayers cover more than $1B of the cost.
Chiefs owner still mulling all stadium options, seeking to increase $750m public price tag
Kansas City Chiefs executives have been pretty quiet about their stadium plans since June, when they asked for and got a one-year extension on Kansas's offer of sales tax subsidies that could be worth...
www.fieldofschemes.com
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
familiesforsafestreets.org
When Wales lowered its default speed limit from 30 mph to 20, it created a perfect natural experiment. England, a nearby jurisdiction did not.

👀 You can see road deaths declined by 25% in Wales after the policy was implemented. Via @20splenty.bsky.social www.20splenty.org/gb2024stats
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
awalkerinla.bsky.social
Reflections on last week's #WeekWithoutDriving in a city that still refuses to acknowledge the existence of its nondrivers — which a comprehensive new report claims make up one-third of LA's population
One-third of Angelenos do not drive
Walking back the "car-free" games promise is unconscionable in a city where the people who don't drive are also the most vulnerable users of our streets
www.torched.la
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
urbanupgradeglobal.bsky.social
Urban cul-de-sacs are a cheap, immediate way to calm down side streets. Cars can reach any address, but not cut through. Foot traffic instead good for business.
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
gothamgirlblue.com
The regime is acting this way because there are no consequences so it is clear that consequences—the development of them, the advocacy for them, the imposition on bad behavior—are the answer to our crisis.
Reposted by Nick Sementelli
davidzipper.bsky.social
"Over half of the e-cargo bike mileage ridden during trials substituted for car use."

doi.org/10.1016/j.jc...
nsementelli.bsky.social
Totally agree this is all the normal bs. I don't think the other teams particularly picked Arlington for location though, it's because the city has universally dedicated itself to eliminating city services in order to offer the most generous largesse to sports teams and amusement parks