Breakfast links: Purple Line construction is underway

Image by betterDCregion licensed under Creative Commons.

Amazon might spur Purple Line development

If Maryland and Montgomery County are serious about netting Amazon, it will have to move really, really fast on the Purple Line. Amazon wants its new headquarters to be done by 2019, and the light rail line might not be complete until 2022. (Patrick Thornton / Washingtonian)

Virginia’s Cross Country Trail will get an upgrade

Paving on a section of the 40-mile Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail in Fairfax County will start September 17 and last until May 2018. The segment between Braddock Road and Accotink Parkway will experience closures throughout the project. (Fairfax)

To helipad and back: GW Hospital reignites debate over medevac flights

GW Hospital's chief of trauma is adamant that allowing medevac flights will save lives, while Foggy Bottom residents worry the flights will add too much noise and potentially damage the historic buildings in the nearby neighborhoods. (Colby Itkowitz / Post)

Clarendon’s “driverless” car experiment explained

Ford has finally explained the bizarre sightings of a man dressed as a seat behind the wheel of a “driverless” car in Clarendon last month. The car was part of a study to determine the best ways for driverless cars to signal to pedestrians when its safe to cross. (Chris Teale / ARLnow)

Metro’s major crime is down 17% from last year

Metro has shown a 17% decrease in serious crime charges for the first half of the year, while Wiedefeld's fare evasion crackdown has more than doubled the number of fare evasion citations. Over 52% of Metro's arrests this year were for fare evasion. (Max Smith / WTOP)

DC’s first water tank in 70 years rises in Southeast

The water tank for DC's newest water tower was raised 170 feet and secured to the top of the tower. The last tower was installed in 1945. This tower will mostly aid Ward 8 residents, once it is fully operational in spring 2018. (Christina Sturdivant / DCist)

DC’s income boom hits a speed bump

For the first time in 8 years, DC's median household income fell, from $76,233 to $75,506. While it was not a major decline, the District was one of only 7 counties in the 68 major urban centers that saw a decline. (Julie Zaumer / Post)

How well do you know the country’s metro areas?

There are 53 metropolitan areas in the United States with a population above 1 million - can you name them all? Take this quiz to find out. (BeyondDC / Sporcle)

Have a tip for the links? Submit it here.