It’s Friday, Washington, and reactions are still rolling in to Metro’s approval of its largest fare hikes ever. We all knew this was coming, but we’re curious to hear if any of our readers actually plan to make changes to their commuting habits come January 6, when the increases will go into effect. Do you think you’ll ride Metro any less, or finally make the leap to using SmarTrip? Let us know in the comments.

Free Rides from Metro?: Metro may be getting more expensive, but the Examiner reports that at least one board member thinks customers are owed something back when they experience major delays. Maryland board member Gordon Linton thinks Metro should be doling out free rides when customers experience 15 or 20 minute delays. It remains to be seen how such a program would actually work, but the board has commissioned Metro staff to work on a proposal.

Gray and Fenty Differ on Surplus Spending: D.C. Council chairman Vincent Gray has altered a proposal put forth by Mayor Adrian Fenty on how to spend a $50 million surplus. Fenty had proposed spending $47 million to start a program to provide new housing units to the chronically homeless, but Gray has changed the bill to put $30 million in the Housing Production Trust Fund and split the rest among a variety of social services. Gray told the Post he doesn’t think the Department of Human Services, which would be in charge of Fenty’s housing program, is up to the task of handling such a project.

Briefly Noted: MPD officer recovering after being hit by car … AIDS education plan approved … D.C. residents carry average tax burden, study says.

This Day in DCist: In 2006 we surveyed holiday cocktails on offer in the city, in 2005 we took apart a SmarTrip card to see if we could make a keychain out of it, and in 2004 we waited to see if the Nationals stadium would be approved.

Photo by randomduck