Ben Ross
@benrosstransit.bsky.social
Transit advocate. Social Democrat. Author of Dead End: Suburban Sprawl and the Rebirth of American Urbanism.
Not always "previously." Sometimes simultaneously. Case in point.
January 11, 2026 at 1:31 PM
Not always "previously." Sometimes simultaneously. Case in point.
He was the German Hubert Humphrey.
January 7, 2026 at 11:26 AM
He was the German Hubert Humphrey.
I wrote about these "de facto alliances between upscale nimbys and real estate interests" 12 years ago.
(hey, the book is on sale) www.amazon.com/Dead-End-Sub...
(hey, the book is on sale) www.amazon.com/Dead-End-Sub...
December 29, 2025 at 7:14 PM
I wrote about these "de facto alliances between upscale nimbys and real estate interests" 12 years ago.
(hey, the book is on sale) www.amazon.com/Dead-End-Sub...
(hey, the book is on sale) www.amazon.com/Dead-End-Sub...
And here's @owillis.bsky.social denouncing Dems for talking about what a lot of voters care about.
Democratic-leaning voters who lacked enthusiasm in 2024 were motivated by economics much more often than by desire to fight Trump.
Democratic-leaning voters who lacked enthusiasm in 2024 were motivated by economics much more often than by desire to fight Trump.
December 29, 2025 at 2:56 PM
And here's @owillis.bsky.social denouncing Dems for talking about what a lot of voters care about.
Democratic-leaning voters who lacked enthusiasm in 2024 were motivated by economics much more often than by desire to fight Trump.
Democratic-leaning voters who lacked enthusiasm in 2024 were motivated by economics much more often than by desire to fight Trump.
When I grew up, there were signs like this all over New York.
December 28, 2025 at 11:44 PM
When I grew up, there were signs like this all over New York.
At the time of the lawsuit, the Town was paying $29,000 a month to a DC lobbying firm, with the lobbyist issuing completely unitemized bills for its work.
[Image from documents obtained subsequently by public information lawsuit]
[Image from documents obtained subsequently by public information lawsuit]
December 21, 2025 at 4:23 PM
At the time of the lawsuit, the Town was paying $29,000 a month to a DC lobbying firm, with the lobbyist issuing completely unitemized bills for its work.
[Image from documents obtained subsequently by public information lawsuit]
[Image from documents obtained subsequently by public information lawsuit]
Striking statistic from WMATA.
42% of Montgomery County residents who ride Metrorail during morning rush hour walk to the station. An extraordinarily high number for a US suburb.
28% by car; 24% by bus.
A credit to county's transit-oriented development. Also reflects post-covid drop in park & ride.
42% of Montgomery County residents who ride Metrorail during morning rush hour walk to the station. An extraordinarily high number for a US suburb.
28% by car; 24% by bus.
A credit to county's transit-oriented development. Also reflects post-covid drop in park & ride.
December 19, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Striking statistic from WMATA.
42% of Montgomery County residents who ride Metrorail during morning rush hour walk to the station. An extraordinarily high number for a US suburb.
28% by car; 24% by bus.
A credit to county's transit-oriented development. Also reflects post-covid drop in park & ride.
42% of Montgomery County residents who ride Metrorail during morning rush hour walk to the station. An extraordinarily high number for a US suburb.
28% by car; 24% by bus.
A credit to county's transit-oriented development. Also reflects post-covid drop in park & ride.
Office building in downtown DC (18th & K) under conversion to hotel.
December 19, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Office building in downtown DC (18th & K) under conversion to hotel.
I laugh also at the denial that out-of-favor fields of study kill job prospects. Academic faddism is a big problem (even in physical sciences where political overtones are rare). Here's a word cloud of recent sociology thesis topics. Something very wrong when sociology doesn't study class or status.
December 17, 2025 at 4:01 PM
I laugh also at the denial that out-of-favor fields of study kill job prospects. Academic faddism is a big problem (even in physical sciences where political overtones are rare). Here's a word cloud of recent sociology thesis topics. Something very wrong when sociology doesn't study class or status.
The city seal has both dates, and explains what each is.
But it does it in Latin.
But it does it in Latin.
December 16, 2025 at 4:15 PM
The city seal has both dates, and explains what each is.
But it does it in Latin.
But it does it in Latin.
That is the writer's account of his interview with Shor, going back and forth between direct quote and paraphrase or summary.
His views have since changed, I see, but not moved rightward. Here's his very recent statement on wealth tax:
His views have since changed, I see, but not moved rightward. Here's his very recent statement on wealth tax:
December 15, 2025 at 7:42 PM
That is the writer's account of his interview with Shor, going back and forth between direct quote and paraphrase or summary.
His views have since changed, I see, but not moved rightward. Here's his very recent statement on wealth tax:
His views have since changed, I see, but not moved rightward. Here's his very recent statement on wealth tax:
Doing better now.
December 14, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Doing better now.
First - An affiliate of the Australian company Transurban apparently owns the exclusive rights to widen the highway on the Virginia side of the bridge, which would enable them to shut out all other bidders. [screenshot from 1/29/2019 VDOT press release] www.washingtonpost.com/transportati...
December 9, 2025 at 3:20 PM
First - An affiliate of the Australian company Transurban apparently owns the exclusive rights to widen the highway on the Virginia side of the bridge, which would enable them to shut out all other bidders. [screenshot from 1/29/2019 VDOT press release] www.washingtonpost.com/transportati...
Knock-out panel designed into the Bethesda Red Line station by far-sighted* @wmata.com engineers half a century ago and opened last weekend.
Will connect to the @purplelinemd.bsky.social
Will connect to the @purplelinemd.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Knock-out panel designed into the Bethesda Red Line station by far-sighted* @wmata.com engineers half a century ago and opened last weekend.
Will connect to the @purplelinemd.bsky.social
Will connect to the @purplelinemd.bsky.social
Vision Zero accomplishments for the year, in a county of 1 million.
7 new signals (some only blinking lights)
5.9 miles of new sidewalk
4 bikeways under construction
89 traffic lights retimed
189 "resident engagement events"
7 new signals (some only blinking lights)
5.9 miles of new sidewalk
4 bikeways under construction
89 traffic lights retimed
189 "resident engagement events"
November 20, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Vision Zero accomplishments for the year, in a county of 1 million.
7 new signals (some only blinking lights)
5.9 miles of new sidewalk
4 bikeways under construction
89 traffic lights retimed
189 "resident engagement events"
7 new signals (some only blinking lights)
5.9 miles of new sidewalk
4 bikeways under construction
89 traffic lights retimed
189 "resident engagement events"
Now I have a picture. Rail being laid in the Bethesda Purple Line station.
November 18, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Now I have a picture. Rail being laid in the Bethesda Purple Line station.
WaPo editorial board launches a disgusting car-brained attack on Seattle's new mayor Katie Wilson.
"Who is Wilson? She does not own a car"
It's so bad you need to read it, so a gift link: wapo.st/4r2peP3
"Who is Wilson? She does not own a car"
It's so bad you need to read it, so a gift link: wapo.st/4r2peP3
November 17, 2025 at 4:20 PM
WaPo editorial board launches a disgusting car-brained attack on Seattle's new mayor Katie Wilson.
"Who is Wilson? She does not own a car"
It's so bad you need to read it, so a gift link: wapo.st/4r2peP3
"Who is Wilson? She does not own a car"
It's so bad you need to read it, so a gift link: wapo.st/4r2peP3
Why can't Dems get TV coverage? See this great (for other findings) paper.
TV news covers taxes on business 16 times less often than political ads discuss it. Nearly as bad for medicare, jobs & social security.
Cable news covers stock market 12 X more than political ads, Broadcast news 8 X more.
TV news covers taxes on business 16 times less often than political ads discuss it. Nearly as bad for medicare, jobs & social security.
Cable news covers stock market 12 X more than political ads, Broadcast news 8 X more.
November 9, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Why can't Dems get TV coverage? See this great (for other findings) paper.
TV news covers taxes on business 16 times less often than political ads discuss it. Nearly as bad for medicare, jobs & social security.
Cable news covers stock market 12 X more than political ads, Broadcast news 8 X more.
TV news covers taxes on business 16 times less often than political ads discuss it. Nearly as bad for medicare, jobs & social security.
Cable news covers stock market 12 X more than political ads, Broadcast news 8 X more.
Looks like the issue is a drainageway (I can't tell whether stream or swale) behind the crash barrier. Surely not its natural course, but moved there when the highway was built.
November 5, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Looks like the issue is a drainageway (I can't tell whether stream or swale) behind the crash barrier. Surely not its natural course, but moved there when the highway was built.
Local journalism is not dead! From the list of "most read" articles on the Bangor Daily News website:
November 5, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Local journalism is not dead! From the list of "most read" articles on the Bangor Daily News website:
The question is what is your religion?, with the answer classified as Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, other or none. poll.qu.edu/poll-release...
October 30, 2025 at 12:15 AM
The question is what is your religion?, with the answer classified as Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, other or none. poll.qu.edu/poll-release...
Even Le Corbusier was going to leave Notre Dame alone www.fondationlecorbusier.fr/en/work-arch...
October 26, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Even Le Corbusier was going to leave Notre Dame alone www.fondationlecorbusier.fr/en/work-arch...
The Platner thing has brought out the worst habits of both ends of the Democratic Party.
On the militantly "moderate" right, racializing all of politics to proscribe any sort of economic populism. We're back to "Breaking up the big banks won't end racism." 1/2
On the militantly "moderate" right, racializing all of politics to proscribe any sort of economic populism. We're back to "Breaking up the big banks won't end racism." 1/2
October 24, 2025 at 10:21 PM
The Platner thing has brought out the worst habits of both ends of the Democratic Party.
On the militantly "moderate" right, racializing all of politics to proscribe any sort of economic populism. We're back to "Breaking up the big banks won't end racism." 1/2
On the militantly "moderate" right, racializing all of politics to proscribe any sort of economic populism. We're back to "Breaking up the big banks won't end racism." 1/2
They have blocked off the whole southeast corner of Lafayette Park so people can't see the destruction they have wrought.
October 24, 2025 at 7:19 PM
They have blocked off the whole southeast corner of Lafayette Park so people can't see the destruction they have wrought.
This is what counts as a Class B office building in Manhattan. My father worked in this building in the 1960s and the lobby is every bit as impressive as that picture suggests. Plus it's steps from Grand Central Terminal, connected underground IIRC.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/b...
October 16, 2025 at 9:50 PM
This is what counts as a Class B office building in Manhattan. My father worked in this building in the 1960s and the lobby is every bit as impressive as that picture suggests. Plus it's steps from Grand Central Terminal, connected underground IIRC.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/b...