Breakfast links: Maryland, Virginia both face bad funding news for transit, bike, pedestrian projects
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge by Daniel Kelly licensed under Creative Commons.
Bike, pedestrian, and transit projects would face setbacks under proposed Virginia transportation funding changes
Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board plans to vote on changes to the way Virginia evaluates transportation infrastructure projects for funding. If approved, the changes would favor car-oriented projects and mean fewer funded bike, pedestrian, and transit projects. The changes center around a new definition for high-priority projects and a lower cap on the number of projects that jurisdictions can submit applications for. (Margaret Barthel / DCist)
Maryland Department of Transportation faces billions of dollars in cuts
State officials announced an 8% across-the-board cut to the Maryland Department of Transportation, spelling bad news for transit and other projects. In the face of declining revenues and rising costs across the state budget, the cuts are necessary to close a transportation budget deficit expected to grow to more than $2 billion in the next six years. (Bryan P. Sears / Maryland Matters)
New Carbon Free DC plan aims to bring down District’s greenhouse gas emissions
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s new Carbon Free DC plan strives to reduce the District’s greenhouse gas emissions by 88% over the next 20 years, through strategies that target the built environment, energy, land use, transportation, and waste. (Jacob Fenston / DCist)
WMATA moves forward with December track work, station closings
WMATA has started its slate of December track work and closings. Starting today, service after 10 pm on the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines will be limited to every 26 minutes, with the Silver Line only servicing Ashburn through Ballston. Additionally, WMATA still plans on its Red Line repair work, starting on December 18, and is encouraging riders to use its shuttle buses to access the downtown areas that are affected by its planned station closings. (Maggie More / NBC 4)
Fairfax likely to reduce ceiling on incomes eligible to purchase designated workforce housing
As soon as December 5, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is expected to endorse a task force’s recommendation to change the income thresholds for the county’s Workforce Dwelling Unit homeownership program. Because units targeted to households earning 120% of area median income (AMI) sit on the market for longer than those set aside for lower-income households, the recommendation is to shift eligibility for the units from 80-120% of AMI to 70-100% of AMI. (Angela Woolsey / FFXnow)
Reactions divided over MoCo’s proposed energy standards for residential buildings
Climate activists and property owners are divided over proposed changes to proposed energy standards in Montgomery County that will expand building electrification requirements to residential buildings. While developers say the high cost of implementing the requirements would even further limit the availability of naturally occurring affordable housing in the county, environmental activists say that changes are necessary to help the county meet its climate goals. (Ginny Bixby / MoCo360)
Some College Park residents speak out against proposed apartment building
Some residents of College Park’s Autoville neighborhood are speaking out against a proposed 10- to 14-unit residential development due to concerns that the building could attract nearby college students and traffic that would disrupt the neighborhood’s character. According to the property’s attorney, students will not likely be the target market for the units. (Katharine Wilson / The Diamondback)
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