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ART OF TRANSIT: That’s Lake Powell in southern Utah as seen by yours truly Monday afternoon. I’m in Ohio this week attending to family business but I will be posting occasionally as there’s lots happening — thanks in advance for your patience. Lake Powell, btw, is about 39 percent full — but 39 percent still equals more than a trillion gallons of water, some of which will end up in So Cal via the Colorado Aqueduct. No sign of the Icarus. Photo by Steve Hymon.

Metro recommends $927-million contract for downtown rail project (L.A. Times) 

A good look at the staff recommendation for a design-build contractor — Skanska USA and Traylor Bros. — for the Regional Connector project. As the article notes, Metro will need to shift some funds around to meet the project’s budget and the current cost hinges on Metro getting the construction permits it needs from the Los Angeles Police Commission.

Five years since its opening, still much work ahead for the Eastside Gold Line (Boyle Heights Beat) 

Good article. The Eastside leg of the Gold Line will celebrate its five-year anniversary in November and Boyle Heights residents have mixed views on the line — some find it convenient, some think earlier bus lines were a better option. Metro officials point to community amenities that were part of the project (improved sidewalks, lighting and new trees, for example). My own three cents: the Regional Connector will especially benefit the communities along the Eastside line, allowing trains to travel directly into downtown L.A. instead of routing passengers to Union Station and a transfer to the subway.

SEPTA to restore all-night subway service (Mass Transit) 

The agency that serves the Philadelphia metro area will run all night service on two subway lines this summer for the first time since the early 1990s. Increasing night life and new residences in downtown Philly prompted officials to launch the experiment.

How did the bicycle cross the highway? (Medium) 

Here’s how the Dutch did it:

Photo credit: http://hovenring.com/ and http://www.ipvdelft.nl/

These Detroit bus benches are made from demolished homes (The Atlantic Cities) 

Specifically, doors from properties torn down — Detroit has thousands of abandoned properties — are being smartly repurposed. Very cool.