Breakfast links: Amtrak train derails just south of Union Station
Amtrak train as seen from NoMA Metro station platform on June 6, 2023 by BeyondDC licensed under Creative Commons.
Two Amtrak cars derailed near Union Station Tuesday
Two cars on the Northbound Northeast Regional 86 train from Norfolk derailed Tuesday in the tunnel just shy of the Union Station platform at 8:47 am. More than 200 passengers were moved to other cars inside the tunnel and then detrained via the platform at L’Enfant Plaza. One Amtrak employee was hospitalized for a minor medical condition. Several Amtrak and VRE trains were cancelled or disrupted throughout the day. (Post)
Central and Western Marylanders asked to conserve water under drought watch
The Maryland Department of the Enviornment has issued a drought watch for Western and Central Maryland, including Montgomery, Baltimore, Frederick and Howard counties as stream flows and groundwater levels are currently lower than normal at this time of year. Households under the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Baltimore City water systems are exempt from this watch. (CBS News Baltimore WJZ)
Some members of Congress propose adding more flights to National Airport
Along with Delta Airlines, some Congress members are pushing to add up to 56 more long-distance flights in and out of National Airport every day. Maryland and Virginia’s senators and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) have pushed back, citing capacity limits, delays, and noise concerns. Congress used to run National Airport before handing off operations to the MWAA. (Jordan Pascale / DCist)
Decisions on Reston Comprehensive Plan delayed due to changes in Virginia laws
New Virginia laws now require more lead time and early provision of documents before holding public hearings. These changes mean the public will have at least four more opportunities to provide input on the Reston plan changes, which are now slated to conclude in September. The planning process has been underway since 2020. (Fatimah Waseem / FFXNow)
Arlington could buy a property with importance for local Black history
Arlington County may buy a parcel of land near Chain Bridge Road from the Virginia Department of Transportation, which has abandoned plans to use the site for a connector road between Chain Bridge Road and North Glebe Road. The property was part of a settlement of freed Black people from the 1850s just before the Civil War until to the 1950s. The county would use the land for a park and possibly conduct archaeological and historic preservation activities to learn and preserve more about the Black settlement, known then as “The Bottom.” (Jo DeVoe / ARLNow)
Plans for Ballston Holiday Inn and office building redevelopment head to the Arlington County Board
The redevelopment plan has changed substantially since first submitted a year ago. A bicycle and pedestrian path have been widened, and the buildings have been reconfigured to better buffer existing development types, with other changes made in response to concerns about traffic. One of the proposed buildings is a seven-story 492-unit residential building and two are twin five-story 15-unit residential buildings. (Jo DeVoe / ARLNow)
Almost 2,000 units planned around Dave Thomas Circle
One 805-unit apartment building, Capitol Point North, at the site of the McDonald’s has been delayed due to financing problems. The other buildings include a 116-unit development, a 172-unit building, a 557-unit building, and a 254-unit building all replacing parking lots or low-rise buildings, including the one currently housing the Covenant House shelter. (Urban Turf)
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