Breakfast links: Mixed feelings
Welcome diversity or dog-park invaders?
Many long-time residents and business owners are intrigued by DC’s changing demographics, knowing the city will never lose its African-American heritage.
But Marshall Brown, Kwame’s father and a Biddle advisor, gives an inflammatory quote saying white people “aren’t involved,” just “want dog parks and bike lanes,” and “believe more in their dogs than they do in people.” (Post)
Walmart can be good for small retailers
While they may hurt business for other big-box groceries, other Walmart stores in the region actually tend to increase patronage at nearby small, specialty retail stores. (Housing Complex)
Height limit raisers include Gray
Ryan Avent and Dan Malouff may still disagree on the exact effects of DC’s height limit, but they seem to agree it’s worth raising, at least in places. (BeyondDC) … Turns out, Mayor Gray may have some interest in raising the hight limit in places were it’s allowed under Federal law. (Housing Complex)
Inexperience a factor in derailment
The operator of a Red Line train that derailed at Farragut North last February had been back on the job for only 3 months after nine-year hiatus. The retraining was split by a brief disability leave stint and was much more lax than her initial training a decade earlier. (Examiner)
Streetcars bring access, investment
A new study says DC’s full streetcar network would give 50% of the city’s households access to rail transit, up from today’s 16%. The network would also add $5-7 billion to property values. (New Urban Network)
Arlington, Alexandria cooperate on bus lanes
Bus lanes from Potomac Yard through Crystal City will soon enter final design. Arlington and Alexandria must still agree who will operate the service beginning as early as 2013. (Examiner)
What’s faster than a bus?
In Manhattan, it’s faster to ride a Big Wheel across town than it is to take the the M42 bus. (MyDamnChannel) … Too bad plans for separated bus lanes on 34th Street, another congested corridor, were scaled back. (Streetsblog)
And…
The National Building Museum has reproduced some iconic DC sights with LEGOs. (DCist) … Mount Vernon Square will get a new visitors’ center to draw some tourists into the heart of the city, (Capital Business) … Stafford County police will start ticketing or towing illegally parked commuters. (WTOP) … CaBi maintenance crews apparently use CaBi to get around on the job. (TheWashCycle)