Breakfast links: The results are in
Barnes, Burda win in Chevy Chase
Linna Barnes and Pat Burda defeated David Eason and Deborah Vollmer for Town of Chevy Chase Town Council. Burda is a staunch opponent of the Purple Line, while Barnes seems to be somewhere in the middle. Eason, a Republican, had announced his opposition to spending more money to fight the Purple Line. (Maryland Politics Watch)
And over in Alexandria
The City of Alexandria also elected City Council candidates, which brought the first Republican to the Council in three years. Streetcar booster Tim Lovain didn’t win reelection. Independent Alicia Hughes and Republican Frank Fannon were the only two candidates to condemn BRT lanes on Route 1, while the incumbents didn’t talk transportation much, according to the Parker-Gray Growl. That limited amount of information doesn’t clarify what they want instead of BRT; Hughes’ Web site touts “Smart Growth” and public transportation, while Fannon’s site doesn’t mention transportation. (The Parker-Gray Growl)
Bike paths only good if they block trains?
The Town of Chevy Chase opposes a new bike path along 47th Street and Willow Lane to connect to Bethesda. (Gazette)
Two ped triangles in the Triangle
Not only is DDOT creating a nice triangular pedestrian plaza at the northwest corner of 5th and Mass, they’re enlarging the existing one at the southeast corner too. (The Triangle)
HSR could unify mega-regions
Richard Florida looks at the current travel times among cities in the U.S.‘s “mega-regions,” and the potential effects of high-speed rail. (The Atlantic, David C) (Tip: David C)
Where’s my $30?
The SmarTrip machine only gave Lena Sun $200 even though she upped the monthly amount to $230, as allowed by the recent federal law. (Get There)
Pay by phone in MoCo?
Pay-by-phone parking could be coming to Montgomery’s municipal parking. The County Council is considering a pilot program for some on-street meters and off-street garages in Bethesda. (Gazette)
Angelenos debate Getty parking hike
LA’s Getty Museum raised the parking fee to $15. Some outraged residents decried this as an “admission fee,” while others pointed out that the more people carpool, the less they save
pay per person, and the real problem is that the Getty has very poor transit access largely due to its hilltop location.