Metropolitan Branch Trail toward Fort Totten by airbus777 licensed under Creative Commons.

New stretch of the MBT is complete

Construction has been completed on a 0.8 mile stretch of the Metropolitan Branch Trail from Brookland to Fort Totten. Construction on the next segment, towards Takoma, will begin in 2023.   (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)  

It’s primary day in DC

Top positions on the ballot include the mayor and attorney general, among others. Plus, candidates are vying for council seats in wards 1, 3, 5, and 6. The council chair and an at-large position are also up for grabs. As of Sunday, 63,000 DC residents already voted early. Today, the polls close at 8 pm.  (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)  

Report shows housing discrimination in Fairfax County

The Fairfax County Office of Human Rights and The Equal Rights Center reviewed 100 rental, lending, and sales markets in Fairfax County and found that white people were treated better than Black, Asian, or Latinx renters, and hearing testers were better than their deaf counterparts. Differential treatment included providing more detailed renter information, more frequent responses to messages, and more favorable lease terms.  (Acacia James / INSIDENOVA)  

Free VRE — for one month only

The Virginia Railway Express’s Operations Board is considering making all rides free for the month of September to attract new riders. This promotion would coincide with Metro’s planned Yellow and Blue line shutdown in parts of Virginia.  (Jared Foretek / INSIDENOVA)  

Alexandria’s proposed bonus height amendment under consideration

The Alexandria Planning Commission and the City Council are considering expanding which developments are eligible for “bonus density” — the ability to build more densely (including taller) in exchange for more affordable housing units or a contribution to the Alexandria Housing Trust Fund. The proposal would make this option possible for buildings shorter than 50 feet.  (Alexandria Living Magazine)  

Free student transit pass program expands in Fairfax

Students from four schools in Fairfax County will be able to ride certain Metrobus, Fairfax County Connector, and Fairfax CUE routes for free starting this September. Student transit ridership is high: in April 2022, 7.6% of Fairfax Connector ridership came from students.  (Valerie Bonk / WTOP)  

Criticism of the I-495/I-270 widening plans

On Friday the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration issued the final environmental impact statement for the I-495 and I-270 toll and widening project. Critics of the project have drawn attention to the increased greenhouse gas emissions from induced driving demand and the lack of transit considerations. They also question the project’s effectiveness towards increasing travel speeds.  (Louis Peck / Bethesda Beat)  

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