Breakfast links: Not spending the money

Will Metro give money back while cutting service?

Metro currently projects a $9 million surplus for the end of this fiscal year in June. If that holds up, the money will go back to the jurisdictions, especially since at $13.7 million, the operating reserve is almost at its allowable maximum. If MetroAccess cost increases don’t eat it all up, Metro should at least use the $9 million surplus or increase the reserve fund instead of giving the money back. (Examiner, Kreeggo)  (Tip: Kreeggo)

Fenty not spending meter increase money

The Mayor wanted the meter revenue to go to the DDOT fund. The Council wanted to earmark it for housing programs and the O Street Market. Mayor Fenty hasn’t submitted a supplemental budget, leaving the 2009 share of the money just sitting around for now. (Examiner)

T4A to Congress: save transit

Transportation For America is calling on Congress to issue emergency funding for transit operations to stave off service cuts. (Gavin Baker)  (Tip: Gavin Baker)

Huge unused runway, or great rail line?

Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania is getting considerable criticism for directing federal funds to an “Airport for Nobody,” an airport with huge runways and modern control towers east of Pittsburgh that only served 20 people per day last year. The bigger scandal is that Amtrak takes seven and a half hours from DC to Pittsburgh. How about steering some federal dollars toward a nice high-speed line in Pennsylvania? (ABC News, Ward 1 Guy)  (Tip: Ward 1 Guy)

Benning on track for tracks

DDOT is accelerating the Benning Road Great Streets reconstruction, which includes installation of streetcar tracks for a future streetcar service. Now that we have tracks, the decision on the power source is holding up further progress on a streetcar in this area. (Streetcars4DC, Michael P)  (Tip: Michael P)

NYC may require “green retrofits”

Mayor Bloomberg has proposed energy audits every ten years for buildings of 50,000 square feet or more, and mandatory retrofits such as green roofs for buildings not meeting emissions standards. 80% of the carbon emissions in New York City come from the buildings. (GlobeSt, Gavin Baker)  (Tip: Gavin Baker)

11 transit success stories

The Environmental Defense Fund created a list of the most innovative and transformative transit projects across the nation. Prince William County’s flexible-route OmniLink buses made the list. (The Infrastructurist, Jaime)  (Tip: Jaime)

Bad BRAC bike setup still static

The National Naval Medical Center’s Transportation Program Manager talked to Two Black Tires about the sad lack of bicycle facilities at NNMC and in the broader BRAC plan. He was open to some ideas, but TBT isn’t hopeful much will change very soon.

LaHood gets bicycling

BeyondDC compares and contrasts statements by former DOT Secretary Mary Peters and current Secretary Ray LaHood. Peters claimed that bicycle trails and similar facilities weren’t “transportation”; LaHood says that mode is an important part of the mobility mix.

PW-DC ferry in testing

This week, Prince William County will test ferry service to DC. It would probably run from Quantico to the Navy Yard with potential stops in at Fort Belvoir, National Harbor, Nationals ballpark and more. (WTOP, Froggie)  (Tip: Froggie)

Zipcar managing governmental car sharing

In a pilot program in DC, Zipcar ran a separate car sharing system for DC government workers, using a city-owned fleet but a similar reservation system. DC saved over $1 million in the first year. Now, Zipcar is taking the system, called FastFleet, to other cities. (WTOP)