Brunch links: Saved
The word on texting
Georgia has a new anti-texting law. Police say they can pretty easily tell who’s texting; sadly, that’s because few drivers except those texting drive 20 mph under the speed limit. And if necessary, they can now subpoena phone records. (Decatur Metro) … Image from Fail Blog via @theoverheadwire.
Plannin’ for McMillan
DC will fund planning and traffic studies to give a boost to the McMillan sand filtration site, stalled of late. (Michael Neibauer/WBJ)
“Most important” new buildings
52 experts named the 21 most important buildings built after 1980, which to them meant Modernist buildings. DC got one, but it’s a wall instead of a building: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Also note how many of these buildings require large, empty space around them to look good. (Vanity Fair, David C.) (Tip: David C)
Auto-centrism in New York development
New York City is approving a new building in Williamsburg that contains far more parking spaces than most others in the city. The development renderings, however, magically don’t show all the cars that these spaces will bring in. (Streetsblog)
Auto-centrism in Brooklyn notables
There’s a new cycle track on Prospect Park West in Brooklyn. Many people love it, except for former Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall, wife of Senator Chuck Schumer, who lives nearby. Just before leaving office, Weinshall tried to convert more avenues in the neighborhood to the one-way traffic sewers that PPW was before this change. (Daily News, Streetsblog)
Healthier in the Charm City
Baltimore becomes launches a serious effort to address the lack of access to healthy food and obesity by appointing a Food Czar. (GOOD, Lynda) … Zipcar also launched service in Baltimore. (Gavin) (Tip: Lynda)
How transit mode share has changed
Brookings uses census data to chart the change in transit mode share across metro areas from 2000-2008. The DC area is one of the big increases. (TNR, charlie) (Tip: charlie)
We need bicycle infrastructure
Tom Vanderbilt discusses the need for “bicycle highways,” roads optimized for bike travel. (Slate, Geoff H.) … Prince George’s will build a 2-mile trail from Bladensburg to the DC line, connecting to DC’s trails. (WTOP, C.R.) (Tip: Geoff H.)