Breakfast links: Reminder to ditch your old SmarTrip card
New fare gates at Wheaton Metro station by Adam Fagen licensed under Creative Commons.
Pre-2012 SmarTrip cards are in their final days
If you have a SmarTrip card issued before 2012, it won’t work on Metro’s new fare gates starting next month. About 85,000 of these older cards are still in use, and some Metrorail customers who have barely used the system for the past two years could be in for a surprise as more employers plan a return to the office. (Justin George / Post)
356-unit project could come to Takoma in early 2024
Construction of a 356-unit residential development in DC’s Takoma neighborhood could wrap up as soon as early 2024. The by-right project would mostly consist of one-bedroom units, and 28 units would be set aside as affordable. (Nena Perry-Brown / UrbanTurf)
The argument for “Crystal City”
In an op-ed, Washington Business Journal’s managing editor issues a plea to developers: call your buildings what you want, but stop rebranding neighborhoods. He argues developers are explicitly avoiding the name “Crystal City” in press releases, instead using “National Landing.” This, he says, overlooks the many residents of Crystal City, who don’t and won’t see themselves as National Landing residents. (Michael Neibauer / Business Journal)
Bezos suggests naming DC library auditorium for Toni Morrison
After backlash followed news that an auditorium in the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library would be named for tech billionaire Jeff Bezos, the billionaire suggested that the auditorium instead be named for novelist Toni Morrison. (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)
In op-ed, Audubon Naturalist Society suggests improvements for Thrive Montgomery
While saying Thrive Montgomery gets a lot of things right, the Audubon Naturalist Society outlined ways the plan could be improved, including establishing a “no new highways” policy, increasing tree canopy, and integrating climate goals into the plan. (Denisse Guitarra / Bethesda Beat)
Rockville officials weigh annexation of hospital, Metro station, breweries into city
Rockville’s mayor and city council are set to meet Monday to discuss whether to annex Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, the Shady Grove Metro station, and two breweries due to the potential tax revenue they could bring the city. (Robert Dyer / Rockville Nights. Tip: Chester B.)
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