Traditionally Christmas decorations stay up through New Year's Day, which means today is the official start of the "chucking your dried-up tree onto the sidewalk without regard for your neighbors or trash collection schedule" season. Allow DCist to help point you in the proper direction for Christmas tree disposal. more ›

Adams Morgan residents on the streets surrounding the new Harris Teeter received official notice at the end of last week that the District Department of Transportation is changing the flow of traffic to accommodate the anticipated increase in cars on the surrounding residential streets. As it stands right now, all three streets that bound the block containing the store are two-way thoroughfares. As of January 21, they'll all become one-way. As detailed in the letter: more ›

Tomorrow morning marks the annual running of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The race, which takes place on the National Mall, begins at 8 a.m., with several pre-race events as well. To accommodate the 50,000 people expected to participate, Metro will begin operating two hours early, at 5 a.m., with trains running every 12 minutes from the end of each line. Metro has not scheduled any track maintenance during the day on... more ›

Beware, there's a vigilante pothole filler on the loose, and he’s strewing gravel all over D.C. streets. If you bicycle, skateboard, or rollerblade, keep your eyes open and your first aid kit handy. I was on my bike yesterday, coming up P Street to its intersection with 14th Street NW. There was no cross traffic on 14th Street, but the light was red. No matter, I thought, until I saw a cop parked ahead of... more ›

By DCist contributor Matt Pelkey "Out of the way, you slow f#@%!" Everyone’s probably yelled something to that effect from behind the wheel of a car. Following tomorrow’s launch of D.C.'s new traffic calming program, you may find yourself cursing dawdlers on the road more often. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) are launching the D.C. Neighborhood Pace Car Program, in which drivers voluntarily sign a pledge to... more ›

UPDATE: DDOT has also postponed the previously scheduled closures of the inbound lanes on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge this weekend to accommodate the marathon. DDOT has rescheduled the bridge work for next weekend, weather permitting. Nearly 5,000 runners will take to District roads tomorrow to compete in the Wirefly National Marathon. The race is set to start at 6:30 AM at RFK Stadium. As it takes runners through every quadrant of the city,... more ›

Last June we reported that the Georgetown waterfront, which has never been much of a gem, was finally starting to take shape. Specifically, the Georgetown Waterfront Park, three decades in the making, had finally jumped through the last of its bureaucratic hoops and would soon see a parking lot coverted to green space. But for what was left of 2006, nothing much happened. The parking lot remained. Late last week we saw that the parking... more ›

D.C. has one, Chris Rock joked about them and there are entire books about them: streets named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Yesterday CNN posted an article about streets named for the civil rights leader, saying there are at least 777 in the country. The article says that Rock's joke and the stereotype about King streets, that they're poor and dangerous, may not be true. It quotes Matthew Mitchelson, a University of Georgia... more ›

If there was one mystery few District residents and visitors ever managed to solve, it was the city's infamous taxicab zone map. Geographically confusing and lacking in detail, the map was supposed to give passengers a hint as to where one zone ended and the next began, though it usually resulted in a headache and a feeling of dread that the $10.30 in change you had scrounged up wouldn't be enough to get home. more ›

As we reported yesterday, the District has released a brand-spankin-new city map including Metro stations, taxicab zones, snow and emergency routes and bicycle trails. And as the District Department of Transportation tells us, our fair city's bicycle lane offerings have increased from a mere 3 miles in 1999 to the 25 miles we enjoy today. But the more that bicycles become a primary mode of transport, the more that drivers and cyclists alike will have... more ›

While D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty officially pays tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today at the University of the District of Columbia, one question comes to mind -- how well has the District actually guarded and promoted King's legacy? Given the state of a library and an avenue named after the famed civil rights fighter, not too well. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library stands as a contradiction at the corner of Ninth... more ›

If you're both crazy for those dense poundcakes at Starbucks and a bit of a health nut, today is a good day -- the behemoth coffee retailer has announced that starting today, its stand-alone shops in the District will ditch food made with trans fats. more ›

If you've been walking past the intersection of 14th and S streets NW recently (or checked out the small photo we ran in today's Morning Roundup and wondered what it was) you've probably noticed the new, patterned crosswalk in the road that dots the streets with white swirls and colorful stars. We got curious as to what exactly it was (Borf making a dramatic comeback, maybe?), how exactly it got there, and if it... more ›

Last weekend I was riding my bike down 2nd Street NE towards East Capitol Street when a particularly aggressive driver decided that I had no right to be on the road. A shout, a flicked finger, and a week later, the District Department of Transportation has announced that it's going to start reminding drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians to relax a little -- the road belongs to us all. According to a press release, DDOT... more ›

Yesterday, the Post declared support for 1960s-style urbanism dead. No longer, they say, are we to be held hostage by soaring freeways, concrete office blocks, and the utter deadness of the streets and neighborhoods ushered in by the age of the car. Finally, we've learned how vital it is to encourage pedestrian traffic and to take advantage of our waterfront resources; We understand that you cannot design cities around automobile use. Except where the Whitehurst... more ›

When we found out earlier this year that Richard White, WMATA's troubled general manager, would be replaced by District Department of Transportation Director Dan Tangherlini, we were happy. Tangherlini had long been known for being approachable and affable, a young and ambitious civil servant dedicated to improving service and quality in his day-to-day functions. Those qualities translated quickly into his work at Metro, where he visited with the rank and file, encouraged riders to offer... more ›

The D.C. Jail -- officially known as the Central Detention Facility -- stands sandwiched into a corner on the easternmost edge of Capitol Hill. Located on Reservation 13 alongside the old D.C. General Hospital, it is bordered on one side by the Anacostia River waterfront, on another side by the historic Congressional Cemetery, on a third side by 19th Street, standing directly across from a quiet and picturesque residential neighborhood. Neighborhood residents -- this DCist... more ›

Forgetful drivers be warned -- this is not the week to not wear your seatbelt. The Metropolitan Police Department has announced that through June 4 they will be stepping up enforcement of the city's seatbelt laws, violations of which can result in a $50 fine and two points on your license. The District Department of Transportation has reported that seatbelt usage in the District stands at 89 percent -- leaving 11 percent of drivers... more ›

At a Bike to Work Day rally on Freedom Plaza this morning, the District Department of Transportation's Acting Director Michelle Pourciau announced the launching of a new website that would pool resources and information for area commuters. more ›

We've always been big fans of cycling. Spare the somewhat aggressive drivers, pothole-ridden city streets and rock throwing kids we occasionally have to navigate, the District remains a cycle-friendly city. Though many commuters don't often jump on their bikes to get to and from work, tomorrow should be the one day to do so -- it's Bike to Work Day. Sponsored locally by the Washington Area Bicycle Association, the event caps off National Bike Month,... more ›

It seems that the District Department of Public Works is about to wave the white flag in the battle against litter. In an announcement posted today on the District's official website, DPW reminds residents that fighting litterbugs is "still an annual struggle" and asks for ideas on how to better wage the war. As a starting point, they link to a 2004 survey of litter and anti-litter efforts in New Jersey, indicating that some of... more ›

Under the leadership of former WMATA Chief Richard White, the transit agency wasn't known for being particularly user-friendly. And while steps were taken to open the agency to commuter advice and scrutiny in White's latter years -- townhall meetings were hosted, online chats occurred and the Riders Advisory Council was created -- Metro seemed somewhat insulated from the day-to-day troubles that its many riders experienced. more ›

It's somewhat ironic if you think about it -- a celebration of the country's interstate highway system in a train station. But that's where the District Department of Transportation has chosen to mark the 50th anniversary of the interstate highways that helped changed the course of the United States. more ›

While the D.C. Council debated the smoking ban for restaurants and bars over the course of last year, civil libertarians intoned against using the power of the state against lifestyle choices, be they smoking, drinking or fatty foods. Last week some of their worst fears briefly came true. On Friday the Examiner reported that the Metropolitan Police Department had to order its officers not to enforce the smoking ban -- which went into effect in... more ›

Thanks to a reader's tip and an article in today's Examiner, we find that Verizon's first foray into graffiti ads has ended badly -- the telecommunications company is being fined by the District for "illegal advertising on public space." more ›

There is a guerilla advertising group that is paid to place graffiti advertising on sidewalks in public space. Another location was identified to me yesterday. It was orange and was a Verizon advertisement. Now I understand there are two on Connecticut Avenue sidewalks in Woodley Park, near the Chipotle and Mr. Chen's. I would appreciate it if anyone sees such advertisement would E-mail me with its location so that we can ensure it is removed and the parties properly sanctioned. You may reach me at denise (dot) wiktor (at ) dc (dot) gov.

Discussions over the future of illegal Sunday parkers around places of worship have gone on for months now, with varying amounts of venom coming from all sides. Having heard the discussion, the District Department of Transportation has begun moving toward taking action. Yesterday, the DDOT released its "New Religious Parking Policy," and invited residents to comment on the proposals. According to the press release issued, DDOT proposes that it undertake the following: more ›

In case you've had your fill of numbered streets and avenues named after states, the District just might have some new thoroughfare nomenclature for you. According to the Examiner, the D.C. Council is considering legislation that would rename various city streets after U.S. territories in the Pacific. According to the legislation, M Street in Southeast between 11th and Water Streets would become "Guam Avenue" and "Samoa Avenue." An as-of-now unnamed circle west of 12th Street... more ›

Today is Richard White's last day at WMATA. As you may recall, it was a little over a month ago that the transit agency decided that White had overstayed his welcome, replacing him with District Department of Transportation Director Dan Tangherlini. more ›

In response to allegations that existing state law banning gay marriage hasn't gone far enough in protecting traditional marriages from corrosive homosexual influences, Virginia is now considering further defining marriage as only being between a man and a woman, reports WJLA. We thought that Virginia had made their opposition to gay marriage clear enough last year with their endorsement of "Traditional Marriage" license plates, but it's always good to err on the side of excess.... more ›