Here's my two cents' worth on this. (OK, more like twenty cents' worth.)
1. Construction waste accounts for something like 20% of municipal solid waste
nationwide. It is not a trivial environmental impact. Neither is the
manufacture and transportation of the construction materials.
2. Even parking lots are a kind of open space. I know it is heresy to say that.
That is not to say that all parking lots serve that function, nor that they
should proliferate. And usually a park would be better. But small surface lots
in particular do loosen up the urban fabric just a little here and there in a
way that provides a kind of relief. The current T.P. metro is kind of a cross
between a park and a parking lot. It's not unpleasant.
3. In regard to density, Metro is already not able to handle the ridership that
it has. It's also a rotten experience. It's also on limited service half the
time. I avoid it when I can. I know that's heresy, too. But let's be honest
about it.
4. Unless you are a civil servant or you own your own stable business, you
can't rely on living near your work for more than a few years, until your next
job change. I have twice worked in Silver Spring as a contractor for NOAA, and
walked to work there in both cases, in all seasons. That accounts for a total
of about five of the twenty-one years that I have lived here. If you have kids
in day care, in most cases you need your car. That last one is a very strong
reality.
5. No parking at the Takoma Metro means no use of the Takoma Metro station by
people who live more than a short walk away. I guess people could park in the
Bonifant-Dixon garage in Silver Spring and get on the train there. In fact,
that is what I do whenever I do need to use the Metro. So I suppose losing that
station parking is no big deal.
6. Living where I do, for most of the twenty-one years that I have been in
T.P., I used Silver Spring for most commercial needs. Now it is much less so
for me. It is no longer possible to move around there by car. It's overbuilt
and too congested. Every trip is interrupted by construction, or just plain
traffic. You could say I should go on foot, but I am not going to do that for,
say, grocery shopping, because I don't want to be doing that every two days, or
carrying milk for a half hour in 90-degree weather. Or when I am busy and I
need something from the hardware store. For an hour's walk on a nice day, sure.
For practical purposes, no.
Does this add up to a policy argument against the development? No, because I
have not carefully studied the issues. Plus, even with careful study of the
issues, how you come out depends on what you think is important among valid
competing concerns.
Does it mean that, honestly, that I would greatly prefer it if the project just
goes away? Honestly, yes.
Richard CemberBoston Ave.
