Breakfast links: Deck party
OP wants to restore a L’Enfant avenue
The Office of Planning suggests decking over the railroad tracks on Maryland Ave SW from 12th St to 7th Street. The avenue would be recreated as a grand boulevard leading to the Capitol. (SWTLQTC)
Sidewalk cafes bloom downtown
One benefit of DC’s wide sidewalks is extra space for sidewalk seating at restaurants. Despite predictions of mayhem, DC’s first sidewalk cafe opened 50 years ago Monday at 13th & E Sts NW. Recently, the number of venues with sidewalk seating downtown has jumped from 95 in 2009 to 135 this year. (Post)
Walter Reed charging forward
With Walter Reed’s closure, the District is moving fast to nail down its final proposal for the site. A bus garage to replace the existing two is unlikely. An ANC commissioner is skeptical that more retail will be successful and doesn’t like the prospect of new buildings fronting Georgia Ave. (City Paper)
Metro counts bikes
WMATA took a bike census at all of its stations to count the number of bikes on racks, the number of empty racks, and the number of bikes locked up nearby. Vienna’s racks were full, forcing cyclists to lock up nearby. (PlanItMetro)
SUVgate, Congressional edition
Congress wants to cut spending; how about starting with their own car leases, paid for by the government? At least 90 House members including Eleanor Holmes Norton have government-funded car leases. (Fox 5)
DC strikes oil in burgers
DC will get its first biodiesel plant. Local restaurant grease will be recycled into fuel and will lower delivery costs since the nearest biodiesel plant is 150 miles away. (City Paper)
Discuss R Street bike lane, east of river Circulator
A special meeting of ANC 5C tonight will discuss the R Street bike lane connecting to the Metropolitan Branch Trail. (ANC 5C05) … DDOT will meet again with residents to get feedback on the circulator route east of the Anacostia.
And…
4 Metro employees were arrested for defrauding the agency. (Post) … Maryland is installing a speed camera on a work zone in I-270. (Post) … Councilmember Yvette Alexander was fined $4,000 for misuse of her constituent service fund. She was cleared of more serious allegations. (City Paper)