Breakfast links: Go free

Car Free Day is today

Dr. Gridlock encourages people to give “car free” a try, saying it’s not about ideology but rather about raising consciousness of travel choices.  (Tip: Erik W)

Metro ridership up

Ridership on Metrorail was up 1.2% from April to June compared to last year. We’ll have to wait to see whether the summer fare hikes have tempered any further ridership increase. (Dr. Gridlock)  (Tip: Erik W)

San Francisco transit chief to WMATA?

San Francisco Muni’s CEO, Nat Ford, is one of the 20 names on WMATA’s list of candidates for General Manager (WTOP) … In proposing a vision to the Muni board to make it easier not to drive, Ford said, “Like in the FDA’s food pyramid, too many cars are not good for you.” (SFGate via @ttpolitic)

Thinking outside the big box

Wal-Mart is pushing a smaller store concept in order to fit into the urban landscape.  The company has tested four stores averaging 15,000 square feet, smaller than a typical supermarket. (Post, Cavan)  (Tip: Cavan)

Bag tax seems successful

Now that DC has been charging 5¢ for disposable bags for 9 months, what’s the verdict? Bag use has dropped about 75% at many stores, and very few people are complaining. (WSJ via GOOD)

Parking karma

The Secret Service towed a woman’s SUV to a nearby block and then lost track of it. But it turns out she was parked in a handicapped space. So maybe it’s karma, suggests John Kelly. (Post)

O’Malley unveils light rail spending

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley released a draft spending plan yesterday that included almost $90M in funding for both Baltimore’s Red Line and the Purple Line in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. (WUSA9)  (Tip: Erik W)

Rent control, landlords a challenge

Even after DC made sweeping changes to its rent control laws in 2006, many residents still struggle with landlords in rent-controlled buildings who try to push them out and raise rents to market rate. (Post)  (Tip: Erik W)