Breakfast links: Lyft could make transit even more out of reach for the poor
Image by Lauren licensed under Creative Commons.
Lyft’s new shuttle service is intended to undercut public transit
Lyft's new shuttle service acts almost exactly like a city bus, but it's not just a tone-deaf Silicon Valley idea; it's actually an intentional hit to public transit and the underprivileged residents who depend on it. (Will Oremus / Slate)
Downzoning is not the solution for cheaper housing
In Portland, like in other markets, an acre of land costs more if a developer intends to build an apartment building than if a developer intends to build a single family home, but this “downzoning” just redistributes the expense to other lots. (Joe Cortright / City Observatory)
Is Metro really the worst transit system?
Sure, on-time performance could be a lot better and fares are going up while hours are being cut back, but is Metro really the worst transit system in the world? This author thinks so. (Jason Russell / Washington Examiner)
Want Metro to stay open late for your event? It’ll be $100,000 per hour
Now that SafeTrack is over, Metro is fielding requests to extend service hours for a cool $100,000 per hour, plus costs. Plus, it has to know far enough in advance to reschedule any maintenance. (Sara Gilgore / WBJ)
Anacostia residents hope to open a bookstore, named after a slain journalist
Two years after Charnice Milton, a journalist, was killed in a drive-by shooting, Anacostia residents have collected hundreds of books and hope to open a bookstore in her name. Residents are also crowdfunding for a memorial mural. (Christina Sturdivant / DCist)
Northern Virginia murder being investigated as a road rage incident
Nabra Hassanen, a 16-year-old girl from Reston, was murdered this weekend in what police are saying was a road-rage incident. Fairfax County police have stated they are not investigating it as a hate crime, though Hassanen was Muslim.
DC police issues a warning for drivers in DC who leave valuables out in the open
The next time you see a slip of paper under your windshield wipers, it may not be a real parking ticket. The Metropolitan Police is watching for cars with valuables on display, then issuing the fake warnings as a reminder. (Jason Tidd / Washington Times)
The #BikeDC dream: A parking cop in Toronto is dedicated to bike lanes
A parking enforcement officer in Toronto has been assigned to patrol the city's bike lane and ticket drivers who invade them. Officer Kyle Ashley also maintains a popular Twitter presence. (David Rider / The Star)
Two Cleveland Park restaurants are closing in the next week
Long-time Cleveland Park restaurant Nam-Viet is closing in less than a week, and Ripple is poised to do the same a day before. Is restaurant life on the decline in the northwest neighborhood? (Laura Hayes / City Paper)
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