Ben Ross
@benrosstransit.bsky.social
810 followers 170 following 810 posts
Transit advocate. Social Democrat. Author of Dead End: Suburban Sprawl and the Rebirth of American Urbanism.
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benrosstransit.bsky.social
Fairfax County VA to spend a billion dollars to create a 7-mile long "BRT" bus line in the middle of a 10-lane traffic sewer, predicted to carry 15,000-18,000 riders a day. www.ffxnow.com/2025/10/07/c...
Schematic showing a bus "station" in the middle of a 200-ft-wide right of way with 10 motor vehicle lanes (including turn lanes & bus lanes).
Reposted by Ben Ross
benrosstransit.bsky.social
NYT reports facts that show absurdity of fraud claim against Letitia James. Not an investment property at all. She bought it 5 years ago for a troubled grand-niece to live in. The grand-niece has lived there ever since. Paid a tiny bit of rent in 1 year. Gift link. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
In the Eye of a Political Storm, a Tiny Yellow House in Norfolk, Va.
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Ben Ross
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Likely contributing cause not considered here: suburbanization of poverty.
People who can't afford cars moving from older, now-gentrifying, urban areas with low-speed streets to aging 1960s-era suburban garden apartments in auto-centric environments with high-speed multi-lane highways. 1/2
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Yes, but the problem I'm looking at is the placement. The pavement widens as it approaches the intersection, encouraging speeding. The flex posts or railing should be located inboard of the pavement edge to decrease the turn radius.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
This explains a lot of the state-by-state pattern of pedestrian death.
Midwest less because of lesser gentrification. New England & NY because suburbs less walking-hostile.
Especially diagnostic: The anomalously high death rate in Maryland where poverty is moving into post-60s suburbs. 2/2
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Likely contributing cause not considered here: suburbanization of poverty.
People who can't afford cars moving from older, now-gentrifying, urban areas with low-speed streets to aging 1960s-era suburban garden apartments in auto-centric environments with high-speed multi-lane highways. 1/2
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Note also the placement of the flex posts serving its intended purpose of encouraging drivers to make the turn across the bike path at high speed.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
There are two or three of these signs on the marked (very well marked) bike route through Edgemoor in Bethesda.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
That white structure is over the new entrance to the Red Line that will connect to the Purple Line. The Purple Line station is under the building behind it. You can see the station under construction from the stairs that go down from the parking lot behind that building to the movie theatre
benrosstransit.bsky.social
NYT reports facts that show absurdity of fraud claim against Letitia James. Not an investment property at all. She bought it 5 years ago for a troubled grand-niece to live in. The grand-niece has lived there ever since. Paid a tiny bit of rent in 1 year. Gift link. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/u...
In the Eye of a Political Storm, a Tiny Yellow House in Norfolk, Va.
www.nytimes.com
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Tucson would do fine if they charged a fare to non-university people and the university pay for travel by students as many universities do.
Cincinnati and Kansas City were both conceived as initial legs of longer light rail lines. The southern extension begins the transition in KC.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Not true of Cincinnati, Tucson, or Kansas City.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
On the contrary, they are an ideal amenity for 1-family neighborhoods. They occupy space without housing people or even temporarily attracting outsiders. The quintessence of conspicuous consumption of land.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
When the founders of our country in many ways, the 1st settlers of New England, said "antichrist" they meant the pope.
As a Jew, I try to avoid judging Christian theology.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Doctors did diagnoses before they had these tests.
No need for a pneumonia test if the doctor hears it in your chest & you have the cough.
Reposted by Ben Ross
mnolangray.bsky.social
Ladies and gentlemen, we did it. SB 79 has been signed.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Also the rules of the road change. Rules for turning across a bike lane, flashing red arrows, many of the various different meanings a flashing yellow light might have, passing a cyclist, etc were nonexistent or different years ago. Also rules that weren't taught (unmarked sidewalks) need to be.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
A thin strip of blue for Hempstead Harbor would help too.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
You think he knows the difference?
Reposted by Ben Ross
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.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
Some kind of funny business going on in those comments. The near-exclusive focus on corporate house purchases is nothing like IRL nimbys. Lots of it from accounts that randomly repost, with slightly varied wording (eg venture/vulture capital). Smells like some sort of scripted posting campaign.
benrosstransit.bsky.social
And how long does it take to train an air traffic controller?
benrosstransit.bsky.social
I imagine the grand jury wasn't shown the document where she wrote that the property "will NOT be my primary residence."
benrosstransit.bsky.social
You must be subtweeting this truly horrendous one-poll-question-based analysis. (Gift article defying my better judgement.)
Note, though, that the substantive recommendation here agrees with "anti-popularists" like @whstancil.bsky.social @brianbeutler.bsky.social.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/u...
Democrats Play the Hits on Health Care. But Fewer People Are Listening.
www.nytimes.com