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.
The best large US cities for biking in 2026: PeopleForBikes
These cities were part of a two-year partnership among PeopleForBikes and Wend Collective, a philanthropic investment firm that has since closed. The project aimed to help accelerate the construction of safe, connected bike networks, according to PeopleForBikes.
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Dan Zukowski, November 13, 2026, Smart Cities Dive
Dedicated bus lanes on 355: County seeks public input
Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a long-planned vision from planners and local elected officials for the county’s transit future. In 2013, the county adopted the Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan, which includes recommendations to build a vast BRT network in the county.
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Elia Griffin, November 11, 2026, Bethesda Magazine
Virginia Scenic Railway prepares for annual Santa Train
Tickets are available starting at $51. Trains will depart from the Virginia Scenic’s new station on Bridge Street in Staunton, travel east toward Afton Mountain for about 30 minutes, then return to Staunton. Similar trips will run from the railroad’s Louisa County station.
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Richard H. Hronik III, November 11, 2026, The Northern Virginia Daily
Bill to bring driverless ridesharing to DC fails
Allen, who chairs the council's transportation committee, said the bill would have paired a limited commercial rollout of autonomous vehicles with worker protections and safety requirements that go further than those in other cities where the vehicles already operate.
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Alanea Cremen/Eric Flack, November 12, 2026, WUSA9
This year's Week Without Driving gave us a taste of new leadership
The campaign encourages public officials to use transit or active modes of transportation to see firsthand what works well or what doesn’t when they do, and to reflect on what they can do to make those transportation options better for everyone.
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Kai Hall, November 12, 2026, Greater Greater Washington
Metro seeks public feedback on proposed changes to North Bethesda station
The proposed new entrance would be located near Rockville Pike and Old Georgetown Road, providing improved access to surrounding residential and retail destinations, including the Pike & Rose development.
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November 12, 2026, WMATA
Public transit agencies thank veterans with free rides and year-round support
Public transportation agencies across North America are marking Veterans Day, November 11, by opening their buses, trains, and paratransit services to veterans and active military members at no charge. Many are pairing the free rides with ceremonies, employee tributes, and permanent programs that support those who have served.
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November 11, 2026, APTA
Maryland's $15 billion bridge project gains key approval
The Maryland Transit Authority has gained environmental approval for its multi-billion dollar Chesapeake Bay Crossing project, which will see two new four-lane bridges span the bay. Officials expect the project to cost between $15 and $17 billion dollars; construction is slated to begin in 2032.
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Zachary Whalen, November 10, 2026, Planetizen
Best and worst U.S. cities for public transportation in 2026
The 2026 study evaluated the 50 largest U.S. urban areas using federal data on transit usefulness and accessibility, affordability, and operational safety.
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Elora Haynes, November 12, 2026, Metro Magazine
DASH could sell ads across bus windows to raise up to $100,000 a year
The proposal would add two larger versions of existing side-panel ads and allow full bus wraps. Staff expects the larger side ads to generate more revenue than full wraps. DASH’s existing advertising content rules would still apply.
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Mary Wadland, November 10, 2026, The Zebra
Hearings on Arlington's updated transportation plan expected next month
The Board on Nov. 14 is expected to set a Dec. 12 public hearing to consider the new Multimodal Transportation Plan. If adopted, the document will be incorporated into the county’s Comprehensive Plan.
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Scott McCaffrey, November 10, 2026, ARLNow
New RFK proposal targets parking and Metro access
The amendment would also require planning for the RFK campus to preserve the possibility of future connections to or extensions of Metro's rail system.
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Cassie Schirm, November 10, 2026, ABC7 News
Metro rolls out new Veterans Day designs featuring children's art
The wrap features the colors of the American flag; red, blue and white. The phrase, “Thank you veterans” is also written on the side of some designs.
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Odyssey Fields, November 9, 2026, DC News Now
Voters choose public transit, approve $31 billion in funding
“Voters across the country are choosing public transit,” APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas told Smart Cities Drive in an emailed statement. As of Nov. 5, 21 out of 27 transit measures on the Nov. 3 ballot have passed, with five declined and one yet to be decided.
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Zachary Whalen, November 8, 2026, Planetizen
Local, state leaders still debating who should pay for future Metro service
While state legislators gave Northern Virginia governments some of what they wanted in WMATA funding during the 2026 session — totaling $153 million more per year for capital costs — it was a two-year fix that, if not extended, could saddle localities with each paying tens of millions of dollars more, starting in fiscal 2029.
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Scott McCaffrey, November 9, 2026, FFXNow
When does a Metro station become more than a place to catch a train?
Many stations in and around the DC core have lively urban and community atmospheres nearby. Meanwhile, more suburban stations, which often serve the purpose of shuttling daily commuters in and out of DC, and are often surrounded by large parking lots with little development within walking distance.
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Brian Shi, November 9, 2026, Greater Greater Washington
Potential bump in Metrobus fares raises concerns for County Board member
Adam Hager, the Metro program manager for NVTC, said Northern Virginia’s decline in ridership over the past year was about half the regional percentage drop. But, he noted, the transit agency’s bills have to be funded one way or another.
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Scott McCaffrey, November 9, 2026, ARLNow
Metro weighs higher fares and service cuts amid rising costs
Metro has expanded service and undertaken timely repairs in recent years. But that progress depends on more funding.
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Cuneyt Dil, November 9, 2026, Axios
Study reveals best places in the U.S. for cycling, walking
Cities with universities, boardwalks and entertainment districts broadly saw more pedestrian activity, while cities with an abundance of bike trails naturally saw more cyclists, according to the study.
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Zachary Whalen, November 8, 2026, Planetizen
FCDOT adds 16 more pedestrian safety projects to to-do list
“Improved crosswalks, sidewalks, trails and traffic safety enhancements will help make biking, walking and rolling safer and more accessible for everyone,” FCDOT Active Transportation Section Chief Laura Ghosh said in a press release.
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Angela Woolsey, November 6, 2026, FFXNow
How does daylight saving time impact drivers?
Along with the decrease in visibility due to the earlier sunrise, drivers may be more drowsy immediately following the time change, which would also make them more prone to accidents.
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Steve Karesh, November 6, 2026, WTOP
Is Metro fare about to go up? WMATA leaders say they might
WMATA leadership pointed to a combination of rising inflation, ongoing fare evasion on bus routes, and surging construction and maintenance costs as the primary drivers behind the potential budget deficit.
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Matt Gregory, November 6, 2026, WUSA9
Transit union more supportive of N. Va. bus consolidation than local leaders
“It will be better for workers and for riders, better for communities,” said Benjamin Lynn, a representative of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, during an Oct. 21 roundtable discussion convened to consider the possibility of consolidating Fairfax Connector, Fairfax City’s CUE Bus, Arlington Transit (ART) and Alexandria’s DASH.
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Scott McCaffrey, November 5, 2026, FFXNow
APTA and WMATA host Career Day for DC high schoolers
The event comes as WMATA continues to recruit bus drivers, mechanics, transit police officers, and other essential workers. In September, the agency held a hiring event focused on bus mechanics.
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November 5, 2026, APTA
Metro GM expects to propose both fare increases and cuts to service in next year's budget
Tariffs and inflation have played a big role in causing Metro to have a budget deficit, Clarke said. Fuel and electricity costs have hit the transit agency hard, and Clarke said local governments' subsidies have not risen by as much as inflation.
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Tom Roussey, November 5, 2026, ABC7 News
New documents show MetroAccess' declining customer satisfaction
Christiaan Blake, who oversees paratransit services for the agency, said during a Metro accessibility advisory meeting in October that the scheduling system Metro uses for trips hasn’t been performing. Specifically, more MetroAccess trips are being combined into shared rides as part of a cost-saving effort, according to Blake.
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Adam Tuss, November 4, 2026, NBC4 Washington
Annual fall update on transportation set for next week
The Commonwealth Transportation Board is coming to the Fredericksburg area on Thursday, Nov. 12. The hearing will be held at the Fredericksburg Virginia Department of Transportation District auditorium at 86 Deacon Road in Stafford County.
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Scott Shenk, November 6, 2026, The Free Lance-Star
How much cheaper is transit than driving?
Public transit advocates often argue, sometimes heatedly, about whether buses and trains should be free to ride. But riding public transit is already much cheaper than driving a car.
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Jared Brey, November 3, 2026, Streetsblog USA
Transit Diary: No keys? No problem! A stress-free Week Without Driving
While this week isn’t necessarily different from any other week for me, it does provide me with a chance to think critically about the choices that were made when planning transit networks.
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Zac Jones Gomez, November 5, 2025, Greater Greater Washington
The best US cities for bike, pedestrian travel: Streetlight Data
The report suggests its data can help cities and transportation departments better understand how people use existing infrastructure and advocate for active transportation policy and funding.
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Dan Zukowski, November 4, 2026, Smart Cities Dive
Transit sees big wins across U.S. in 2026 general election
Transit has performed well on the ballot in 2026. In primary and special elections prior to the general, transit ballot measures had an 89% pass rate.
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Noah Kolenda, November 4, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine
VDOT studying around-the-clock, two-way Express Lanes on I-95
The proposed project, led by the Virginia Department of Transportation, is still in the feasibility stage, according to a county news release. Feasibility has not yet been determined because potential property, traffic, road configuration, ingress and egress and environmental impacts require further study, the release states.
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November 4, 2026, InsideNoVa
The simple design change that could open the doors to automated rail
Platform screen doors, or PSDs, provide a physical barrier between riders and open train tracks. And they may be coming in the near future to Metrorail’s Red Line in Washington, D.C.
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Stephen Repetski, November 4, 2026, Streetsblog USA
Deadline extended for developer proposals at Braddock Road Metro site
Metro says its vision for the 3.4-acre property involves new housing, neighborhood-serving retail and other amenities near public transit. The transit agency said its planning analysis showed the property could support a 420,000-square-foot development with up to 380 residential units and 21,000 square feet of retail.
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Emily Leayman, November 3, 2026, ALXNow
Metro plans to end 'BusETA' tracking service in January
Metro is directing riders to its newer Rider Tools on wmata.com and the MetroPulse app. These tools include real-time and scheduled arrivals, route details, nearby stops and a map that can show buses moving along their routes.
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Jessica James, November 3, 2026, ABC7 News
USDOT awards $1.24B into rail safety upgrades
The FY 25-26 Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program awarded 91 grants in 37 states to fund eliminating unsafe highway-rail conflict point, closing at-grade crossings, and upgrading railroad traffic signals.
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Liz Carey, November 3, 2026, Transportation Today
$8.8 million announced to improve Virginia rail crossing safety
The goals of the funding are to improve rail and road crossing safety, reduce overall traffic delays, and strengthen the movement of people and goods across Virginia.
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Brady Wilson, November 2, 2026, DC News Now
Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Maryland Transit Administration advance TOD projects near regional rail stations
The MTA says that the 99-year ground lease is expected to deliver $15.5 million on a net present value basis to the MTA capital program, along with delivery of a new public open space at the Westbury Station, real estate taxes and other significant public benefits.
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Noah Kolenda, November 2, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine
If you use public transit, this app blows Apple Maps and Google Maps away
The usefulness of this app for Android and iOS goes well beyond directions that factor in bus, rail and even ferry options. Transit’s home screen shows arrival times near you from multiple agencies — around Washington, for example, including not just Metro but buses from such local agencies as Arlington’s ART and Montgomery County’s Ride On.
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Rob Pegoraro, October 30, 2026, The Washington Post
Metro responds after man claims he was locked inside station after Commanders game
"Preliminary investigation shows the station manager at Vienna station locked the outside gate in an effort to prevent customers from entering while they performed a final station check for the night," Metro said.
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Jessica James, November 2, 2026, ABC7 News
Help shape safer streets at virtual repaving/restripping meetings
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) will hold three virtual public meetings in early November to discuss improvements proposed for the 2027 Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Repaving Program.
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October 30, 2026, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling