Breakfast links: Baltimore’s Red Line will be light rail, Moore confirms
The east-west corridor Maryland studied to determine whether to pursue light rail or bus rapid transit for Baltimore's Red Line. Image by Maryland Transit Administration.
Baltimore Red Line will be light rail, not bus rapid transit
After a year of anticipation, Maryland Governor Wes Moore has announced that Baltimore’s Red Line, an east-west transit project he revived years after it was cancelled by prior governor Larry Hogan, will be a light rail route rather than bus rapid transit. Light rail is expected to be more cost effective per passenger while also attracting new riders and spurring transit-oriented development. (The Baltimore Banner story is behind a paywall.) (Baltimore Banner, Adam Thompson / CBS News)
Metro fare increase goes into effect June 30
Starting June 30, Metrorail, Metrobus, and Metro Access fares will rise by 12.5 percent. Approved earlier this year, it’s the transit agency’s first major fare increase in seven years and part of a broader effort to maintain service levels in the face of financial woes. (This article may be behind a paywall.) (Danny Nguyen / Post)
Nearly 200 people are signed up to swim in the Anacostia River on Saturday
It’s a huge milestone in the decades-long effort to clean up the Anacostia River: the water has been deemed safe for swimming, and Anacostia Riverkeeper is hosting an inaugural swim on June 29. This is a ticketed event; swimming in the river remains illegal outside of permitted events. (John Gonzalez / WJLA)
Red Line and Spring Street Bridge closures impacting Silver Spring businesses
Some Silver Spring businesses are reporting decreases in sales as high as 50% as a result of Purple Line construction. Both the Metro Red Line and Spring Street Bridge are closed to facilitate Purple Line construction, and businesses report this has led to a steep drop-off in foot traffic. The business district has partnered with WMATA on a progam through which customers can receive discounts at some businesses if they show their SmarTrip card. (Suzanne Pollak / Montgomery Community Media)
Arlington County Board will vote on Pentagon City Sector Plan for a second time
The Arlington County Board will take a second vote on the Pentagon City Sector Plan, which would increase height and density limits in the neighborhood. Last month, a judge from the Virginia Court of Appeals had vetoed the Board’s previous approval, citing insufficient public notice. (Daniel Egitto / ARLNow)
Developer eyes 83-year-old Dupont Circle office building for residential conversion
A Rockville-based developer wants to convert the Longfellow Building, an 83-year-old office building at 1201 Connecticut Avenue NW, near Dupont Circle, into a mixed-use development with 161 apartments and retail. The developer has filed plans with the DC Historic Preservation Office. (This article is behind a paywall.) (Michael Neibauer / Business Journal)
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