Photo by Nick Sherman on Flickr.

Will Silver bring blue?

800 people per square mile is the density at which places switch from Republican to Democratic control. Loudoun has been a political battleground, but density due to the Silver Line could turn it Democratic. (Politico)  

What can Green teach about Silver?

When the southern end of Metro’s Green Line opened in 2001, a lack of cars led to overcrowding. Will this again be a problem when the Silver Line opens? Likely not. (Post)  

Back to school for mixed use

Instead of getting a new mixed-use Safeway, it looks like Tenleytown will just get a bigger private school campus as the Georgetown Day School expands. (Post)  

Virginia tells Uber to cease

Virginia’s DMV has told rideshare services Uber and Lyft to stop operating. Despite past warnings, the companies continue selling rides, hoping to outlast the regulators. (Post)  

EPA rule’s impacts will vary

EPA’s emissions reduction proposal would require Maryland and Virginia to reduce their carbon emissions by 37% and 38%. The District would be excluded as it has no operating power plants. (Vox)  

A utility model for funding transit

With U.S. transit systems perennially broke, it is time to rethink their governance? Regulated utilities operate in a similar context but manage to stay profitable while providing decent service. (CityLab)  

New bus adjusts to riders

A startup has begun operating a bus in Boston that adjusts its route to better serve riders. Initial rides have been faster than the T, but more expensive. (NYTimes)  

Voters gain development veto power

Voters in San Francisco passed a referendum giving themselves a say in development along the waterfront. Although touted as a victory against developers, the result may be an ever higher cost of housing. (Post)  

Seattle gives street space to kids

Through a new Play Streets program, the city is temporarily opening streets to non-car activities, such as school athletics. Several other cities have similar programs. (Streetsblog)  

How the battle was won

A recent podcast tells the story of David Gunn’s transformation of the NYC subway system. Criminalization of graffiti and obsessive cleaning of trains was necessary to tip the scales. (99% Invisible, thm)  (Tip: thm)