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.

Amtrak Virginia carried record number of passengers

Nearly 1.5 million people climbed aboard one of the four state-supported routes originating or terminating in Norfolk, Newport News, Richmond or Roanoke. It’s a nearly 8% increase from the previous year. Read more...
Brett Hall, April 28, 2026, WFXR

WMATA board approves $4.8B budget, no Metro bus/rail fare increase planned

The budget includes improvements on select Metro Bus routes in Washington, D.C., and Virginia, while rail riders will see increased weekday off-peak service on the Orange, Silver, and Blue lines, as well as additional late-night frequency on the Red Line. Read more...
April 29, 2026, The MoCo Show

HRT launches interactive map to tell story of transit

HRT notes that the interactive tool was created in partnership with WSP USA Inc. and supports HRT initiatives to address long-term and sustainable funding for public transportation in Hampton Roads, including efforts such as the System Optimization Plan that’s aimed to drive efficiency and reduce costs. Read more...
April 29, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine

Bikeshare Beat: Spring temperatures revive Capital Bikeshare as traffic booms around 15th Street bike lanes

March’s Capital Bikeshare ridership more than doubled the trips taken in February 2026, but the system remains in a slump through the first quarter of the year. CaBi has now experienced year-over-year ridership decreases for seven consecutive months. Read more...
Samuel Littauer, April 29, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

Transit agencies mark Autism Awareness Month with announcements, certifications, and resource fairs

In addition to the public service announcements, agencies are holding resource fairs and receiving training on the needs of passengers with ASD. Read more...
April 27, 2026, APTA

OmniRide, NOVA unveil Art that Moves Us bus shelters

“OmniRide is proud to partner with NOVA on this innovative project, which showcases the talent of student artists and enriches public art in the community,” said OmniRide Executive Director Dr. Bob Schneider. “This initiative reflects our commitment to community engagement and to making transit spaces more inspiring and welcoming.” Read more...
April 27, 2026, Culpeper Star Exponent

WMATA board approves $4.8 billion FY27 operating budget

WMATA notes that the approved budget reflects its commitment to financial management and efficiency. While working within regional economic constraints and still improving service, this budget increases jurisdictional subsidy to less than 1.8%, notably below the inflation rate and the 3% regional target. Read more...
April 28, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine

No space? No problem. How D.C. found room for everyone on a narrow street.

Rather than choosing between parking and cyclist safety, DDOT tested out a new-for-them style of bike infrastructure— advisory bike lanes—across five streets in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The results? Sidewalk riding decreased, and surveys showed that a majority of cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians felt the corridors were safer and easy to navigate. Read more...
April 24, 2026, NACTO

Metro hosts second annual summit to promote regional safety coordination and incident response

The summit, organized in collaboration with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), focused on how emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity tools, and advanced video systems, can be used to improve real-time decision-making, situational awareness, and regional information sharing. Read more...
April 27, 2026, WMATA

WMATA adopts $4.8b FY27 budget to fund $913m Red Line automation

According to WMATA, bus service improvements are due to begin in June. In addition, further bus and rail service changes are planned for December. Read more...
April 27, 2026, Railway Supply

How intercity bus lines are rebranding to attract new riders

Bold moves by state-operated bus lines are a major story in U.S. intercity bus travel, a sector most known for commercial lines like Flixbus, Greyhound, and Trailways, along with large public systems like Colorado’s Bustang, Ohio’s GoBus, and Virginia Breeze. Read more...
Joe Schweiterman, April 24, 2026, Streetsblog USA

Georgetown in talks to offer Metro's U-Pass, giving students free unlimited rides

The program is currently used by other D.C. universities, including George Washington University (GWU) and American University (AU), as well as several other colleges with satellite campuses in the District. Read more...
Sophia Jacome/Justin Higgins, April 26, 2026, The Georgetown Voice

Bus Coalition leaders push to protect transit funding in critical reauthorization year

The coalition was originally formed in response to reductions in discretionary funding, which many small and mid-sized transit systems rely on for major capital purchases. That funding focus remains central today, particularly as Congress prepares for the next surface transportation reauthorization. Read more...
Alex Roman, April 24, 2026, Metro Magazine

WMATA Board of Directors adopts FY2027 budget with expanded service and no fare increase

The approved budget reflects Metro’s continued commitment to financial management and efficiency. While recognizing regional economic constraints and still improving service, this budget increases jurisdictional subsidy to less than 1.8%, significantly below the inflation rate and the 3% regional target. Read more...
April 23, 2026, WMATA

This weekend: Buses replace trains between Stadium-Armory and Downtown Largo on Silver and Blue lines

Rail service will be suspended at Benning Rd, Capitol Heights, Addison Rd, Morgan Blvd, and Downtown Largo. Crews will be working on air blown fiber installation. This installation method facilitates faster completion of the work, minimizing the need for longer station closures. Read more...
April 23, 2026, WMATA

Metro board gives green light to plan to fully automate Red Line

Metro documents regarding the proposal state that the Red Line’s “aging system presents challenges with safety, reliability, capacity and efficiency.” The documents state that trespassing incidents and human error “are difficult to mitigate with current system design.” Read more...
Kate Ryan, April 23, 2026, WTOP

Bay Aging and New Kent County launch Bay Transit Microtransit service

The new microtransit system is designed to improve access for residents and visitors by offering flexible rides connecting neighborhoods in New Kent and Quinton to employment centers, healthcare facilities, shopping areas, dining venues, recreation sites, and community destinations. Read more...
April 21, 2026, Old Dominion News

Flooding, traffic concerns raised at Braddock Road Metro redesign hearing

The Braddock Road Metro station, which opened in December 1983, has a bus bay loop and kiss-and-ride area with bicycle parking on Metro-owned property. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is proposing to move the kiss-and-ride area to the street and reconfigure the bus loop, making room for future mixed-use development. Read more...
Emily Leayman, April 22, 2026, ALXNow

Metro board to vote on plan to fully automate Red Line

Virginia DRPT releases draft six-year program for transit, rail investments

The SYIP reflects DRPT’s ongoing commitment to supporting transit agencies, enhancing rail infrastructure, and improving mobility for communities throughout Virginia. Read more...
April 21, 2026, Metro Magazine

USDOT to make $2.04 billion available for rail travel improvements

The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program seeks out projects that modernize passenger and freight rail. Since 2017, USDOT reports that CRISI has invested nearly $6 billion in building safer rail infrastructure. Read more...
April 21, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine

Celebrate Earth Day —Ride a Bike!

Earth Day is the perfect reminder that small choices can make a big difference—and riding a bike is one of the simplest, most powerful ways to help our planet. Read more...
April 22, 2026, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

Federal judge's order allows popular D.C. bike lanes to remain

Since their construction five years ago, the 15th Street bike lanes have been credited with improving public safety while ferrying nearly 4,000 daily users between Columbia Heights and the Tidal Basin area. Read more...
Dana Hedgpeth, April 21, 2026, The Washington Post

I'm 15 and can't drive. Here's why transit is a key to teen independence

For some adults, the train or the bus is an alternative to a car. For many teens, public transportation is something else: the difference between a life of our own or being stuck waiting on someone else to give us a ride. Read more...
Max Weiner, April 21, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

Metro to vote on driverless trains, platform barriers on Red Line

Metro says these doors would do a few things. They would prevent any accidents happening, like somebody falling on the tracks when platforms are super crowded. They would also allow trains to enter the stations much faster. Read more...
Joseph Olmo, April 22, 2026, NBC4 Washington

I spent 21 hours traveling by train to avoid flights. Was it worth it?

We traded a low price for a longer trip with national park views, spotty WiFi and moments of relaxation and restlessness. Read more...
Andrea Sachs, April 19, 2026, The Washington Post

Stuck in traffic: How to get the urban mobility dream moving

Imagine a city where private car ownership is optional: metros, buses and trains are just a tap away; bikes, scooters and other micromobility options are docked nearby; and self-driving cars are ready when you need them. Read more...
Fran?ois-Joseph Van Audenhove, Mickael Tauvel, Arsene Ruhlman, Vadim Panarin and Philipp Seidel, April 20, 2026, Smart Cities Dive

Virginia Breeze launches new Tidewater Current service

The Tidewater Current is the first east-to-west Virginia Breeze route, expanding access to key destinations including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Williamsburg, Richmond, Charlottesville, Staunton, and Harrisonburg. Read more...
April 20, 2026, Metro Magazine

Gridlock to growth: The wider impact of 495 Express Lanes Northern Extension (495 NEXT)

Bad traffic is not just an inconvenience—it is a tax on productivity and profit. The Capital Beltway near the American Legion Bridge has long been one of the most unreliable stretches of highway in the region, costing businesses time, money and predictability. Read more...
April 20, 2026, Washington Business Journal

Trump budget slashes passenger rail funding by 82%

According to an analysis from the American Public Transportation Association, the budget would cut $4.8 billion from transit and $13 billion from trains compared to 2026 levels. "Amtrak funding would be cut by 13.5%, affecting its national network and operations in the Northeast Corridor, according to the Rail Passengers Association." Read more...
Diana Ionescu, April 19, 2026, Planetizen

Register now for Bike to Work Day 2026

If you’ve ever thought about biking to work—or just want an excuse to get out for a great ride—this is your day. Bike to Work Day (BTWD) is a free, region-wide celebration of biking that brings together thousands of riders across the DC metro area. Read more...
April 19, 2026, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

Arlington Transit launches a new pilot project to help some county residents get around

Riders for now can only reach areas within a preliminary service area in northwest Arlington, within the boundaries of North Glebe Road, Langston Boulevard and the county line. Read more...
Sandy Kozel, April 19, 2026, WTOP

Arlington County completes Columbia Pike corridor reconstruction

The county says the Columbia Pike Multimodal Street Improvement project implemented upgrades to pedestrian, transit, vehicle and utility infrastructure to transform Columbia Pike into a safe, vibrant, walkable and transit-friendly main street. Read more...
April 17, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine

DC Metro adapts service during historic blizzard

Washington's public transportation system operated with limited service, with above-ground rail stations closed and only patchy bus routes available. Nearly 6,000 flights were canceled at the height of the storm, marking one of the biggest air travel disruptions since September 11, 2001. Read more...
April 17, 2026, Moovit

D.C. Streetcar riders reflect on service during its final days

The D.C. Streetcar was a light rail service that ran from Union Station to just short of the Anacostia River along the entire length of the H Street Corridor. Kellogg is one of many H Street frequenters The Eagle spoke to who lost their preferred means of transportation when it ceased operations on March 31 after ten years of service. Read more...
Yuri Perelman, April 16, 2025, The Eagle

Braddock Road Metro kiss-and-ride overhaul heads to public hearing next week

The 21-space kiss-and-ride area at the 3.6-acre Metro-owned site would be replaced with 14 to 18 pickup and drop-off spaces on E. Braddock Road and N. West Street. Read more...
Emily Leayman, April 16, 2026, ALXNow

FlixBus adds Tysons stop as part of N. Va. service expansion

Three daily trips will be provided in each direction for the Bethesda-New York corridor, along with two daily trips to and from Richmond, FlixBus announced, noting that the Tysons stop provides “a convenient connection” to Dulles International Airport via the nearby Greensboro Metro station. Read more...
Angela Woolsey, April 16, 2026, FFXNow

Metro's 2026 cherry blossom wraps hit the tracks

Metro is the official transit partner of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. A celebration that runs from March 20 to April 12 and kicks off the spring and tourist season in the DMV Read more...
Nicole Akumatey, March 20, 2026, ABC7 News