Afternoon links: Don’t fall into the tunnel

Doors opening: Some Metro rail drivers are still opening the doors of 8-car trains too soon, leaving passengers in the last two cars facing a tunnel wall. “Virtually all improper door incidents occur because operators forget they are in an eight-car train, officials said, and don’t pull the trains all the way to the front of the platform. Instead, they are berthing them as if they were six cars long, with the end cars no longer abutting the platform.” (Post)

Wheaton Town Square: Montgomery County is ready to replicate in Wheaton the success seen in other recent TOD projects. The “Wheaton Redevelopment Program” is using recommendations made by the International Downtown Association (IDA) as it solicits bids to redevelop the WMATA bus bays and adjacent County-owned parcels. Because the discussions are so recent, it is still to be seen whether Wheaton residents will seek to water down the metro-adjacent density as they have previously. (DCmud)

Has car ownership peaked? Studying car-ownership trends, Felix Salmon believes we’ve passed the peak, stating that “it’s actually very unlikely we will ever again see the rates of car ownership that prevailed before the crash. That was a world of 3-car garages in exurban McMansions; we’re moving into a more sustainable way of living, which involves fewer cars and higher urban density.” He argues that “a year or two of this and we could be back where we were ten years ago.” Ryan Avent has also weighed in. (David C, Reuters)

Champlain Street to be watched: In addition to reopening the southern portion of Champlain Street in Adams Morgan to vehicular traffic under the Marie H. Reed Community Learning Center, Mayor Adrian Fenty and Police Chief Cathy Lanier announced last week the installation of a closed-circuit security camera at that location. According to the reports, the street will reportedly be reconfigured for car access by the end of the summer. (Examiner)

FRA reinvigorated: The Federal Railroad Administration has been earning cheers from transit and rail transportation analysts lately. In sponsoring workshops around the country to solicit the input of transit providers, state transportation departments, and contractors hoping to work from grant money, the department is taking on a role more expansive than it has in years. A contributor to the National Corridors newsletter has noted that “until now, the FRA’s primary mission seemed to be promoting safety on our nation’s railroads. It appeared that the agency cared little about actual operations. … Under the Bush Administration, the FRA appeared to care only about safety, and at times appeared unprepared to deal effectively with other issues.” Most notably, “[n]o previous administration has directed the FRA even to propose improvements in passenger rail infrastructure or service.” (National Corridors)

And … San Francisco has unveiled the first of 1100 planned bus shelters that will have LED lighting and wi-fi internet and be powered by solar cells (Inhabitat, Kreeggo) … The DC Fire Chief Dennis Rubin has shut down the nightly fireworks at Nationals Park, at least until the launchpad can be moved farther away. Apparently he overruled his own inspector, who didn’t raise any alarms. (WTOP, City Paper via DCist)