Breakfast links: What a compromise

Verdict: Transpo bill pretty terrible

The transportation bill “compromise” has many awful provisions, including letting states spend their tiny bit of bike-ped money on things like left-turn lanes if they only sit on it long enough, keeps transit funding low, and commuter benefits unequal, and deletes a bipartisan Complete Streets provision. (Streetsblog)

Bill adds oversight for Metro

The new transportation bill also adds federal oversight of transit agencies, including Metro. The bill will allow the FTA to set standards for rail cars and safety training, though states retain the main authority. (Examiner)

What’s going on in Loudoun?

Loudoun’s conflict over the Silver Line is really about much deeper divisions and debates about how much this rural county should become something else. (City Paper) … But to really preserve rural character, they’d need something like Montgomery’s Agricultural Reserve. (RPUS) … Dithering supervisors are certainly not acting like businesspeople as they claim.  (realloudoun)

Mendo for less density

New DC Council chairman Phil Mendelson has opposed several development projects that increased density, including the Wisconsin Ave. Giant. Will he do the same as Council Chair? (City Paper)

What a house costs

A survey of DC housing finds the most expensive homes in Anacostia cost about the same or less than the least expensive home in Georgetown. An interactive graph shows the range in prices for each DC zip code. (UrbanTurf, Trulia)

Relief for water

With triple digit temperatures in on the way, Metro will allow bottled water in the system for the second time this year, but don’t expect a permanent change, as Metro prides itself as being one of the cleanest systems in the country.  (DCist)

And…

It’s the last day at City Paper for Lydia DePillis. … The Maine Ave. Fish Market will soon be allowed to expand its offerings to non-fish items. (DCist) … DC CFO Natwar Gandhi sails through his confirmation hearing. (City Paper)