Breakfast links: Metro madness
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Metro is planning to hire an outside firm to do an audit of the organization’s structure, budget, and business practices. Metro wants to hire next month and hopes for a preliminary report within 90 days. Atlanta did the same thing 3 years ago and has since turned a budget deficit into a surplus. (WAMU)
Panic! at the Metro
An undercover Metro Police officer pointed her gun at a kid who became violent after refusing to pay his fare at Takoma station. She didn’t fire it, but riders panicked when they saw someone in plain clothes wielding a gun. (Post)
Papal pressure
During Pope Francis’ visit, Metro will provide extra trains and express busses and stop track work. Still, it’s going to be hectic. Massive crowds could mean hours of waiting at some stations, and some entrances will close altogether. (Post)
Walk for a change
The Surgeon General says we need to walk more, and that we should design places to be walkable. That’s a big departure from past federal stances that have strongly favored driving. What if we labeled unwalkable neighborhoods like we do cigarettes? (Post, Smart Growth America)
The race is on
Affordable housing is a key issue in Arlington’s County Board race. Candidates disagree on whether to pass the Affordable Housing Master Plan, which calls for more affordable units. It’s also unclear where the units would go. (ARLnow)
No crossing borders
Car2go is expanding into Arlington, but if you grab one in Virginia you can’t park it in DC or vice versa. Neither Arlington’s nor DC’s government want to allow cross-border parking, but business and residents do. (Post)
Razor sharp
Someone set booby traps made of razor blades along a popular Frederick trail, leaving runners and cyclists both scared and furious. It’s happened before, and authorities aren’t sure how to keep it from happening again. (WTOP)
And…
“Microtransit” mixes Uber with Metro to get you home faster. (BBC) … Montgomery schools won’t make high school students take final exams anymore. (Post) … The man whose leg got run over by a Metrobus driver last week has died. (WJLA)