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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.

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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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.  Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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.  Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
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. Read more...
October 30, 2026, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

HRT awarded grant for light rail safety

“Safety is our top priority and the first of our core values,” said Alexis Majied, HRT’s Chief Communications Officer. “This campaign will help us reach more people and reinforce the importance of staying alert around The Tide, particularly as spring festivals, baseball games and other activities bring people into downtown Norfolk.” Read more...
October 29, 2026, The City of Norfolk

County Board tangles with legislators over who should pay Metro costs

Jurisdictions across the commonwealth have received legislative authority to seek voter approval for a 1% increase in the sales tax. In most of Virginia, the additional revenue will be reserved for school construction, but Northern Virginia localities can use some or all of the funding for transit. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, October 30, 2026, ARLNow

'Money draining out': Woman says I-66 express lanes cost her more than $100 round trip

On Wednesday, News4 reported that tolls on the I-66 express lanes outside the Beltway in Northern Virginia soared as high as $30, $60 and even $80 for the longest trips at peak times this week. Read more...
October 29, 2026, NBC4 Washington

Four transit agencies launch microtransit pilot projects

The three-year pilot is part of Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion, supported by a $12.9 million federal Congestion Relief Grant from the Federal Highway Administration and partially funded through the city's Transportation 2050 program.  Read more...
Brandon Lewis, October 29, 2026, Mass Transit Magazine

U.S. public transit ranking: how 10 of 50 urban areas compare

The Washington-Arlington urban area, which stretches across D.C., Virginia and Maryland, ranks No. 3 of the 50 largest U.S. urban areas for public transit in the ConsumerAffairs Research Team's analysis. It scores high in all three of the ranking's categories: usefulness and accessibility, affordability and safety. Read more...
Colleen Cabili, October 28, 2026, Quartz

Amtrak announces completion of D.C. infrastructure upgrades

The project, which required temporary service changes for trains traveling south of Washington from Oct. 12-26, replaced aging infrastructure at A-Interlocking, a critical track and control point for Amtrak and VRE trains traveling between Washington and Virginia. Upgrades included replacing switches and crossovers, rehabilitating the tunnel track base, and installing modern electric switch systems. Read more...
Liz Carey, October 28, 2026, Transportation Today

Misuse of e-motos, e-bikes spotlighted in new Arlington trail safety series

“We recognize that while our public safety partners ultimately have to deal with the aftermath of what happens, we can do a lot of great work from an education perspective to prevent anything from happening that’s unsafe on the trail,” said NOVA Parks Executive Director Justin Wilson. Read more...
Nolan Stout, October 28, 2026, ARLNow

Some U.S. transit systems weigh whether to run trains without a human at the controls

Officials in Washington, D.C., recently advanced a plan that could let computers fully control one of its subways, and Los Angeles is seeking to build a new, completely automated line. Honolulu already has one. Read more...
Jeff McMurray, October 27, 2026, Hawaii Public Radio

Metro updates schedule for winter construction on train lines

WMATA said the updated schedule is to better accommodate winter breaks for schools in DC to reduce impacts on students. Read more...
Robert Locklear, October 27, 2026, DC News Now

Participants reflect on the 2026 National Week Without Driving

Members of the public and DC public officials participated in the National Week Without Driving from October 1 to October 8, 2026. A few shared their reflections with us, and we’re publishing a compilation of those thoughts below. Reflections have been edited for style. Read more...
Melanie Pincus, October 27, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

Amtrak completes Pause for Progress infrastructure upgrades in Washington, D.C.

The project required temporary service changes for trains traveling south of Washington from Oct. 16-26. Amtrak coordinated closely with VRE, VPRA and NCDOT throughout the project. Amtrak also appreciates the cooperation and flexibility of CSX, Norfolk Southern, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) in helping to accommodate operational changes during this period. Read more...
October 26, 2026, Amtrak

Ride for Your Life on November 15

For Northern Virginia bicyclists, that message reaches close to home. Dangerous intersections, missing connections, and roads designed for speed can turn an everyday trip into a life-threatening journey. Our safety—and the safety of everyone walking, rolling, or driving—depends on sustained investment and political leadership. Read more...
October 23, 2026, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

Open the (platform) doors to rail automation TransitInsightsBy Stephen Repetski October 26, 2026

PSDs are the next step in WMATA’s long-term plans to upgrade all six of its rail lines to full automation. That is, the trains would be able to drive themselves across each line, and the employee who currently operates the train would be more of a train attendant, rather than being confined to the operator cab. Read more...
Stephen Repetski, October 26, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

Transit systems weigh whether to run trains without a human at the controls

Supporters call the push long overdue, pointing out that American cities lag far behind numerous places across the world that run unattended subways, metros or buses, including several cities in Europe and Asia, as well as major systems in Canada, Australia, South America and the Middle East. Read more...
Jeff McMurray, October 26, 2026, Insurance Journal

Video surveillance in public transit: what riders really think

The survey found that 58% of U.S. respondents are more comfortable with “video surveillance in both public and private spaces than they were five years ago, especially in transit hubs, retail centers, and educational campuses.”  Read more...
Elora Haynes, October 26, 2026, Metro Magazine

VRE chief Katie Choe wants to provide more options, including all-day and weekend service

Katie Choe, who stepped into the role of CEO at Virginia Railway Express in January, will guide the regional passenger rail provider, which generated $98.97 million in fiscal 2026 revenue with 65 employees, through that transition. Read more...
Nate Doughty, October 23, 2026, Washington Business Journal

Arlington leaders oppose proposal to merge N. Va. bus systems

The effort is not looking at consolidating the local bus networks with the regional Metrobus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, October 23, 2026, ARLNow