Breakfast links: Metro’s big bite of the Big Apple

NYC subway safety leader joins Metro

WMATA has hired Joe Leader, formerly of the New York subway, to start as Metro’s Chief Operating Officer in August. He replaces Jack Requa, who will become Metro’s Executive Managing Officer. (WTOP)

Mort Downey on the “death spiral”

WMATA Board member Mort Downey discussed the challenges facing public transportation in the US, and particularly Metro, in the inaugural podcast of London Reconnections, a London-based transportation blog.

Fairfax City does a 180 on homeless support

Five years ago, Fairfax City fought a homeless shelter with zoning ordinances. After losing their case in the Supreme Court, the community now embraces the shelter as part of its future. (Post)

CaBi flourishes in Alexandria

Bikeshare in Alexandria is growing fast. From 2014 to 2015, ridership increased by 50%, and Alexandria recovered 63% of its operating costs via fares, more than double the 30% goal. (TheWashCycle)

Safety after the Fort Totten crash

Seven years after the Metro crash that killed nine outside of Fort Totten, two safety recommendations - to add blackboxes to all railcars and to retire the 1000-series cars - still remain unresolved. (WAMU)

Historic “shotgun house” plans

120 apartment units could come to Capitol Hill on the site of a historic “shotgun house.” Prior plans to redevelop failed after the Historic Preservation Board said no to razing the home. This time developers intend to relocate the home elsewhere on the lot. (Capitol Hill Corner, J.R.)  (Tip: J.R.)

The skywalk is the limit…ing factor

The skywalks that sprung up across cold-weather cities were all the rage in the 1970s. Now cities with skywalks are finding they may have inadvertently killed their own downtowns as businesses struggle because no one walks the streets anymore. (AP, Adam S.)  (Tip: Adam S.)