Breakfast links: Bike hate

Against bikes

The discussion of whether to place bike lanes along King Street continues, with inaccurate letters to the editor in local media. Could this reflect a larger trend to politically attack bicycling?  (TheWashCycle, Boston Globe)

A mile in their (cycling) shoes

Starting next year, Edinburgh will require city truck drivers to take cycling lessons, to help them empathize with cyclists. London has tried the opposite approach, inviting cyclists into the cab of a truck. (Scotsman)

Tech firms don’t get urbanism

Even when companies like Google or Twitter opt to locate downtown, their insularity and in-house services from meals to exercise make their new homes as sterile as a suburban office park. (NYT, Geoff H.)  (Tip: Geoff H.)

What other people’s parking costs you

A recent study of apartment buildings in Seattle finds that fees fall short of covering the cost of constructing and maintaining parking. The difference may be reflected in higher rents. (Atlantic Cities)

How cities can grow up

DC is not the only city afraid of higher density. Alleviating this fear will require focusing on a sense of community among building residents, active street life, and pleasing designs. (Gizmodo)

Alexandria examines moving CSX tracks

Alexandria is re-examining the location of the future Potomac Yard Metro station. This would require moving the CSX tracks along one of the busiest rail corridors in the East, but could result in more development. (Patch)

Bloomberg focuses on rest of the world

NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg and members of his cabinet, including Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, will launch a consulting business to advise other cities. (NYT)

Profit Uber alles?

Car service Uber charged 7-8 times its normal fare during the recent snowstorm, prompting a lot of angry tweets and the like. There’s actually good reasons to do this, but will Uber be unable to fight human psychology? (Post)

The fare limit

Metro’s most recent proposal to raise fares was fairly modest.  Is this because they are afraid a bigger fare hike would drive away riders? (Post)

And…

After 34 years, DC regains a stretch of 10th Street. (Post) Coal plant decommissioning could lead to another benefit: new rail trails. (TheWashCycle) … If you thought gentrification along 14th Street was out of hand, take a look at what is happening in San Francisco (Atlantic Cities) … What happens when a city is surrendered as ungovernable? (Rolling Stone)