Photo by Eric Savage on Flickr.

Back on track

After yesterday’s shutdown, Metro is running regular service on all 6 lines this morning. Here’s what yesterday’s inspections found.  

The MetNo morning commute

These visualizations of Wednesday’s commute give a good idea of how traffic, Uber, and Capital Bikeshare fared without Metro. (Bloomberg) … Washington Business Journal lists yesterday’s transportation winners and losers.  

Shutdown standard?

Metro’s emergency shutdown could be just the beginning. In other cities like Chicago, transit agencies have shut down lines for months to fix long-standing problems. (CityLab)  

Shelter kickbacks?

Major donors to Mayor Bowser own most of the proposed homeless shelter sites. Since city leases of the sites will increase property values by as much as 10 times, these donors stand to make a lot of money. (Post)  

The Supreme Court pick on DC

Merrick Garland, President Obama’s pick for the Supreme Court, once wrote a decision denying DC voting rights in Congress. He said the issue is political, not constitutional. (City Paper)  

Life in the bike lane

Significant progress on long term trail projects and advances in safety programs for cyclists and pedestrians are just some of the ways 2015 was a good year for cycling in DC. (WABA)  

Council conflict of interest

Besides being a DC Councilmember and WMATA Board chairman, Jack Evans now works for a lobbying firm that employs some of the DC Council’s most active lobbyists. Will it create a conflict of interest? (City Paper)  

Metro didn’t start the fire

It’s not just Metro. From Flint, Michigan to Pershing Park, our society isn’t willing to maintain or rebuild infrastructure. As Phillip Kennicott writes, “We caused the Metro shutdown when we decided to let our cities decay.” (Post)  

The segregated vote

Segregation in our cities, where most black residents live in very poor neighborhoods, is a major barrier to opportunity. But Democratic voters in wealthy, single-family areas staunchly oppose letting other people into their neighborhoods. Will this trend wreck Democratic unity in the future? (NYT)