Image by Senex Prime on Flickr.

Amtrak as a subway

Designer Cameron Booth created a map of Amtrak’s route network in the style of an urban transit map. A Flickr login is required to see the full size. (Via @beyonddc)  

The secret’s out

The “Townhouse” Safeway, aka the “Secret Safeway” at 20th and R, is closing. Unfortunately, Safeway hasn’t found success operating smaller grocery stores; it’s too bad, since it’s better if more people can walk a short distance to a grocery instead of just having a few large supermarkets. (DCist)  

“Sweeperscam”? “Robo-snitch”?

Are cars parked in street sweeping zones getting towed in addition to getting tickets? Some Ward 6 residents say yes, DPW says no. City Paper’s Rend Smith seem to write this not-apparently-news article just to throw around epithets about this useful technology that enforces laws and helps keep streets cleaner.  

Norton news

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton talked to Fox 5 about streetcars as well as unemployment insurance and other federal issues … She also introduced a bill to make the feds pay the “impervious surface charge” WASA is trying to assess to fund federally-mandated stormwater upgrades.  

Use creativity, not ART

A river taxi is exciting, but maybe they can pick an acronym not already taken by a transit system in the region? (BeyondDC)  

Still off the MARC

MARC canceled a train, last night, but stubbornly keeps saying “minor disruptions” no matter how disruptive … Riders on the recent MARC “hell train” will get free weekly passes. (Baltimore Sun)  

“Increasingly difficult” to keep up

Fairfax officials are upset that roads are deteriorating, crosswalks unpainted, and medians trash-strewn thanks to a lack of money at VDOT. Secretary Sean Connaughton says it’s “increasingly difficult” for VDOT to do its job, though perhaps if they didn’t keep spending all their money on new roads it wouldn’t be so difficult. (Examiner)  

And…

WMATA is accusing a MetroAccess driver of sexual assault, the third such case this year (Examiner) … Loudoun officials approve another huge development in a greenfield far from transit (Post) … New York officials seem seriously open to proposals to remove the redundant and reviled Sheridan Expressway in the Bronx (NYT) … DC has the lowest pay gap between men and women compared to any state. (The Sexist)