Photo by stantontcady on Flickr.

ICYMI

FTA has demanded that Metro rearrange the SafeTrack schedule to focus on three specific sections of track first. Metro says they’ll make the changes, but it’s going to take a little longer to finalize the plan. (GGWash, City Paper)  

Bring on the buses

The Downtown BID president is calling for robust late-night bus service if Metro must close by midnight during SafeTrack rebuilding. (Post)  

Homeless families on the rise

DC has 31% more homeless families than last year. A combination of rent increases, low housing availability, and stagnant wages have contributed to the increase. (WAMU)  

Car2go2more places

Car2go users in DC and Arlington can pick up or drop off cars in either jurisdiction starting on May 26. Car2go hopes the move will boost lagging sign-ups and trips in Arlington. (UrbanTurf)  

From retail to residence

Two friends are cataloguing pictures of Capitol Hill homes that used to be retail, before a 1958 zoning law slowly drove most retail out of the neighborhood. (Citylab)  

Tall Oaks short on retail

A developer will transform the Tall Oaks Shopping Center in Reston into mostly residential units. Area residents really want a grocery store, but the developer and Fairfax County say the shopping center can’t support it. (RestonNow)  

Make the grade

Montgomery County will use a new grading system that generously rounds up students’ average grade to the next letter grade. School officials say the system is better for college admissions, but some teachers are concerned about grade inflation. (Post)  

Gaithersburg, the most diverse city

Gaithersburg is the most diverse city in America according to one study that considered social class, racial, economic, and household diversity. (DCist)  

Traffic nightmare or hidden art?

An artist tried to simplify some of the world’s most complicated traffic interchanges by assigning a different color to each individual road. He wound up with some surprisingly beautiful images. (Co.Design)  (Tip: KC)  

And…

The future of a 1,000 bed homeless shelter in DC is unclear as a federal requirement to use the space for the homeless ends this year. (Street Sense) … Congress will question DC Home Rule and budget autonomy in a hearing today. (City Paper) … University of Maryland students wish College Park had closer grocery stores. (The Diamondback)