Breakfast links: New laws
DC Council resumes work
The Council will vote on a number of hot issues when it returns from recess this week: a stop to some tax sales, UberX and ridesharing legalization, a traffic camera moratorium, and an overturn of Mayor Gray’s veto on the living wage bill. (Post)
How Downtown DC came to be
Downtown DC has evolved quickly from sparsely populated to bustling in only a few decades. Efforts to mix uses, develop parking lots, and attract retail all helped transform the area. (Post)
Let riders’ voices be heard
Should Metrorail riders have more of a voice in how the service operates? The many forums on Metrobus changes offer an example. (Post)
Customer value should drive Metrorail
As an interim solution to maintenance-related delays, should Metro discount some fares? Longer-term, Metro could also focus more on how to build and retain ridership. (RPUS)
Bike lanes don’t hurt retailers
Another study finds that retail sales did not decrease after bike lanes were installed along two streets in Seattle. (Atlantic Cities, HomerS) (Tip: HomerS)
A restart of sprawl?
Although some exurban projects planned before the recession are restarting, some signs point to smart growth still being a popular choice. (NYT, Neil)
Trees illegal in Georgia?
Georgia’s legislature has banned the planting of trees within 500 feet of a billboard. The law could cause Atlanta to remove trees planted during recent streetscape improvements. (Curbed, Circle Thomas) (Tip: Circle Thomas)
And…
See how DC’s bike boom got started. (Post) … DC will participate in Park(ing) Day this Friday. (Patch) … WMATA has a new web site to promote the Silver Line and answer potential riders’ questions.