Weekend links: Friction over lanes
Gabe Klein busts illegal parkers
After seeing Twitter reports of illegal parking in the 15th Street bike lane, including a police cruiser, former DDOT Director Gabe Klein sent DDOT and DPW a photo. By the afternoon, DPW had written 15 tickets. No word whether the police cruiser got one. (TBD On Foot)
Real economists get bike lanes
New Yorker economic blogger John Cassidy skewers New York’s bike lanes. Economist economist Ryan Avent teaches him a thing or two about externalities. So does Felix Salmon, twice. Aaron Naparstek calls it “a seminal document of New York City’s bike lane backlash era.” Adam Sternbergh compares the rhetoric to the tea party’s. (Reuters, NYT, Jaime)
NYC BRT “creeps” downward
Here’s a great example of the “BRT creep” Dan warned about: Following some opposition pushback, New York is redesigning its 34th Street BRT as mere painted bus lanes, unseparated from other lanes, instead of the separated center-running lanes originally proposed. (NYT, Mike Epstein)
John Galt had a high-speed train
Tom Vanderbilt tries to answer the question many are asking: why do most conservatives hate trains, especially libertarians? After all, in Atlas Shrugged, which they revere, the protagonists build high-speed rail! (Slate)
Idaho and New Mexico Stop?
The New Mexico House has approved an “Idaho Stop” law, with at least one Republican supporting as well. (TheWashCycle)
DC’s heliport may reopen
Did you know DC used to have a commercial heliport? It’s just south of the ballpark, used now for police and medevac, and could reopen to commercial traffic which was banned in 2005. (AINonline, Geoff Hatchard)
FTC HQ Mica’s only priority
Rep. John Mica (R-FL) says he has “no other priority” than transferring the FTC headquarters on Pennsylvania Avenue to the National Gallery. That’s odd since he chairs the Transportation Committee, which has reauthorizing transportation funding as a key priority. (WBJ)
And…
There are several oft-overlooked monuments and markers among the major attractions on the Mall (WAMU) … DC Top Chef Carla Hall wants to open a cafe in the Stevens School at 21st and L once it’s redeveloped (Young & Hungry) … DPW might have broken another law in procuring the infamous Lincoln Navigators. (Loose Lips)