Breakfast links: Montgomery County wants to single-track the Purple Line in Bethesda to save on tunnel construction
Capital Crescent Trail tunnel, Bethesda by Bossi licensed under Creative Commons.
MoCo executive wants to single track part of the Purple Line
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich suggested that Maryland run Purple Line trains on a single track through the Capital Crescent Trail tunnel in Bethesda, in order to keep the trail running alongside it. The current plan is for the county to build a new tunnel for the trail; keeping it in the existing tunnel would save money. (Katherine Shaver / Post. Tip: Chester B.)
Residential conversions in DC could fall under inclusionary zoning
A new rule proposed by the Office of Planning would apply the city’s Inclusionary Zoning rules to any building that switches from office, hotel, or other use to housing as long as it it larger than 10 units. (Nena Perry-Brown / UrbanTurf)
Some Metrorail managers treat safety guidelines as optional, commission says
The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission found that managers in the Metro rail operations control center ignored safety protocols for restoring power to the third rail after shutdowns for emergency or maintenance. Metro has launched an investigation into the safety commission’s findings. (Justin George / Post)
Virginia votes down an electric bus bill for the third time
The Virginia House of Delegates voted no on a bill that would allow major utility company Dominion Energy to get into the electric school bus business. Versions of the bill were introduced in previous sessions, leading some lawmakers to complain of Dominion’s lobbying influence. (Sarah Vogelsong / Virginia Mercury. Tip: Chester B.)
DC emergency services had trouble finding an injured pedestrian
After a man was struck on the I-66 Potomac Freeway, which runs behind the Kennedy Center in an area with many overpasses, tunnels and streets, it took 14 minutes and four 911 dispatches to direct emergency services to the correct location. (Neal Augenstein / WTOP)
Maryland announces new vaccination sites and policies
Gov. Larry Hogan announced Maryland will open three new mass vaccination centers and is reallocating vaccine supply, taking doses from sites that are not using them quickly enough to give to other locations. (Bruce DePuyt / Maryland Matters)
Inaction led to COVID-19 deaths at St. Elizabeth’s
A report by the federal oversight group Disability Rights DC found that inaction at the public psychiatric hospital contributed to 18 deaths from COVID-19 at the facility. (Elliot Williams / DCist)
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