Breakfast links: Green places also have quick curbs, market-priced meters, and safe trains

DC’s “green” places

What makes a public space “green”? The National Building Museum has created a series of films on “Great Green Places” in the DC area, including Dupont Circle, U Street, Columbia Heights, and Barracks Row (coming soon). They are then accepting user-submitted videos at the end of the summer.

Giving with one hand, taking away with another

The Triangle would like DDOT to install quick curbs at 4th

5th and Mass, as they did at 15th and W. They used paint to restrict cars to a smaller section of slip lanes, but cars are just driving on the paint. One block away, DDOT is actually adding new slip lanes at 4th and Mass, which Richard Layman argues is a terrible idea.

Track circuts keep breaking; Metro restricts info?

Track circuits continue to fail across the Metro system. Metro has taken six more circuits out of service, forcing trains to proceed more slowly. (Post) … Back in the days right after the crash, the press initially found out through leaked documents about the malfunctioning track circuit responsible for last month’s crash. Metro responded by restricting employee access to safety information. (Frederick News-Post, Michael P)  (Tip: Michael P)

270 bad for environment, political balance

The Post covers the environmental and Smart Growth groups’ anti-270 letter. The Baltimore Sun’s transportation blog also raises equity concerns about the state planning to spend $4 billion on a freeway in western Montgomery while needed transit expansion in Baltimore remains uncertain.

Watergate sold! Or, nobody bids on the Watergate!

Yesterday’s auction for the Watergate Hotel, with a $25 million minimum bid, attracted one bid right at the start, from the bank. Or, maybe the auction was quiet with no bids at all until the bank made a private agreement at the very end to buy. It depends on which press outlet you read. (City Paper, Post)

Business owner prevents customers from parking at meters

Some Nashua, NH businesses are frustrated that people park for longer than the maximum two hours along the town’s main street, and the police don’t ticket violators. The worst violator is a fellow business owner, who parks his rare sports car on the street all day, every day. Why not drop the limit but charge the right price? (Nashua Telegraph, Michael P)  (Tip: Michael P)

Maybe San Francisco will do it

San Francisco is considering performance parking and other pricing tools to manage neighborhood parking. There’s not enough of it, and permits are “too cheap” at $76/year. (By comparison, DC’s permits are $15/year). They are also considering raising rush hour rates. (SF Gate, CBS 5, Michael P)  (Tip: Michael P)