Breakfast links: Crack the cycle

Metro mishaps

Yesterday wasn’t Metro’s best day amid a string of not-so-great days. A subcontractor died from electrocution while working on an air compressor at Metro’s Bladensburg bus garage. A U-Haul driver hit a Metrobus, sending six to the hospital with minor injuries. Workers discovered a cracked rail on the Red Line, forcing single-tracking from about 1 to 4 pm when they completed temporary repairs in advance of permanent repairs overnight. And manual train operation will continue for a while. (WMATA, Post, WTOP)

Researchers work on more accurate predictions

NextBus is great, but bus arrival times are sometimes off by a couple of minutes.  Singapore has the same experience, and IBM Research hopes to improve that city’s bus arrival accuracy by predicting traffic flow. (Asia One Motoring, Ken Archer)  (Tip: Ken Archer)

Pro-transit 270 letter making the rounds

Maryland Senator Brian Frosh (D-16, Bethesda and North Bethesda) is circulating a letter to fellow Montgomery County delegates and senators that asks the state to study a comprehensive transit alternative, like ACT’s proposal, before making up their mind about I-270. (MPW)

Fruit is okay?

The River Road farm stand may get to stay, at least until the end of the season. Sen. Brian Frosh is working on a bill to extend the seafood-stand exemption to fruit and vegetable stands, with discretion by SHA. What about just allowing food stands below a certain size in general, without regard to the type of food? The type of food has nothing to do with safety, the ostensible purpose of the law. (Gazette)

Stop the rage

Adam Voiland suggests some other ways to “break the rage cycle” of pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers all hating each other. He would blame the infrastructure and elected officials responsible for it, not the driver, after crashes; praise courteous drivers; use lights and a helmet when riding; and document violators by taking pictures. (DC Bicyle Examiner)

The Franklin not-school

No charter chose to, or could afford to, bid on the now-vacant historic Franklin School. A private use is likely, but Cary Silverman asks if it’s best, and whether the DC government made the RFP too tough for any educational institutions to use. (The Other 35 Percent)

The Senate on infrastructure

Where do Senators stand on transportation investment? The Transport Politic scored each on ten infrastructure-related votes to create a scorecard. At least in this Congress, infrastructure votes have broken down almost precisely on party lines, with the two moderate Maine Republicans in the middle.