Breakfast links: Get transit-oriented
How about some Oriented Development with your Transit?
Matt Yeglesias and Ryan Avent react to yesterday’s Green Line story, noting that transit (whether MARC or Green Line) would make a lot more sense if Prince George’s and Anne Arundel committed to building real TOD around many of those stations.
Maryland agencies to become more transit-oriented
Maryland state agencies will now try to locate near transit, according to a new executive order from Governor O’Malley. If “appropriate and feasible,” new state offices and laboratories should be within a half-mile of a “fixed guideway transit station.” This is a big step for a governor who six months ago located a new Clean Energy Center about four miles from Shady Grove Metro. (Maryland Politics Watch)
City-dwelling car-loving writers riding transit
A WSJ reporter moves from a car-based lifestyle in suburban Detroit to a single-car lifestyle on Capitol Hill that includes a lot more transit and walking, and discovers some pros and some cons. A Slate writer now commutes by transit from Baltimore to Washington and stashes away all the money he’s saving to one day buy a Porsche. (WSJ, Slate, Stephen Miller) (Tip: Stephen Miller)
Inalienable right to get light poles moved?
Some new homeowners on H Street want to be able to park in their backyard, but a light pole in the alley blocks the optimal place to put a gate. The city said they would do it if the owners paid the $5,000-7,800 cost. They don’t want to. Prince of Petworth readers get into an interesting debate in the comments.
School with safer routes
A DC school, Ben W. Murch Elementary in what ЦarЬchitect calls Tobago in Ward 3, has won a national award for its Safe Routes to School program. The school reversed a policy against biking to school, built neighborhood support for new sidewalks, and helped enforce safe driving. (TheWashCycle)
Now there were three against HOT lanes
The Alexandria City Council has unanimously voted to oppose HOT lanes on I-95/395. It won’t join Arlington’s suit, but is now formally opposed. Prince William is also opposed to the lanes. (Examiner)
People not so mad about ICC tolls
Despite near constant media coverage about ICC tolls, only a dozen people showed up at a hearing on the toll rates last night in Beltsville. Meanwhile, ICC opponents keep pointing out that the road is really expensive, including some recent Gazette letter writers. One chides editors for calling those who had been warning of high tolls “desperate people,” and now suddenly warning about high tolls. (Post, Gazette)