Breakfast links: Still waiting
Silver Line will be delayed again
The MWAA is expected to announce that the Silver Line will be delayed again while the automatic train control system undergoes repairs. The delay will push the opening at least until July. Meanwhile, Phase II will likely receive federal funding. (WTOP, Post)
Better cycling will follow Silver Line
The new Reston Master Plan promotes bicycling and walking near the Silver Line stations by increasing connections across and south of the Dulles Toll Road. (FABB)
Streetcar’s opponents forget history
The Columbia Pike streetcar follows the development template set by the Metro Blue and Orange Lines, which has brought businesses and prosperity to Arlington, a letter writer says. (ArlNow)
Gray’s plan could worsen homeless troubles
The mayor’s new plan to rapidly re-house homeless families, even for just a few days on a relative’s couch, will free up shelters but will not help families find stability. (DCFPI)
Meet the new planning boss
DC’s Office of Planning has a new (interim) head now that Harriet Tregoning has left: Rosalynn Hughey. She previously served as Deputy Director of Citywide and Neighborhood Planning. (OPinions)
New building could provide flexible units
A future project in Capitol Hill may be DC’s first flexible apartment building. Prefabricated modular units could be reconfigured from 1-bedrooms to 2-bedrooms and studios depending on demand. (UrbanTurf)
Pedestrian deaths are no accident
An analysis of Philadelphia’s ten most dangerous blocks for pedestrians reveals that better access to transit stations and narrower driving lanes are key to achieving “Vision Zero”: an end to traffic deaths. (Next City)
Winter weather felt days later
Large temperature swings have brought a plague of potholes to the region this winter, making streets treacherous even after the snow has been cleared. (Post)
You matter
The National Park Service agrees that Franklin Park should serve local residents’ needs as well as those of visitors. This appears to be a big step up from statements their former spokesperson made in 2011. (WAMU)
Far from Folsom prison…
Fairfax County is redeveloping a former prison into a mixed-use neighborhood that will preserve many historic buildings, including watchtowers and walls. (WBJ)
Reinventing America’s oldest railroad
When the B&O built the first railroad in the US, some Baltimore neighborhoods were permanently cut off from a nearby park. A new proposal seeks to repair the 184-year-old wrong. (Baltimore Brew, Fern) (Tip: Fern)
And…
Have we reached peak Walmart? (Strong Towns) … To control public uprisings, eliminate public squares. (Atlantic Cities) … Work begins on the M Street Cycletrack. (Washcycle) … New York Mayor Bill de Blasio says “height and density” will be needed to provide enough affordable housing. (Capital NY)