Photo by http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8437/7826314580_b9e64de724 on Flickr.

Metro backs out of transit center

WMATA does not want to run the Silver Spring Transit Center. While they will still run Metrobuses at the facility, they’ve abandoned their plan to also use it for intercity buses. (Post)  

WMATA budget was easy

The WMATA board quickly approved its budget for 2014 with little controversy. The budget does not include a fare increase or a large subsidy increase from the jurisdictions. (Post)  

A patriotic SmarTrip

Metro will sell a commemorative Independence Day SmarTrip with a one-day pass on the card. The card is aimed at tourists, where the one-day pass helps them avoid the confusing fares. (Examiner)  

The rich parts of the Metro

Riffing off a New Yorker feature showing the income level along each stop of the NYC Subway, Chris D-P creates similar graphs for the lines of the Washington Metro. One Orange Line stop’s income is 3 times another. (City Paper)  

Out of staters take local spaces

Many residents complain that it’s because of out-of-state drivers that there are no parking spaces in their neighborhood. (Post)  

Market rate or a market?

Should a warehouse across from Navy Yard Metro be a community market? Neighbors want it, but the GSA, which owns the site, wants to get the maximum value, which likely means a larger private building on the site. (City Paper)  

Less intrusive government, only if you behave

John Mica isn’t so hot on DC budget autonomy, saying his teenagers also wanted budget autonomy, but “As long as [DC is] minding [its] P’s and Q’s … I think the government can back off.” That’s real small-

government conservatism right there. (Fox 5)  

TIGER roars

TIGER grants have been a huge success, garnering praise from across the political spectrum and encouraging innovation in transportation.  (Streetsblog)  

And…

Chicago’s bikeshare system Divvy will start in June. (Chicago Tribune) … Is it White Flint or North Bethesda? (BethesdaNow) …  Hearings on the Wheaton Costco gas station start today. (Patch, Dan. S) … Hertz On Demand joins ZipCar in Bethesda.  (RD@BR)