Breakfast links: Who to hire?
Gray picks public safety chiefs, Lanier to stay
Vince Gray revealed his picks to head the city’s various public safety agencies. Cathy Lanier will stay on as MPD Chief, apparently to the dismay of some police officers. (WAMU, City Paper)
WMATA needs drivers
WMATA has a severe shortage of bus and train operators, with more than 200 vacancies including station managers. The result is a costly increase in overtime hours paid to current operators. (Post, Cavan) (Tip: Cavan)
Capital region commuters drive less, ride more
Washington area residents are shifting their commute choices, with fewer people driving and more taking public transit. The Post thinks this means “abandoning your car” and “sacrificing the suburban amenities” to live in more accessible neighborhoods. (Post, Stanton Park) (Tip: Stanton Park)
Housing harder to afford
The ACS also revealed that average income declined in many communities on the east side of the region, but rents and house prices rose, making housing increasingly less affordable. (Housing Complex)
Transit backlog thanks to ICC
Maryland’s many transit projects are backlogged due to limited funds (Silver Spring, MD Patch) … The article doesn’t explicitly mention that the reason for the backlog is that all the funds got spent on the ICC.
MWAA will likely drop closest Dulles station proposal
At a board meeting yesterday the MWAA expressed hesitance about one of the above ground station proposal after a rendering showed the placement would obstruct the view of the front of the building. (WTOP, Sand Box John) (Tip: Sand Box John)
Adams Morgan hotel gets support
The Adams Morgan ANC voted to support a controversial tax break for a planned hotel replacing the First Church of Christ, Scientist (not the Brutalist one downtown) and the City Paper offices. Is it worth the cost? There are strong arguments this time that maybe it is. (Housing Complex)
Va. Beach light rail hits a snag
Hampton Roads Transit apparently hid the true cost overruns of their light rail project when communicating with Norfolk City Council, causing light-rail championing mayor Will Sessoms to put the brakes on the project. (WAVY-TV)
And…
The Central Liquor sign issue was not resolved at last night’s HPRB meeting. The Board will take up the issue at the next meeting. (The Location, Kim Bender) … The House Wednesday night passed a bill that allows DC to erect one statue in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. The 50 states each have two statues. (WTOP, Gavin) … Baseball star Cliff Lee and his wife point to Philadelphia’s transportation options as a reason he chose to re-sign with the Phillies. (the700level, CM) (Tip: Gavin)