Breakfast links: Get educated
The Henderson plan
Improving proficiency, increasing graduation rates, getting more residents to go to traditional public schools, and just making students like school are Chancellor Henderson’s 5-year goals for DCPS. (Washington Times)
When to mix, when to separate
DDOT’s bike study recommends adding special bicycle signals and better pavement markings, and several more specifics. The study also concludes “mixing zones” work best when there are few turning vehicles and separated phases when there are many. (WashCycle)
UIP helps, hurts affordable housing
Urban Investment Partners has built a lucrative business around getting tenants to waive purchase rights, making major renovations, and promising to keep rents low for existing tenants while charging a lot more for new ones. Some affordable housing gets preserved, but much is lost. (City Paper)
Barracks Row getting more barracks
The Marine Corps has decided it has to buy more property on or around Barracks Row. They have narrowed down to 3 likely sites, 2 on 8th Street and 1 at 11th and M. The Virginia Avenue community garden, a site in the running earlier, is likely safe. (WBJ, JDLand)
Pedicab detante solidifies
NPS and pedicab operators had a surprisingly productive talk over proposed regulations. Though first met with skepticism, by meeting’s end it seemed that insurance requirements were the only major sticking point. (TBD)
Williams on top
Former mayor Anthony Williams wil lead the Federal City Council, a business-led group that’s promoted some valuable improvements in the past, but whose transportation focus often centers on suburban CEOs driving into the city. (Post)
CSI: Blog
TV investigators identify objects using magic databases that flash each item on the screen. In real life, they can use blog commenters. Jalopnik readers helped Waynesboro, VA police identify a car part, leading to an arrest in a fatal hit-and-run.
Build a bridge
Thanks to new techniques, bridges can be replaced in a matter of days or weeks, rather than the months to years construction projects used to take. (NYT)
And…
A tiny, 130-square-foot house is making the rounds in DC as a home of the future. (DCMud) … College Park Metro station just opened an experimental enclosed and locked bike garage. (Patch) … Metro is inspecting all of its defibrillators after one failed to perform during an emergency, allowing the passenger to die. (Examiner)