Breakfast links: Under Trump, the FTA is hoarding $1.8 billion in transit funds
Image by BeyondDC licensed under Creative Commons.
Where’s the federal money for transit?
$1.8 billion approved by Congress for transit construction projects has not been delivered, a new report shows. Only eight Obama-era projects have received funds, including the Purple Line. Some fear this may be a part of FTA's plan to stop administering transit at the federal level. (Angie Schmitt / Streetsblog)
Chevy Chase wants more changes to market redevelopment plans
The mayor of Chevy Chase sent a letter to Montgomery County officials outlining concerns with redevelopment plans for the Farm Women’s Market. It pushes to expand the size of a proposed park and reduce the size of a building located nearby. (Caitlynn Peetz / Bethesda Beat)
WMATA has a plan to bring back riders, but nobody has adopted it
A leaked internal report from WMATA details how bringing back convenient off-peak service would bring back riders who have abandoned the system. The “ridership action plan” was created in May and has not advanced since then. (Faiz Siddiqui / Post)
An official who played a major role in SafeTrack is leaving Metro
After seven years at Metro and heading the SafeTrack program, the Assistant General Manager of Rail Services is leaving the agency. (Lori Aratani / Post)
An (unlikely) new way to cross the Potomac
Loudoun County officials support a new bridge across the Potomac, but Maryland counterparts have little interest and it's unlikely they will come to fruition. The new crossings would be east of Lansdowne connecting with Route 7 on the Virginia side, and west of Seneca and south of Poolesville on the Maryland side. (WTOP / Neal Augenstein )
The Census Bureau is one step closer to getting a new director
The nominee for Census Bureau director underwent questioning during his confirmation hearing Wednesday. If confirmed, Dillingham would play an important role in the 2020 Census. When asked about the controversial citizenship question, Dillingham said he has “no plans to voice an opinion.”
(Hansi Lo Wang / NPR)
Why don’t more political candidates run on transit issues?
Cynthia Nixon's recent run was a rare example of a candidate with transit as a key part of a campaign. Voter demographics, who's responsible for transit, and controversial local proposals usually make candidates apprehensive about public transportation as a core campaign issue. (Aaron Gordon / Citylab)
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