Metrorail discovered a cracked rail on the Red Line this morning, which is causing major delays for commuters trying to get to work. more ›

The Anacostia River is the District's most often forgotten and overlooked river. Beyond being smaller than the Potomac River it eventually joins forces with, it is significantly more polluted and has been more often associated with the demographic divisions in the District. Still, one man sees the upsides of it on a daily basis. more ›

It's easy to take something for granted when you have it everyday. But when the day comes that you don't, that's when things get real. more ›

Presenting DCist's patented SmarTrip Swiping Style Guide. What type of swiper are you? more ›

Ever wonder what a bicycle sees as it winds in and out of traffic along the busy streets of the District? more ›

Remember that big road work project along New York Avenue, the one that we predicted would be "a vehicular nightmare" and suggested that drivers avoid over the course of the next two years? It sounds like some of you actually may listened! more ›

While 2010 seemed to be the year that you could hardly set foot on the Metro without bumping into someone entranced by their Kindle, the one big knock on Amazon's popular e-reader was that it did not support any kind of e-book lending program, while the Nook and Sony's e-reader did. That should change later this year. Amazon has announced that it has partnered with Overdrive to launch Kindle Library Lending at 11,000 libraries nationwide, including in the District. more ›

So when a MARC or VRE train runs into trouble and Metro offers to shuttle those riders for free -- a regular occurrence during the morning rush hour -- how much does that actually cost WMATA? That's a good question, since no one's really sure. According to this report in the Examiner, no agency keeps a reliable count of those who ride Metro for free during MARC and VRE breakdowns. It's just considered "transit courtesy," like holding open an expensive door. more ›

Did any of your kids take advantage of International Walk to School Day today? As the Washington Post notes:

Organizers says the percentage of students walking or bicycling to school in the United States has dropped from 41 percent in 1969 to 13 percent in 2001. Obesity among children, meanwhile, increased from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 19.6 percent in 2008.

Bosses, cut your commuting employees a little bit of slack: most people coming into D.C. from the suburbs had a real rough go of it this morning. From the looks of things, some decided to eschew Metro -- and its new higher fares -- in favor of their car this morning. (They chose...poorly.) Every major interstate around Washington was stuffed to the gills with vehicles this morning, due to several major accidents and high density. MARC -- who has been taking a beating after hundreds of riders were stuck for hours on a train without air conditioning last week -- ran into a bevy of issues this morning, delaying service on several lines. Traffic once you get into D.C. is no picnic, either. For what it's worth, Metrorail's reporting no problems this morning. more ›

Heads up, Columbia Heights. You know that massive, $42 million publicly funded parking lot that's been sitting largely unused underneath the DCUSA shopping center? It could soon be filling up with commuters from Maryland, thanks to a new program being offered by the District government. more ›

This Friday, May 15 is the annual national Bike to Work Day (not to be confused with D.C.'s local Car Free DC Day, which happens in September). The Washington Area Bicyclist Association is once again taking the lead in organizing this year's event locally, and they're asking those of you who plan to participate to pre-register before showing up at the relevant "pit stop" on Friday morning. Registration is free, and allows the organizers to make sure each "pit stop" has enough supplies on hand to handle the crowds. Each "pit stop" will offer free breakfast and entertainment, plus the chance to win bicycles and other prizes. Registration also makes you eligible to receive a free T-shirt (the first 7,000 registrants who show up to their pit stops will get the shirts). more ›

You may have read Eric Weiss's story in Sunday's Washington Post, which described the District's attempts to improve pedestrian safety and encourage walking and mass transit use as a "war against workers who drive into the city." There's not much more to say about it that David Alpert and Ryan Avent haven't already said. This sums it up nicely (from Avent):

Essentially, Eric Weiss went around the suburbs asking folks to bitch about the District’s efforts to make the District a better place for people who live and pay taxes in the District

I applaud your coverage of the regional transportation issues. Re-examining our choices in light of current resource presures and climate risks is increasingly important. However, as you report, please be careful not to "make the news" by framing issues from one side or the other? For example, the poll associated with this article asks "Do you agree with the city's plan to discourage people from driving into the District?" I suspect the response would be different if it read "Do you agree with the city's plan to improve air quality and pedestrian safety, and provide safe routes to school?"

The Examiner reports on a new bill before the D.C. Council that would levy a $25 per month tax on all private employee parking spaces. The legislation is the brainchild of Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham and At-large member Phil Mendelson, and is designed to discourage employees from driving in to work even though they have access to a parking space at their office. more ›