Breakfast links: Hogan’s choices
Purple haze
Leaders for Montgomery and Prince George’s counties were happy when Governor Hogan conditionally approved the Purple Line, but they expressed concerns over being asked to pay for more of the project. (Post)
Red riot
The Baltimore Sun wrote a scathing editorial after Governor Hogan canceled the Red Line light rail project. The newspaper says the project would have lead to more jobs and development, yet even $900 million in federal support couldn’t save it.
Highway work
Governor Hogan committed an additional $1.35 billion for Maryland’s highways and bridges. In the Washington region, this will include I-270, the I-95/I-495 interchange at the Greenbelt Metro, and US-1 in College Park. (Post)
Metro’s next steps
After receiving the FTA report, the Metro board stated that it would quickly respond to the FTA’s required actions and perform a complete review of the understaffed Rail Operations Control Center. (Post)
Worth the cost
In 1969, before Metro was built, a study estimated that commuter time savings from the Metro would be $186 million per year. The actual benefits have been three times higher than estimated, when adjusting for today’s dollars. (PlanItMetro)
Need parking?
A proposed 200-room hotel on K Street had no plans to build parking. However, the Board of Zoning Adjustment is not on board, with Chairman Lloyd Jordan saying the no-parking trend has begun to “multiply and mushroom.” (Curbed DC)
Bad roads
A new analysis says that DC has the worst roads of any state in the nation - 92% of roads were in poor condition. DC officials dispute the rating, stating a comparison between states and a city is inherently unfair. (Post)
Fair housing win
The Supreme Court surprisingly ruled that racial housing discrimination can still be addressed under the Fair Housing Act. The court ruled that disparate impact may still inform housing policies. (CityLab)
And…
Developers want more height and density in downtown Bethesda. (Bethesda Beat) … DDOT is looking to fully reopen the 16th Street bridge on July 1. (Post) … Washington has the third worst commute of any city in the nation according to the Census Bureau. (WBJ) … VRE fares are rising by 4% starting next month. (Potomac Local)