News

Regional transportation news stories compiled by CommuterPage.com. Subscribe to a daily email with the most recent news, recent ACCS blog posts, and upcoming events. Every CommuterPage.com News email includes an "unsubscribe" link.

Metro releasing holiday-themed vehicle fleet

The theme this year is “making your ride sweeter" and features a candy-filled wonderland on a bright red backdrop. The inside of the holiday-wrapped train is also decked out with holiday spirit. Three wrapped buses, one train, and one MetroAccess vehicle will run throughout the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region during the season. Read more...
December 5, 2025, WMATA

Transportation Department wnvests in bus infrastructure modernization

Funding will go to the purchase of new buses, building and improving new bus facilities, and utilizing newer types of fuel. This investment is also expected to help reduce traffic congestion, help people travel more efficiently and affordably, and create more employment opportunities across the country. Read more...
December 7, 2025, The Presidential Prayer Team

Arlington bus ridership took a hit during government shutdown

October is “typically the highest ridership month we have,” said Paul Mounier, a transit planner for the county government, at the Nov. 18 meeting of the Transit Advisory Committee. But figures show a ridership decline of 2.2% year-over-year that month, dropping to just over 243,000 riders. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, December 5, 2025, ARLNow

Metro to host emergency exercise at Eisenhower office building in Alexandria

First responders and Metro staff will test their ability in a rapid response involving an improvised explosive device. The exercise will evaluate response coordination and communication between on-scene responders, Metrorail operations staff, Metro Transit Police, and support personnel. Read more...
December 4, 2025, WMATA

Metro prepared for winter weather, will communicate impacts to bus service in a new way

Customers can now visit WMATA.com/Snow for constant, up-to-the-minute updates on the status of all bus routes and maps of bus detours. Each route listed will show Regular Service, Snow Detour, or Temporarily Suspended.  Read more...
December 4, 2025, WMATA

A regional transportation plan reinforces the status quo. We can do better

This fall, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board rejected a highway widening proposal to pursue better solutions for the southside of the Beltway, and the DMVMoves Task Force advanced a plan for dedicated WMATA funding and rail system modernization.  Read more...
Bill Pugh, December 4, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

FCDOT to design protected bike facilities on part of Sunrise Valley Drive

With a recently awarded grant, Fairfax County can begin designing protected bicycle facilities along Sunrise Valley Drive near the Innovation Center Metro station, the latest effort to make the roadway more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists. Read more...
Angela Woolsey, December 3, 2025, FFXNow

This weekend: Buses replace trains between Greenbelt and Hyattsville Crossing

On Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7, Metro trains will not serve Greenbelt and College Park-U. of Md stations as crews upgrade platform lighting. Free local and express shuttle buses will run between Greenbelt and Hyattsville Crossing throughout the weekend to keep customers moving. Read more...
December 3, 2025, WMATA

Congestion in D.C. got worse in 2025, report says

The average driver in D.C. lost 70 hours to traffic in 2025, which the company calculates by looking at the difference between peak and off-peak congestion. That’s a 13 percent increase from last year’s 62 hours, according to the report. Read more...
Rachel Weiner, December 4, 2025, The Washington Post

Subway Builder turns Metro enthusiasts into transit designers

Whether they’re building the Metro of their dreams or recreating existing lines, Subway Builder players make their own decisions on the extent to which urban planning, equity, and accessibility shape their designs. Read more...
Leah Roffman, December 3, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

Metro debuts new bike lockers at two stations, with more expected through 2027

D.C. cyclists are welcoming Metro’s new app-based bicycle lockers at the Foggy Bottom and Eastern Market stations, but say their impact will depend on how quickly the transit system expands them–a timeline Metro hasn’t yet released. Read more...
Yi Ya (Becky) Tseng, December 2, 2025, The Wash

Regional leaders plan future Metro project funding

After a dramatic dip in ridership during COVID, Metro usage has risen back to its pre-pandemic levels, but funding the regional transit system is still a challenge for area leaders and they’ve been working on a plan to address that issue since last year. Now, they’re looking for local and state governments to endorse that plan. Read more...
Hanna Pampaloni, December 2, 2025, Loudoun Now

Montgomery County's 'Flash Light' buses sparkle for holiday season

The transportation system kicked off the popular “Flash Lights” holiday buses at the Silver Spring Thanksgiving Parade on Saturday, Nov. 22. Now, passengers can catch a ride on one of the five buses running along Colesville Road/Columbia Pike throughout December. Read more...
Odyssey Fields, December 2, 2025, DC News Now

OmniRide partners with Transit app to expand real-time rider tools

Beginning December 2, riders will be able to redeem free access to Transit Royale, which includes unlimited departure schedules, additional routing options, and customizable in-app themes. Read more...
December 2, 2025, Potomac Local News

Long Bridge Project construction prompts rail service changes in Alexandria next month

No trains will be eliminated, and morning and evening trains will still run. However, some trains may start or end in Alexandria instead of D.C.’s Union Station, according to VRE. Read more...
Katie Taranto, December 2, 2025, ALXNow

Fairfax County continues electric vehicle push, but won't meet 2035 goal

The determination was made after a study of the county’s fleet needs by the consulting firm AECOM. The study said a cost-effective transition to a full electric fleet would only be likely by 2050. Read more...
Nolan Stout, December 2, 2025, FFXNow

Metro and Urban Atlantic celebrate groundbreaking of next phase of transit-oriented development at New Carrollton

“The transformation of the New Carrollton station and its surrounding areas is a tangible example of how investments in transit build community,” said Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke.  Read more...
December 2, 2025, WMATA

DC and Maryland lead in traffic safety — but Virginia lags behind

The group’s 2026 Roadmap to Safety report gives D.C. and Maryland its highest rating of “green,” while Virginia earned a “yellow” rating. D.C. and Maryland each have at least eight of the recommended safety laws on the books, compared to just four in Virginia. Read more...
Mike Murillo, December 3, 2025, WTOP

Free buses can be a reality — just look at Maryland

Montgomery County first made its “Ride On” buses free to all riders under 18 in 2019. Then on June 29, 2025, it made all of its buses fare-free for all passengers. The system has a fleet of nearly 400 buses, 80 routes, and provided 19.2 million rides in the 2025 fiscal year.  Read more...
Alexis Goldstein, December 1, 2025, Truthout

VRE announces date and ticket sales details for 2025 Santa Trains

“VRE’s biggest day of the year is back on Saturday, December 13, 2025,” Virginia Railway Express announced. “In-person tickets will go on sale Monday, December 1, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at designated vendor locations.”  Read more...
December 1, 2025, Potomac Local News

VDOT seeks public input on Hoadly Road STARS study

The study evaluates potential safety, operational, transit, and bicycle/pedestrian improvements along a five-mile section of Hoadly Road between Dumfries Road and Prince William Parkway, where traffic volumes range from 12,000 to 25,000 vehicles daily. Read more...
December 1, 2025, Potomac Local News

Marylanders' commute listed as 2nd-worst in the nation

Across Maryland, there were vastly different commute times, according to the survey. Charles County had the longest commute with 43.1 minutes for a one-way drive. Allegany County had the shortest commute with 22.1 minutes. Read more...
Alan Etter, December 2, 2025, WTOP

Multi-year project to fill missing pedestrian links on Route 50 now complete

The final piece of a multi-year initiative to improve the pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure on a 1.5-mile stretch of Route 50 between Blake Lane and Prosperity Avenue was completed last month, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation announced. Read more...
Angela Woolsey, December 1, 2025, FFXNow

MD has the second highest commute time in US, survey finds

In Baltimore City, commuters typically spent about 29.5 minutes getting to work each way. In Southern Maryland, where many workers travel into the Washington, D.C. region, commute times climbed above the state average. Washington, D.C.’s commuters spent about 30.3 minutes on the road as of 2023. Read more...
December 1, 2025, The Daily Record

Talking transportation: rebuilding Amtrak

Aside from worsening highway traffic and delays, why chose the train instead of driving? Because the investment in its infrastructure is finally paying off with better service. Read more...
Jim Cameron, November 30, 2025, Greenwich Free Press

Beyond gridlock: Integrated, tech-driven mobility underpins Greater Washington's future

Not any one mode in isolation, but a coordinated, technology-enabled network where Metrorail, Metrobus, local buses, commuter rail, roadways, managed lanes, bikeshare, microtransit, and emerging mobility technologies operate as a single ecosystem. Read more...
Jack McDougle, December 1, 2025, Washington Business Journal

The view from Nathan's bus: remembering why we love trolleys

Trolley buses remain financially competitive as a zero-emissions alternative in comparison to battery electric buses (BEBs) for several reasons.  Read more...
Nathan Vass, November 29, 2025, The Urbanist

How to really improve public transit systems

The core problem with the “free bus” mantra is basic economics: If people value a product, they will pay for it. Many American cities have public transit systems that are underutilized because driving is a better alternative. Read more...
November 28, 2025, The Washington Post

West Falls Church redevelopment kicks off a walkable future

The shift comes as the Silver Line continues to expand connectivity across Northern Virginia. With that new travel option, the need for expansive parking at West Falls Church has fallen, freeing Metro to rethink how the land could better serve both the system and the surrounding community. Read more...
November 25, 2025, APTA.com

USDOT announces $2b in grants for transit buses, favoring hybrids over electric options

The new round of grants for buses and facility upgrades doesn’t include any for battery-electric buses, favoring instead diesel-electric hybrids and CNG buses. Read more...
Diana Ionescu, November 26, 2025, Planetizen

When better streets cross party lines

FABB has always believed that safer streets and better biking options are non-partisan. Whether you’re a commuter, a small business owner, a parent walking your child to school, or a visitor exploring Fairfax County, you benefit from streets built for people — not just cars. Read more...
November 26, 2025, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

October CaBi trips tumbled amidst shutdown, annual ridership up 14.4% in 2025

September 2025 ridership decreased by 6% from September 2024. And on October 1, the nation began what became the longest government shutdown in history, lasting 43 days until the government reopened on November 13, impacting transit ridership across the region. Read more...
Samuel Littauer, November 26, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

Virginia expands passenger rail capacity in Alexandria

Construction began Nov. 12 on a package of improvements that include a new six-mile fourth track between Alexandria and Arlington, enhancements at the Alexandria VRE station, and replacement of two aging rail bridges located next to the station.  Read more...
November 25, 2025, Construction Owners

McLean Metro station opens new entrance, as park amenities take shape

Authorized by the Fairfax County Planning Commission in October 2022, Metro Park features paved paths and boardwalks, an athletic court, outdoor seating, a play area and a seasonal ice skating rink — all built on top of five levels of underground parking. Read more...
Angela Woolsey, November 25, 2025, FFXNow

Metro's holiday Pop-Up Shop has new merch including beanies, stuffed animals, and snow globes starting Nov. 29

The shop will feature exclusive Metro merchandise, limited-edition holiday items, and festive events the whole family can enjoy — all wrapped up in a candy-themed celebration of local pride and holiday joy.  Read more...
November 25, 2025, WMATA

Purple Line hits milestone ahead of 2027 opening

The 16-mile, 21-station light rail line will connect Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, linking to Metro’s Red, Green and Orange lines, plus MARC, Amtrak and local bus services. After years of delays, the Purple Line is expected to open in 2027. Read more...
Matt Small, November 25, 2025, WTOP

Metro train stations have new secure bike lockers

Metro is debuting new bike lockers outside train stations, starting with Foggy Bottom and Eastern Market. Read more...
Cuneyt Dil, November 24, 2025, Axios

WBJ: Arlington's busiest Metro station is at the Pentagon

The third most popular stop in Arlington, according to the WBJ analysis, was Rosslyn, with about 8,700 daily riders. Ballston came in at the No. 4 spot with 6,800 riders, and Crystal City was No. 5 with about 6,100. Read more...
Dan Egitto, November 24, 2025, ARLNow

Rail project to move some VRE final stops to Alexandria Station starting in 2026

Construction on the major rail capacity expansion project will move some VRE train ending points to the Alexandria station. Read more...
Emily Leayman, November 24, 2025, Patch

Is the bus still running? Seriously... is the bus still running??

Faced with increased operating costs and the end of pandemic-era federal support, many transit systems across the United States find themselves grappling with tough decisions. Read more...
Joshua Woods, November 24, 2025, Planetizen

Speak up: protect federal safer streets funding

Programs like Safe Streets and Roads for All, Reconnecting Communities, and Transportation Alternatives provided crucial resources for local projects that save lives and expand access. But those hard-won gains could be rolled back in the next bill—leaving zero federal funding for biking and walking through 2031. Read more...
November 24, 2025, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

Here are the most popular Amtrak destinations from D.C.'s Union Station

Full-year 2024 passenger data from the Rail Passengers Association highlights the most popular destinations for riders departing D.C.'s station, as well as its role as a connector for business, leisure and regional travel. Read more...
Nate Doughty, November 24, 2025, Washington Business Journal