Weekend links: Not working on the railroad

Railroad blocked

A stimulus project to build a third track near Quantico has stalled thanks to protracted discussions between CSX and the FRA. The project would relieve VRE and Amtrak congestion in the area. Funds expire September 30. (Examiner)

Marc would limit growth near MARC

A bill by Marc Elrich and George Leventhal would not count MARC stations as transit stops  for TOD bonus density. Is authors argue MARC doesn’t have enough frequency to actually reduce car trips. (But might the density drive more service?) (Gazette, WBJ behind paywall)

House GOP against transpo bill because Dems voted for it

The House won’t take up the transportation bill that the Senate passed with bipartisan support. An analyst says that’s because Democrats are for it, and House Republicans apparently are against any policy Democrats support, no matter what it is. (Streetsblog)

Bike harassment, part 9123

A driver harasses some cyclists headed to Tysons Corner. Police don’t want to take any kind of report. Certain state legislators vote down any bills to protect cyclists. Just another typical day on Fairfax roads. (FABB)

Shelter the unsheltered

N Street Village will soon expand to an apartment building in Logan Circle, where they will provide 31 units housing with “wraparound services” to homeless women. (WBJ)

Wilson gets squeezed

Arlington’s dense urban corridors are so narrow, and have a low enough height limit, that they preclude the development of much more than the luxury condos we’ve seen. Perhaps it’s time to expand the zone? (Slate)

Abuse of the code gets expensive

The decade-long saga of the Wisconsin Avenue Giant development shows how neighbors can abuse the development appeal process to stall projects long enough that they may not even happen. (Market Urbanism)

All-door boarding speeds buses

Allowing riders to board buses through all doors, rather than just the front, can speed bus routes quite a bit.  San Francisco’s MUNI system, one of the slowest in the US, will soon switch to this method. (Streetsblog)

And…

A handy flow chart detailing how development does, or does not, happen in DC. (Urban Turf) … Performance parking shows progress in San Francisco. (NYT) … Prince George’s and Fairfax both released their budgets, and both saw growth. (Gazette, Post)