From Michelle Lancaster

What Does $32K Get You In DC?

New Economic Security Survey Says Quite a Bit

A new cost-of-living analysis for the region reported in The Washington Post indicates that for single people without kids, DC is surprisingly the cheapest living option. Though the report includes some assumptions that may not be true for all DC residents – not having a car, for instance – and most Hill staffers will admit that their first paycheck doesn’t go that far at all, the report suggests that the District is the cheapest jurisdiction in the metro area.

Going one step further, the report also includes key data on the growing gap between top earners and bottom earners that could (and should) shape future city policies to improve economic security.

Pedestrian Safety in DC

DDOT and USDOT Intervene After Rash of Pedestrian Deaths

As DC ponders ways to improve streets, the last two weeks indicate that something is amiss for those traveling on DC streets. We reported on Kiela Ryan, the young woman hit and killed in Dupont, in last week’s round up. TBD on Foot has a full recap of the additional tragedies from the past several days and today’s DOT discussion, which placed much of the blame on cell phones.

14th and U Streetscape Plan

What’s There & What’s Missing

Greater Greater Washington has the most detailed review of the proposed plans for sidewalks and streets around the 14th and U intersection. Bus bulb outs and bike lanes have garnered a lot of praise and attention, but do the plans go far enough to provide residents a better streetscape for travel and civic space? Check out the comments for a microcosm of how residents view the Reeves Center area.

‘Sex Test’ Raises Furor

Or Does It?

Georgetown Dish filed the initial report, citing parental outrage at the “graphic” nature of a “sex test” survey administered to Hardy Middle School students. TBD’s Amanda Hess has the response from sponsor Metro TeenAIDS, whose director takes issue with the number of complaints. Check out both reports. What do you think about the survey? Let us know in the comments below.

Top DC News Out of the Borderstan Area

DC Cop Hits Transformers 3 “Bumblebee”

The filming of several scenes for Transformers 3 has several city streets shut down this week. Despite posting all the closures, it appears that a DC police SUV made it through the closures while responding to reports of a suspicious package. While en route, the SUV was T-boned by the yellow ‘Bumblebee’, one of the “good guys” (or Autobots, for those of you watching cartoons in the ’80’s). I am trying to ignore the irony, since in the first movie, a “bad guy”/Decepticon was a police cruiser. DCist has the video and report.