Afternoon roundup

Rail isn’t just for crazy lefties anymore: Two leaders of “centrist” Democratic policy organizations say high-speed rail is the solution to air traffic woes in key corridors. We know Mary Peters disagrees and Barack Obama agrees. Via Yglesias.

Time to buy in DC? The NYT’s David Leonhart thinks so. He’s argued (as have I) for years that the arguments for buying (you’re building equity, renting is throwing money away, etc.) are overblown. But now he’s bought a place in DC (as have I). Via Ryan Avent.

Street parking good, garages bad: “Old-fashioned downtowns with on-street parking are more vibrant, safer, more pedestrian-friendly and use land more efficiently than those without it, according to urban planners at the University of Connecticut who studied six New England city centers.”