Breakfast links: For a safer system
Metro’s crime spike
An FBI report confirms that the number of robberies and aggravated assaults increased in the Metrorail and Metrobus systems in 2015. (WTOP)
No new fares
New WMATA board chair and DC councilmember Jack Evans wants to avoid fare increases at all costs in the near future. He cites his home in Georgetown as the reason he doesn’t use Metro often, but is willing to give the buses a try. (WTOP)
Unnecessary shutdown
A former SEPTA executive from Philadelphia says WMATA’s policy of shutting down Metro after eight inches of snowfall doesn’t make sense. Other strategies and a smarter operating culture could have kept Metro open. (Post)
Blizzard’s hefty price tag
January’s snowstorm is estimated to cause at least half a billion dollars in economic damage to the Washington region, but is unlikely to negatively affect the region’s long-term economic outlook. (Post)
Where’s our interchange?
Montgomery County officials aren’t too happy about delays in a project to add an interchange at I-270 and Watkins Mill Road near Gaithersburg and say it could harm development in the area. (WAMU)
New afforable housing projects
Mayor Muriel Boswer has announced $82.2 million in funding for 12 affordable housing projects that will house up to 1,760 city residents and include a mix of preservation projects and new construction. (DCist)
Picking Purple Line builders
Maryland could announce its choice for a contractor to build the Purple Line as soon as the end of February. The MTA has been working with WMATA to select plans that limit the impact of construction on Metro. (WTOP)
Marriott’s decision deadline
Marriott hopes to conclude its search for a new, Metro-accessible urban headquarters by the end of 2016. (WBJ)
No ballot initiative
A District judge blocked a $15-per-hour minimum wage ballot initiative due to the lack of term limits on Board of Elections members. Some worry the ruling could question the validity of popular recent initiatives. (City Paper)
Memorial sneak peek
The planned World War I memorial at Pershing Park in DC will feature an 81-foot-long sculptural relief wall and freestanding sculptural figures, and will retain a statue of its namesake general. (Washingtonian)