Breakfast links: Approved
Bike lanes win over ANC
ANC 3D voted to support the New Mexico Avenue bike lanes, after a lot of emotional testimony, strong speeches in support, and a last-minute amendment requesting a traffic study, but not a requirement. (@sharrowsDC)
Council passes wage bill
Despite threats by Walmart to pull the plug on 3 stores planned for the District, the DC Council voted to pass the living wage bill. It’s not clear whether or not Mayor Gray will veto the bill. (City Paper)
And many more bills
The DC Council also voted to limit smoking near public places, give undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses, delay the elected attorney general 4 years, help transgender people change birth certificates, and assess points on the licenses of drivers who hit cyclists. (WAMU)
WMATA tweets in more places
2 new WMATA Twitter accounts will split bus and rail updates. A Metro Transit Police account tracks crime tips and investigations. (Fox 5)
People use express lanes, tolls rise
Traffic on the Beltway express lanes in Virginia increased during June as more drivers chose to avoid congestion by paying. Because of increased volume, the average toll rate also rose. (Post)
Speed cameras worked for France
When France had high numbers of traffic deaths, the public demanded speed cameras, the country installed 4,000, people drove more slowly, and deaths plummeted. (Capital New York)
First IZ condo unit sells (finally)
After 4 years of delays from the recession and lawsuits, the first Inclusionary Zoning affordable housing condo unit has a buyer. DC housing officials expect to see 1,000 more IZ units in the next few years. (City Paper)
Housing market, recovered?
Houses are selling quickly in the region as the median housing price reaches a record high. An Arlington house sold in 27 hours, but the county’s median sales price was the only one in the region that dropped. (Post)
Housing prices of yesteryear
A 1911 Washington Times advertisement lists a Columbia Heights home for sale for $5,000 — about $115,000 today. (Ghosts of DC)
Get bike tips from the crowd
The New York Times builds a crowdsourcing map for bicycle wisdom in many cities. Here, tips include where to see good views of monuments while riding, hills and steps to avoid, and more. (NYT)
And…
The line at the DC DMV for road tests is 3 months long. (NBC4) … White Flint will get more retail. (Bethesda Now) … There were a lot of ferries from Baltimore in 1926. (BeyondDC) … Someone is building new medical facilities at Largo. (WBJ)