Breakfast links: Some sunny news, some more gray

The Gray era begins

Vince Gray was inaugurated as Mayor yesterday. Marc Fisher has some advice for Mayor Gray, including continuing the progress and not ignoring Marion Barry. (Post) … Between competent snow removal, a relatively robust economy, and new residents, Harry Jaffe thinks DC will thrive more than the suburbs in 2011. (Examiner)

SmarTrip of the future

WMATA is looking toward the next generation fare payment system, which will hopefully allow people to wave or swipe credit cards, smartphones, federal IDs and more. (Examiner)

Bowser defends density

Muriel Bowser has to balance residents who want more retail with those who don’t want the Walmart. She defended plans to add density on Georgia Avenue, pointing out it’s the only way to get non-Walmart retailers. (Housing Complex)

Tax policy spurred demolitions

Property tax policies pushed many property owners to raze vacant historic buildings and replace them with parking lots during the Great Depression, one of many policies that harmed downtowns in that era. (Market Urbanism)

Preserve King Farm’s transit limitations?

When Rockville’s King Farm was developed, Montgomery County already planned to build the Corridor Cities Transitway through it. But now, a group of residents wants the transit line moved because of concerns about “traffic, parking, pedestrian safety and buildings.” (Gazette)

It’s the pedestrian’s fault there was no crosswalk

A pedestrian was killed in Route 1 in Fairfax Saturday, but police as usual dismiss the incident saying the pedestrian “was not in the crosswalk.” A quick look at Google Earth shows that the nearest crosswalks are about a mile and a half to the south and a mile and a quarter to the north. (Post, Ben Ross) … And another pedestrian was hit in Hyattsville this morning. (TBD On Foot)  (Tip: Ben Ross)

Goodbye, shuttles

Fairfax shut down the Tysons shuttle bus due to low ridership, and DC ended the H Street shuttle due to low money. (Capital Business, The Hill Is Home)

In case you missed it

Weren’t reading blogs over the holiday break? Don’t miss Lego City’s streetcar experience, Harry Thomas, Jr.‘s record on economic development, the Ward 7 Walmart‘s strange resemblance to a school, at-large candidates being vague, housing growth, bus stops online, and what Rhee is doing now.