Afternoon links: Contradictions galore
Solar Decathlon to National Harbor?
It hasn’t been confirmed, but some reports say the Department of Energy will move the Solar Decathlon to National Harbor. No better place to promote energy efficiency than in a field a half mile outside a sprawling complex itself accessible by a sole bus route. (Housing Complex)
E-ZPass cameras okay by AAA
While it opposes most traffic enforcement cameras, AAA is perfectly fine with the Maryland Transportation Authority’s plan to record drivers’ plate numbers and bill those who don’t have E-ZPasses in their vehicles. (WTOP)
Affordable housing from heaven
The biggest source of new affordable housing is churches, many of which have underutilized space on their property. (Housing Complex)
Enlighten Brookland
In response to escalating crime Brookland Metro, students are calling for improved lighting and security to improve safety. (DC Students Speak)
How to avoid another commute from hell
MWCOG held a special meeting to discuss ways to avoid another hellish commute like that from late January. A Virginia official said area employers should improve shelter-in-place plans to avoid sending the region’s entire workforce onto the roads at the same time. (WTOP)
Getting farm food into schools
The DC Farm to School Network is working to get farm-fresh food from local farmers into the DC public schools and to educate students on health, nutrition, and environmental issues. (We Love DC)
Assessing Sarles
After last week’s blogger roundtable, Samer Farha thinks Sarles has what it takes to pull WMATA out of a death spiral but urges patience from riders, who also need to lobby their Congressional representatives to keep WMATA’s federal funding. (We Love DC)
VRE mulls fare and policy changes
VRE wants to reduce the cost for regular riders to upgrade to select Amtrak trains and eliminate the discount for groups of 10 or more. They also want to restrict bicycles on board to allow only foldable bikes. All of these proposals are in reaction to capacity issues at the railroad. (Dr. Gridlock)
And…
Vince Gray is getting a fence around his home after all, this time on the taxpayer’s dime (WUSA) … DC’s largest needle exchange program is closing its doors, despite no more ban on city funds (WTOP) … Before the ICC opens, you can get an unobscured view of the 13-mile long scar in the Maryland landscape. (WTOP)