Breakfast links: Running out of patience

Make safe or else

USDOT Secretary Anthony Foxx sent letters to the District, Maryland and Virginia saying that WMATA will lose millions in funding unless the jurisdictions create a new safety oversight committee within roughly a year. (City Paper)

Transit police yellow

Transit police will also soon begin wearing yellow vests on patrol to increase visibility and address safety concerns. (WTOP)

How to win back riders

Local experts, transit advocates, and riders generally agree that focusing on safety and improving communication with customers are among the many strategies WMATA could employ to reverse its decline in ridership. (Post)

Why the delays?

Why did the DC Streetcar take 18 months to get safety certification after officials previously said it was ready? The previous safety head at the fire department held it up, often rejecting documentation on technical grounds. Also, DDOT had to make changes after initial construction. (WAMU)

New Apex plans

The new redevelopment plans for the Apex Building in Bethesda will allow for a larger future Purple Line station, and the existing Capital Crescent Trail will benefit from a new bicycle and pedestrian tunnel. (Bethesda Beat)

A 45-week fix

The east entrance of the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro station will be closed for 45 weeks to replace two escalators.  WMATA says it needs extensive work to replace trusses and beams. (Petworth News)

Catalyst for Buzzard Point

Will two planned mixed-use projects in Buzzard Point jump-start development along with the future DC United stadium? (WBJ)

Hacking for good

DDOT hosted a “hackaton” where people pored over data from traffic crashes and pedestrian and moving violations to develop apps and solutions to get closer to Vision Zero. (WTOP)