We're anxious to get right into the thick of things after a week off - hopefully, you managed without us. But first, we haven't yet had a chance to say: huzzah!

Okay, so it's not the be-all, end-all. Does Metro need more financial help than this recently signed influx of funding? Absolutely. (In fact, check after the jump for a slightly-woeful story of the agency's financial prioritization.) Is it true that, spread over ten years, this funding is kind of like trying to water a garden with an eyedropper? Yeah, in a way. Is it also true that a large chunk of this funding depends on the notoriously-backwards Virginia legislature? Sure is.

But hey, it feels good to finally type it: a fairly large chunk of change for Metro got through the process. Nothing wrong with just posting something positive once in a while. Don't worry, your usual slate of negative news resumes after the jump.

Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the funding story that lit up the transit blogosphere this last week. The end date for the largest piece of legislation concerning transportation in America (Rob Goodspeed has a nice concise history of the law, for the uninitiated) is next year. This means that you should expect to see a lot of bickering between the highway and transit lobbies over the next year or so. Transportation for America, which falls on the transit side of the lobby, is pumping a ton of money into a campaign to influence lawmakers to push a little more money transit's way. Most of the new urban bloggers seem to agree concur with the "Build for America" five-point plan (PDF), but agree that lots more work is needed to change the national mindset.

That said, it seems like as pertinent a time as ever to remind you of where the two candidates for President stand on the issue of transportation. Although it's something that's been rarely discussed on the campaign trail (why aren't we asking if Joe the Plumber supports high-speed rail?), it's certainly something to think about as you enter the booths two Tuesdays from now.

Photo by philliefan99

Office Furniture: Priority. System Signage, Not So Much: "I don't think there's ever a good time to buy new things." That's the Director of Metro, John Catoe, speaking.

So, while we're sort of taking Lena Sun's attempt to somehow connect this tiny spending oversight with the much bigger issue of the delay in rolling out new buses with bit of a smirk on our faces, it's not completely out of order to believe that this kind of "misguided" spending might be indicative of an overreaching problem at WMATA. Our issue isn't really with the fact that the agency decided to spend the money on something other than the signs. Our concern is that that something as relatively inexpensive as informational signs that have basically universal approval from riders and the agency could be "overlooked." If we were in WMATA's shoes, we'd prioritize spending on initiatives that meet overwhelming approval from most everyone, as those things tend to be very few in numbers.

Then again, we're sure that those executive leather conference room chairs are very nice - and "staff members...almost [falling] when they leaned back" is certainly a key issue for the transit agency.

With An Emphasis On Likely: The Gazette leads with the potentially much more dramatic story of the battle between the NIMBYism of Columbia Country Club and the planners of the Purple Line, but the potentially more pertinent news is buried halfway in: Michael D. Madden, project development chief for MTA, confirmed that even the most expensive rail option (which comes in at around $1.6 billion) meets all federal guidelines. As BeyondDC notes, this likely means no repeats of the messy interference from the FTA like we saw in the development of the Silver Line through Tysons.

Engines and Cabooses: White Flint - the next big walkable community?...An interesting read about Clarendon's 40-year development into walkable destination... Fairfax County holding public hearings on potential 35 percent increase in bus fare; the County is also considering higher fuel standards for taxis... As part of cuts on overtime pay, Maryland Transit Administration admits that they "may be forced to skip runs on certain routes" if employees call out sick... Wilson Bridge earns award... Find yourself often staring at the Metro map and thinking about its design? Via Ryan Avent, here's the story of the creation of the London Underground's iconic map for your enjoyment.