Photo by a440 on Flickr.

Transportation cuts bad, but not so bad

The budget deal is bad for transportation — 60% of high-speed rail cut, $280 million from New Starts — but there are some silver linings, like TIGER funding, and the New Starts cut is just the ARC tunnel money which now won’t go to anyone else. (Streetsblog Capitol Hill) … Also, the Metro funding is safe. (Post)  

DCPS budget is “inscrutable”

Parents, students and council members decried DCPS’ proposed 2012 budget which apparently ups funding for the central office while cutting classroom budgets across the city, though DCPS officials claim otherwise. (Examiner)  

Neighbors want more buildings at AU

In a bit of a reversal from the usual, neighbors opposed to the American University campus plan actually want more buildings on campus, though on the opposite side of the campus from themselves. Students, meanwhile, want to preserve the open spaces. (DC Students Speak)  

Peak of the peak not working

Last year’s fare increases were implemented to close a budget gap, but peak of the peak fares were supposed to shift some ridership to shoulder commute times, which hasn’t happened to the extent planned. (Post)  

New stations, members come to CaBi

Capital Bikeshare will open four new stations in Rosslyn and Courthouse this week, the first in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. (ARLnow) … The weekend’s LivingSocial deal will surely add new members, but WashCycle isn’t worried about capacity. … Adam Voiland hopes the new members include many women.  

Negligent driving becomes illegal

The Maryland legislature passed the bill creating a new “negligent driving” offense so that people who drive negligently and kill people can get more than a ticket. Senator Brian Frosh got nervous about it and almost killed it entirely, but ultimately was able to find a satisfactory amendment. (WABA, WashCycle)  

Gray gets parking debate

On a radio show, a caller asked Mayor Vincent Gray why DC doesn’t open city-owned parking lots in downtown like Bethesda. Gray explained that parking lots aren’t efficient use of revenue-generating land. (WTOP)  

Getting the city fleet in order

The DC Housing Authority owes $10,000 in unpaid parking tickets on its official vehicles. (Examiner) … A new report shows that DC has flouted its own rules against buying SUVs and vehicles with lower than 22 MPG fuel efficiency. The city has at least 230 vehicles which DPW can’t account for. (Post)  

And…

Marshall Brown was dismissed from Sekou Biddle’s campaign after saying DC’s new white residents only care about dog parks and bike lanes. (Post) … An agreement between AU and neighbors blatantly discriminates against students, making it illegal for them to park in legal parking spaces. (WUSA) … In NYC, snowfall may be relatively evenly distributed, but sidewalk shoveling violations are anything but. (Transportation Nation)