Breakfast links: WMATA GM: Improvements coming, but catastrophe looms without more public funding
McPherson Square Metro Station on February 5, 2023 by Daniel Kelly used with permission.
WMATA warns of catastrophic wait times, budget cuts
WMATA CEO and General Manager Randy Clarke said he expects rail service to increase gradually over the summer, reducing headways to 5-8 minutes. However, he warned a looming budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 2025, which begins in July of 2024, could mean longer headways next year. (Luke Garrett / WTOP)
Little Falls Parkway changes made permanent by MoCo Planning Board
The Montgomery County Planning Board recently made permanent a “road diet” for Little Falls Parkway in Bethesda, which reduces lanes of traffic open from four to two, thereby allowing more space for pedestrians and cyclists. However, the Kenwood Citizens Association still has an active lawsuit against the county on the basis that it failed to get proper approval for the road diet from the National Capital Planning Commission. (Akira Kyles / MoCo360)
District officials close down tent community in Deanwood
For about a year, over a dozen people lived in a tent community behind a row of single family homes in DC’s Deanwood neighborhood. However, a fire at the encampment in March prompted local officials to recently shut down the tent community due to its risk as a fire hazard. (Athiyah Azeem / DCist)
WMATA works to allay Riders Advisory Council members’ concerns over fare evasion, safety
Fare evasion, public safety, infrequent bus service, and endless construction delays top the list of complaints from Metro’s Riders Advisory Council. WMATA leadership plans to address many of these issues, like installing new, higher fare gates over the next two years to crack down on fare evasion. WMATA leadership also says an increased law enforcement presence has caused crime to decline across the system. (Jordan Pascale / DCist)
WMATA wants authority to demand fare evaders provide ID in DC
While Metro Transit Police offices can demand that fare evaders in Maryland and Virginia show their ID, they currently don’t have that authority in the District. That’s why top Metro officials want the authority to demand ID in DC, citing the fact that nearly everyone who commits a serious crime in the transit system first evaded fare. (Tom Roussey / ABC 7 News)
DC Council wants to buy and revitalize Georgetown’s trolley trestle bridge
The DC Council’s transportation committee proposes using $500,000 in DDOT funds to purchase Georgetown’s trolley trestle bridge from Metro and transform it into a multi-use trail. The bridge was originally constructed over a century ago as part of the DC Streetcar system. (Colleen Grablick / DCist)
Iconic fountain reopens at Reston Town Center
The Mercury Fountain at the Reston Town Center was turned back on for the first time in a year, as part of a larger reopening of the town center’s pavilion and fountain square. The revamped pavilion and square also includes an expansion of outdoor seating, as well as new trees and plants. (Fatimah Waseem / FFXnow)
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