Breakfast links: Love in the time of commutes
DC’s warren of intrigue
2 DC employees carried on an affair in a District office building and car. It turns out the aptly named “Reeves Center for Municipal Affairs” has its share of empty offices, obscure officials, and odd rental agreements. (City Paper)
Virginia is for transit lovers
Half of area drivers surveyed would take public transportation to work if the commute time were the same or shorter. Virginians are significantly more open to transit than Maryland and District residents. (WTOP)
DC favors taxi color: green
DC will lift its taxi moratorium for low-emission taxis and wheelchair-accessible taxis. Few cabs in DC are low-emissions vehicles. (DCist)
Baker and council at odds
The PG County Council does not like County Exec. Rushern Baker’s nominee for county attorney. The nominee disagrees with how the council has responded to a religious discrimination and zoning lawsuit the county lost. (Examiner)
MWAA tidbits
Phase 1 of the Silver Line may run 5% over budget. MWAA, which is building the line, may look for cost savings elsewhere. (Post) … Ironically, the MWAA board met in secret to discuss how it can be less secretive. (Examiner)
Congressman wants to ease streetcar rules
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), streetcars’ biggest friend in Congress, recognizes that federal rules are especially burdensome to streetcar projects. Could he be thinking of the 11th Street bridge? (City Paper)
Washington has wealthiest median
Our region now beats San Jose as the one with the highest median income. Federal employees, government contractors, lobbyists and lawyers all may contribute. But 11% of DC residents are “very poor.” (Bloomberg)
Arlington supports Boeing despite objections
Arlington approved Boeing’s plan for a new headquarters site near the Pentagon. Though it’s not mixed-use, as many had hoped, the county thought the employer was too big to lose. (ARLnow)
Area bridges need repair
215 bridges in the area are “structurally deficient.” They’re safe to use, but they contain load-carrying elements that need work. Fortunately, several of the bridges on the list are being repaired or were recently replaced. (Post)
And…
DC’s green roofs are good for the environment and recreation. (Miami Herald) … MD’s House approved the governor’s gerrymander. (Post) … Moving from a poor to a middle-class neighborhood reduces your chance of obesity. (Science Now)