A thought or two about Annapolis and another thought about "nimbyism"

Mostly I just visit cities, so sometimes I forget how much that shapes my thinking.

For example, even though Annapolis has bus service: (1) commuter buses between DC and Annapolis, and maybe other places; (2) some regular MTA service; and (3) some Annapolis Transit service (which stops running at 7 pm); it doesn't appear to have comprehensive bus service. And the last bus back to DC leaves around 6:20 pm.

I went on a couple tours today and while they might be fascinating for Marylanders, I've seen this stuff before. But given that I am a sponge for learning, I can always generate new insights.

Here's one. What do you do with compact development and dense development in an environment when almost everyone drives--when there are few alternatives to the car? There is no subway, etc.

There is a development on upper West Street that will have a 225 room hotel, 250 units of condominiums, 50,000 square feet of retail, and a lot of office development AND a parking structure for over 1,000 cars.

Of course, everyone will drive. That would even make me a nimby.

Transportation Demand Management, which I advocate for at the drop of a hat, is hardly possible, other than promoting some bicycling, car sharing, car pooling, and bus use.

On the other hand, as a community, the core of Annapolis defines walkability. The core is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous, and they make the right decisions on streetscape issues. Some of the new construction is godawful, but there is a modicum of modernist stuff that even I find attractive.

According to one of the volunteers on the tour, this Park Place development (I brought my computer and camera but forgot the cable to connect the two) is 3/4 of a mile from the City Dock. (It seems a bit farther but it's still walkable.)

This leads to point two. ANNAPOLIS needs a transit strategy. They probably have one, but still.. Maybe I wouldn't recommend extending the Orange WMATA line to Annapolis, but hey the San Diego Trolley goes to Tiajuana... Certainly, in their own baliwick, they need to jump on the streetcar movement.

This leads to getting Annapolis transit advocates, if there are some, participating in my proposed annual transit advocates conference. I've said this proposed conference should alternate years between DC and the the Baltimore region, but I suppose we could shift it around--meet in places like Annapolis as well as Richmond.

But apparently, Anne Arundel County isn't big on rail transit because they think it brings crime -- the "loot" rail argument.

They are making a mistake. Annapolis is going to become Len Sullivan's (NARPAC) car-centric "nirvana." And unlike Len Sullivan, they will learn it is not utopia, but merely disgusting.

As the volunteer said to me--one someone spends 30 minutes sitting in their car stuck in traffic, they see the utility to walking--and they can then afford to eat dessert...!

Index Keywords: urban-design-placemaking; transit