Breakfast links: Democracy in action and inaction
Speed cameras all the time
In the wake of yet another pedestrian death on Route 1, the College Park city council has opted to allow its speed cameras to operate 24 hours a day. (Post)
No democracy at Eastern Market
Eastern Market officers stopped people from circulating political candidate petitions last weekend. Mayor Gray overruled that, but market officials said they may require a fee to petition. They later dropped that idea. (NBC4)
Slow down Maryland Ave
To make a safer Maryland Avenue NE, DDOT has installed temporary traffic calming like flex posts and extended curbs. But historic preservation concerns are slowing more permanent fixes like removing lanes. (WAMU)
Gas delays green street
A $2.3 million “green street” project for Flower Avenue in Takoma Park has been in the planning stages for two years, but may now take until 2016 as Washington Gas wants replace a gas line first. (Gazette)
Hillandale yellin’ over Yellen guards
The security detail for Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen, who lives in the gated community of Hillandale in Burleith, is upsetting neighbors by dripping oil from vehicles, having “doughnut bellies,” and wearing “ridiculous blue uniforms.” (WSJ)
Georgetown could lose gas stations
Besides the station at the end of the Key Bridge which will become condos, development may replace two other gas stations, at Pennsylvania and M and Wisconsin and Q. They could fill in pedestrian-hostile spots, but also will make getting gas more difficult. (Georgetown Dish)
Where do the embassies go?
In neighborhoods with a lot of chanceries, residents don’t want more, but the government doesn’t want to restrict embassies much and possiblyinvite retribution abroad. DC wants to steer many to the Walter Reed complex, which will have a chancery cluster. (City Paper)
More tickets in bike lanes
DC police handed out 4,200 tickets for parking in a bike lane last year, and are on track to give out about 17% more this year. (Post)
Crashes are deadlier than war
Traffic crashes cause over twice the number of deaths worldwide than murder and war combined. (Progressive Economy, Rich ‘n Alexandria)
And…
You can check out the bike station and parking garage in the Wiehle-Reston East Silver Line station on Saturday. (Post) … The DC Library will digitize several of its old maps. (DCist) … Where can you walk to in 7 minutes? For one Greenbelt blogger, it’s quite a few places. (Greenbelt Live) … Marijiana is a little less criminal in DC. (Post)