Breakfast links: Could be more walkable or bikeable
Tysons hit and run
Another hit-and-run driver killed a man, this time in Tysons Corner this morning. Will four Senators now threaten a federal takeover of VA-7 if this “unacceptable safety record” is not “addressed immediately and comprehensively”? (Post)
Learning from Walk Scores
Montgomery’s planners look at how their disconnected street grid creates some pockets of low Walk Score very close to otherwise highly walkable places (The Straight Line) … Japan’s real-estate sites organize listings by subway station and show walking distances to each. (Walk Score)
Bike infrastructure cut again
Montgomery County may cut bicycle programs for the second time in one year, delaying the Metropolitan Branch Trail to 2013, and Fairfax proposes to eliminate its bicycle program entirely. Silver Spring neighbors and Councilmember Valerie Ervin are pushing back on the Montgomery cuts. (TheWashCycle)
King Street’s fences
Alexandria and WMATA got a $4.3 million grant to improve the roads and paths outside the King Street Metro. Many proposed improvements are great, but residents criticized fences that would corral pedestrians out of the way of cars, forcing more circuitous walks than necessary. (DCmud, Gavin Baker) (Tip: Gavin Baker)
Transit worth it
A new study finds that for $775 in transit costs between fares and taxes, riders save $2,350 in other transportation costs. (Planetizen, Michael P) (Tip: Michael P)
Intrigue in PG planning
Lame duck Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson is trying to kick out his own Planning Board appointee, Samuel Parker, to put in his Deputy Chief Administration Officer, David Byrd. If successful, the next County Executive would be stuck with Byrd for years. My source says Parker was pretty good and Johnson was far from it. (Post)
And…
Many children in Columbia have to walk in the street to school because of uncleared sidewalks (WTOP) … Montgomery is getting close to approving the new CR zone for denser, mixed-use areas (Post) … Metro will conduct an emergency response drill around Friendship Heights late tonight. … Metro employees have been feeding raccoons at Fort Totten. (Post)