Afternoon links: Nonsense

National Highways-In-Parks Service?

The Park Service is rebuilding part of Ohio Drive around the Lincoln Memorial. As usual, they’ll make sure there is enough room for cars but pedestrians and bicyclists will have to detour around the Memorial. What’s the agency’s mission again? (TheWashCycle)

Wilson Building ATM machine still running

What huge budget deficits? The DC Council has approved another tax break, this time for a planned hotel in NoMa. CFO Natwar Gandhi says it’s irresponsible, that the hotel would probably get built anyway, and that it’s unfair to everyone who built in NoMa without trying to get a sweetheart deal of their own. Only Kwame Brown opposed the measure. (WBJ)

Silver Line car price fight

WMATA and MWAA are having a dispute over the cost of rail cars for the Silver Line. WMATA wants to charge the amount per car it would cost even if they bought no more cars, whereas MWAA wants to split the savings with WMATA if WMATA buys more cars to replace the 1000-series as well. This came up in another letter that was secret until the Post got a hold of it. (Post)

Finalists selected for Planning Board

The Montgomery County Council has chosen five finalists for the important post of Planning Board chairman. ACT has created a questionnaire to elicit candidates’ views on transit and transit-oriented development.

More cents and sense for Bethesda parking

Bethesda parking fees would rise 10¢ per hour under County Executive Leggett’s proposed budget. Also, County Council staff have finally suggested the obvious: charge for parking on Saturdays, when Bethesda garages are too crowded, but Leggett opposes the idea. (As I wrote, I’d make the pricing more nuanced on Saturdays.)

Tenleytown: 60 years of anti

Last year’s battle over the Tenleytown library and a potential public-private partnership wasn’t Tenleytown’s first fight over that library. Back in the 1950s, residents opposed building the library in the first place. (Цarьchitect)

So high-speed, it never stops

A Chinese bullet train concept would not stop at stations, instead dropping off small transfer vehicles and picking up new ones while maintaining speed. (David C) (I’ve seen this video before, but you might not have.)  (Tip: David C)

Post’s new network

The Washington Post has launched a new local blog network which will crosspost some articles from some great local blogs, including BeyondDC, Georgetown Metropolitan, DCist and more, as well as my posts here.