Show us the Data

Miranda Spivack has an interesting article in today’s Washington Post. While the focus is on the enormous Gaithersburg West Master Plan being pushed by Johns Hopkins, there are some nuggets in the article that clearly show the thinking of this Planning Board and Planning Department. The Hopkins Science City could create 23,000 new jobs, according to those favoring the plan. Here in the White Flint Sector, the magic number is 20,000 new jobs. At least at the "Science City" we know where the jobs will come from. Here in White Flint we just have the magic number. And, not a peep from the representatives of those on the East side of the County, Nancy Navarro and Valerie Ervin, asking, why 20,000 new jobs on the west side of the County? Why not any job creation on the East side of the County?

And here’s another nugget. When looking at real numbers and data, Planning Department Director Rollin Stanley is quoted as saying, “Don’t even look at them.” Where have we heard that before? Ignore the data, ignore the numbers. In fact, don’t even provide data. That’s where we are with the White Flint Sector Plan. Where are the data to support the huge mode share percentages promised?  Not even the council staff believes the promises. We already have people living within ¼ and ½ mile of the White Flint Metro station. So, how do those people get to work? Do they bike? Do they walk? Take the metro? Show us the data. Show us some evidence that this plan will work.