Thursday, September 18, 2008

what's up the pike: back in the saddle

If there's anything I'm learning from working at a newspaper, it's that words are a terrible thing to waste. So . . . yeah. Here's a look at what's happening Up The Pike:

- The Maryland Department of Planning will be holding a town hall-style meeting this evening to discuss its Smart Growth policy. If you want a say in how Maryland develops in the coming decades, come out and talk to the people who write the plans. The meeting, one of six being held around the state, starts at 6:30 at Blake High School in Cloverly.

- Adam Pagnucco, JUTP friend and blogger at Maryland Politics Watch, will be interviewed by Brad Rourke and Cindy CG on Rockville Central Radio, a weekly show from the blog of the same name. They'll be talking about - what else? - local politics, with an emphasis on MPW's recent series on the near-collapse of the Gazette newspapers. Check it out this Friday at noon.

- Washington Adventist received a special exception from the Montgomery County Board of Appeals to build a new facility on Plum Orchard Drive in Calverton, bringing the 100-year-old hospital one step closer to moving from its current location in Takoma Park. Next up: a site plan review by the Planning Board in November; after that, the proposal goes before the Maryland Health Care Commission next year.

- Following the death of a pedestrian at Fairland and East Randolph roads earlier this month, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation plans an in-depth examination of the mostly two-lane road between Colesville and Calverton. "I give you my word on that . . . what we want to do is fix it," says department director Art Holmes. One clear solution we thought of would be roundabouts, which were recently completed on Fairland east of Columbia Pike. They don't impede traffic the way stoplights do, but they do force drivers to slow down, making it easier for pedestrians and local residents to move around the neighborhood.

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