New legislation signed in California allows for more than one unit to be built on single-family parcels. Pollution is more harmful, in smaller quantities, than we thought. To measure the return to downtowns, keep an eye on Starbucks.
Starting Monday, Amtrak passengers can travel directly between downtown DC and downtown Richmond thanks to a multibillion-dollar expansion of the rail system. A new rail bridge over the Potomac River is also expected in coming years to boost capacity. Correction: a previous version of this post said VRE; the service is through Amtrak.(Luz Lazo / Post)
A huge chunk of Metro ridership pre-pandemic was made up of federal workers, but many of those workers haven’t yet returned to the system, and Metro is grappling with how to make up for the loss. (Justin George / Post)
Initial plans to replace Friendship Center in DC’s Friendship Heights neighborhood would replace a series of retail shops with a 13,000 square foot building and 350 housing units. Current tenants on site include DSW and Marshalls. (Nena Perry-Brown / UrbanTurf)
To reduce the number of students forced to quarantine for exposure to COVID-19, Montgomery County schools will now allow students who have been exposed to stay in class, as long as they test negative daily and don’t show symptoms. (Caitlynn Peetz / Bethesda Beat)
There’s more traffic on the road these days, but kids don’t have to stop walking or cycling to school. Some safety improvements schools and communities can make include staggering dismissal times and adding more crossing guards. (Katherine Shaver / Post)
Franklin Park in downtown DC reopened Friday after a $21 million renovation project left it closed for over a year. Some of the park’s newest features include a central fountain, a children’s play area, and new seating areas. A central pavilion that will one day include a cafe is still under construction. (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)
