Breakfast links: Take it away
PG policy: No ped safety unless there are more peds
College Park wants a yellow blinker replaced with a traffic light at a crosswalk along the College Park Trolley Trail that’s had three recent crashes. But Prince George’s County doesn’t want to do it because there aren’t enough pedestrians for federal standards, and says College Park shouldn’t have put a crosswalk in at all, instead trying to force pedestrians and bicyclists around the long way. (TheWashCycle)
Leasebacks still squeezing cities
Remember those terrible leaseback deals, where local transit agencies sold assets to banks and got tax benefits, but then found themselves squeezed when AIG collapsed and banks saw an opportunity for a quick windfall by exploiting the terms of the deals? They’re still there, cash-strapped jurisdictions like Detroit, Chicago, and New Jersey are having to pay up to millions a month, and some in Congress are still trying to fix it. (BusinessWeek)
That would be enough bike infrastructure
Why stop at the occasional contraflow bike lane? One Post letter writer suggests dedicating every other street in downtown DC to bicycles. Cars and trucks going to buildings on the bike blocks could still use the streets. (Post via WashCycle)
Coming soon to DC neighborhoods
5th Street, NW is getting a bike lane (CCCA via DCist) … Waterfront Station, the new development at Waterfront Metro, is getting a green roof (SWDCBlog) … 14th and R is getting condos. (WBJ via 14th and You)
Chat with Gabe Klein
DDOT Director Gabe Klein is doing a live chat at 12:30. You can submit questions ahead of time to ddotpublicaffairs@dc.gov.
On two coasts
Providence, Rhode Island has reclaimed 20 acres around its downtown and waterfront by relocating Interstate 195 (NY Times, A.M.) … Los Angeles opened eight new Gold Line stations. (LA Times) (Tip: A.M.)
Rule 1, don’t hit other trains
Yesterday’s Onion “What Do You Think?” discusses possible federal oversight of transit safety.