Breakfast links: Metro prepares to close 19 stations and several entrances
An empty Metro station by Kevin Harber licensed under Creative Commons.
Metro is closing stations and station entrances
Metro will close 19 stations and close all but one entrance at nine more stations starting Thursday. Metro says this is necessary to protect its workers and conserve resources, and will close stations with low ridership or ones located near another station that can stay open. Some have voiced concerns about where the closures leave people who still need to use transit. (Justin George, Katherine Shaver / Post)
Rideshare drivers are becoming crisis transportation
As public transportation systems across the country cut service and people who can shy away from crowds, Uber and Lyft drivers are shuttling essential workers to their jobs, elderly individuals to grocery stores, and sometimes people needing care to the hospital. (Sarah Holder / CityLab)
What is an essential vs nonessential business?
DC is closing nonessential businesses by 10 pm Wednesday, while Maryland and Virginia already closed or restricted those businesses on Monday. What does each jurisdiction count as “essential”? (Jenna Portnoy / Post)
DC closes nonessential businesses
Mayor Bowser announced Tuesday that nonessential businesses will be ordered closed Wednesday night. Healthcare, childcare, financial instituions, and food service options are essential, and the Mayor clarified that bike stores can stay open too. (Rachel Kurzius / DCist)
How are Arlington’s essential workers staying on the job?
Arlington’s water, electricity and waste managements services are still operational, though the county has taken precautions like delaying planned maintenance, staggering shift start times and suspending some services like bulk trash pickup. (ARL Now)
Pandemic concerns freeze development in Largo
Developer RPAI announced it will delay construction on a planned mixed-use transit-oriented development project in Prince George’s County in an effort to be more risk-averse due to the pandemic-induced economic downturn. (Nena Perry-Brown / Urban Turf)
Alexandria prepares for massive budget cuts
City Manager Mark Jinks says that the pandemic crash means that Alexandria is now facing a $35 million shortfall in its budget, instead of the $10 million surplus he expected. He directed the city to cut $100 million from the budget and is looking at postponing or canceling capital projects. (James Cullum / ALX Now)
Remote learning highlights DC’s digital divide
On Monday students in DC returned to class, often via Zoom or Facebook Live, but an estimated 30% of DCPS’s 52,000 students don’t have reliable internet access. For now, the city is distributing school laptops to some and raising money for more, but many students are learning from paper instruction packets without seeing their teachers or classmates. (Perry Stein / Post)
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