Foggy Bottom, The Daily Feed, WTF?!

SUV vs. Traffic Island

Snow. It turns us into adventurers. Some of us bundle up to walk the chill, white, stormy landscape like Arctic explorers, braving wind and cold for photos or milk and bread.

And others among us get adventure by roaring out of parking spaces and skidding over slush so that our big black Nissan Pathfinder SUVs end up jumping service road traffic islands in Foggy Bottom, skidding further to straddle the traffic islands like a large, obnoxious, diagonal monorail, before finally triumphing over traffic regulations and common sense.

Snow. It also turns some of us into bemused spectators.

Alexandria, All Politics is Local, News, People, Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, WTF?!

Joe McCain Calls 911 to Complain About Traffic

Strike one: Calling 911 to complain about I-95 traffic. Strike two: Cursing out the operator when he asks why you’re calling 911 to complain about traffic. Strike three: Voice mail greeting saying you’re working on a “very important family political project.” Joe The McCain, you’re out.

News, The Daily Feed

Ristorante Piccolo Fire

A fire has destroyed Ristorante Piccolo on 31st St NW in Georgetown. The call came in at 5:16 AM and DCFD has extinguished the fire by now, but the report is that the restaurant is totalled, crews are still on scene, and traffic in the area of Wisconsin and M St NW area is a mess.

More from WUSA9, WJLA, NBC4, and FOX5.

Update: Russell has a picture from the scene this morning.

Arlington, Essential DC, Talkin' Transit, WMATA

Transit: Memorial Memo

Photo courtesy of tsmyther
Pentagon, courtesy of tsmyther

The Pentagon will open the first of three memorials for the victims of the September 11 attacks on Thursday. The memorial will be available to visitors 24 hours a day.

A dedication ceremony will be given tomorrow morning; the site will open to the public in the evening.

If you’re planning on driving / commuting near the Pentagon tomorrow, there’s some things you need to know.

Continue reading

Essential DC, Talkin' Transit

Talkin’ Transit: Capital Connectivity

Photo courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik
Traffic, courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik

Yesterday was “Terrible Traffic Tuesday” – the dreaded day after Labor Day when everyone in the region hits the rush hour roads after the summer stretch of vacations.

However, some good news came out yesterday for commuters from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. While it may not be as beltway-shattering as new construction projects or Metro passenger records, it’s still pretty important.

Yesterday, the council unveiled their newly revamped Commuter Connections website. Continue reading

Foggy Bottom, The Daily Feed, The Great Outdoors, WTF?!

Press Button, Receive Mud

It’s usually pretty simple to get across Rock Creek Parkway when walking between Washington Harbour and Foggy Bottom near the Watergate (map) — the button to get a WALK light is actually responsive, and vehicular traffic at that particular location is unusually generous to pedestrians for a DC intersection.

But when it rains, then comes the challenge: the button lies behind a muddy moat (okay, puddle) through which one must wade and risk the wetting of feet and pants legs to get a WALK light.

Muddy Crossing Button

And it gets worse in winter, when the puddle freezes over. Can someone get that paved, please?