Breakfast links: Metro’s making an effort
SafeTrack doesn’t fix it all
Despite the substantial progress Metro has made on repairs via SafeTrack, the system is still plagued by delays that riders have, unfortunately, come to expect. It is clear that there is still much more to fix at Metro than the track hardware that SafeTrack is focused on. (WAMU)
Metro’s back-breaking backlog
Metro’s maintenance backlog reached a staggering 80,000 work orders earlier this year. Open orders have been cut in half but electeds have criticized Metro’s comparatively high labor costs and union contract. (Post)
Metro money land
Metro is looking to sell land right next to the Largo Town Center Metro for a cool $8 million. This is the latest in a string of Metro-accessible land sales rolled out since Paul Wiedefeld took over as general manager. (WBJ)
Uber for the commute
Uber launched a feature called Driver Destinations, which lets drivers pick up people along a set route. The hope is to get typical car commuters to drive for Uber, not just those who treat it as a full-time job. (NBC4)
Co-working works
Co-working office space accounts for nearly half the leases signed in DC over the last 1.5 years. DC is on pace to have an oversupply of commercial space due to new construction and organizations downsizing leases. (WTOP)
AirBnB argument
A new law in Montgomery County could legalize and limit short-term rentals via services like Airbnb. Confused civic associations think the law would increase short-term rentals and take away street parking space. (Bethesda BEAT)
Chicago’s conundrum
The people moving into cities are mostly white, affluent, and educated. A study of Chicago found minority and less-educated families to be much more likely to live outside the city than they were two decades ago. (CityLab)
Stadium parking racket
The Atlanta Braves want to outlaw private parking lots near their new stadium so only the team can charge for parking. Oh, and there’s no public transportation to the stadium. The move is straight out of the Dan Snyder playbook. (Deadspin)