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.

'Fares Pay for Service' | Why you may hear MetroBus drivers talking about fares more

Metro's “Fares Pay for Service” campaign went into effect immediately after it was announced at an event with Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke, Metro Transit Police officers, Metro management team, Board members and staff.  Read more...
Alanea Cremen, May 29, 2026, WUSA9

Who owns US railroad tracks?

As federal legislators debate transportation appropriations, which could significantly impact the future of U.S. passenger rail, it's important for Americans to understand how their rail system got where it is today. Read more...
Diana Ionescu, May 29, 2026, Planetizen

Metro and Fairfax County to host full-scale emergency exercise at West Falls Church Rail Yard

Metro’s Integrated Command and Communications (MICC) in coordination with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and Northern Virginia Response System (NVERS) will conduct an emergency response exercise on Sunday, May 31, from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the West Falls Church Rail Yard near I-66 and VA-267. Read more...
May 29, 2026, WMATA

Next road closure for VRE project at Alexandria Union Station starts tonight

King Street will be closed between Russell Road and Daingerfield Road from 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28 through 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 3. Commonwealth Avenue will remain open with a single alternating lane controlled by a flagger. Sunset Drive will remain open. Traffic detours run on Duke Street. Read more...
Emily Leayman, May 28, 2026, ALXNow

Holland Lane overhaul brings two-way bike lanes, traffic calming to Carlyle neighborhood

The Holland Lane Restoration Project has been in the works since 2024 and was completed; it includes repaving and reducing lanes on each side of Holland Lane, new pavement markings, flexible bollards, pedestrian signals and two-way bike lanes.  Read more...
James Cullum, May 28, 2026, ALXNow

Metro launches Fares Pay for Service campaign to support safe, frequent, reliable transit service across the region

The campaign was highlighted during a media event on Thursday, May 28 at the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center in Silver Spring, where Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke joined Metro Transit Police officers, Metro management team, Board members and staff to expand fare enforcement and customer education efforts on Metro Bus routes throughout the region. Read more...
May 18, 2026, WMATA

Bikeshare Beat: Have you taken CaBi's most popular route?

Annual members accounted for 70.5% of all trips in April, but that share varies by jurisdiction. Of docked trips, members took 71.5% in the District, 63.2% in Virginia, and 53.2% in Maryland. Across the entire system, e-bikes made up 67.5% of trips in April. Read more...
Samuel Littauer, May 28, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

The way Metro is going after bus fare evaders may be a nationwide first

Metrobus has about 8,000 stops, and Metro does not have enough transit police officers to cover them all, so they are targeting stops where fare evasion is most common. Read more...
Michelle Basch, May 28, 2026, WTOP

$466 million in improvements coming to Union Station

The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to invest the funds in building repairs; upgrades to ticketing, the Amtrak lounge and the concourse; new stores, signage and parking to raise revenues; and “family-friendly infrastructure,” the department said in a release. Read more...
LaDawn Black, May 28, 2026, WTOP

America keeps building stadiums like transit doesn't matter

The plan anticipates that roughly 40,000 people — the overwhelming majority of attendees — will arrive by Metro, bus, walking, biking, or other non-car options. Only about 25,000 are expected to arrive by automobile, despite thousands of planned parking spaces. Read more...
Jonathen Bush, May 28, Streetsblog USA

Transit, Amtrak cuts advance in House appropriations bill

The bill passed on a party-line 9-7 vote. It cuts public transit funding by 22% and Amtrak funding by 69%, compared to FY 2026 enacted levels, according to an American Public Transportation Association analysis.  Read more...
Dan Zukowski, May 27, 2026, Smart Cities Dive

Popes Head Road closes at Fairfax County Parkway, as new triple roundabouts start to open

According to VDOT, the closure is expected to last until next Tuesday, June 2, at which point traffic will shift to a new bridge over Fairfax County Parkway. Some ramps leading to the new interchange, which will consist of three separate roundabouts, will also open. Read more...
Angela Woolsey, May 27, 2026, FFXNow

9 ??U.S. cities with the best public transportation—besides New York City

“The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is one of the most heavily used transit systems in the country, with riders taking 256 million trips in 2025,” says Eric Cova, director of communications at Smart Growth America. Read more...
Lauren Dana Ellman, May 26, 2026, Travel and Leisure

Over 19M travelers expected at Northern Virginia's main airports this summer

As the summer travel season arrives, Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport both face “some big challenges as well as big opportunities,” according to Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority President and CEO Jack Potter. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, May 26, 2026, FFXNow

Virginia eyes toll revenue for transit as express lane debate grows

The Office of the Virginia Secretary of Transportation said in a statement that one of its core goals is maximizing the benefits and value of Virginia’s existing infrastructure, including express lanes in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.  Read more...
Nathaniel Cline, May 26, 2026, Virginia Mercury

Safe trails for all: Responsible e-bike use matters

The long-term success of active transportation depends on people feeling safe and comfortable using our trails. If families, older adults, or new riders begin avoiding trails because they feel unsafe, support for future trail investments and expansion could suffer. We can avoid that outcome—but only if all users share responsibility for respectful and safe behavior. Read more...
May 24, 2026, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

WMATA fare enforcement policy raises safety concerns among bus drivers' union

Under the policy, bus operators will be required to announce fares to all passengers as they board, including riders who board without paying. General Manager Randy Clarke said at a May 14 board meeting that it would mean saying, "Good morning, the fare is $2.25," as people enter the bus. Read more...
Melissa Kim/Jess Arnold, May 23, 2026, WUSA9

The Washington Metro, a wonder underground

Washington is a city obsessed with projecting power through stone, and littered with overinflated federal buildings of white marble dressed up with colonnades, pediments and porticos. Read more...
Nathan Eddy, May 22, 2026, The Wall Street Journal

VRE fares will increase effective July 1, 2026. The updated Full Fare and Reduced Fare charts are available on the VRE website.

VRE fares will increase effective July 1, 2026. The updated Full Fare and Reduced Fare charts are available on the VRE website. Read more...

Metro GM on possible new 'Gold Line,' Stadium-Armory improvements, bus fares

On buses, boarding riders will soon be greeted by the operator, who will now be directed to remind riders about the fare. Earlier this week, Metro said nearly seven in 10 bus riders still aren’t paying, costing the system tens of millions of dollars. Read more...
May 22, 2026, WMATA

Public transit ridership increases as gas prices surge past $4.50

Americans appear to be riding buses and trains more often as gas prices climb above $4.50 per gallon nationwide, with some of the biggest shifts showing up in places where mass transit is already a realistic alternative to driving.  Read more...
Hope Nguyen, May 21, 2026, The Cooldown

Revenue concerns may prompt Dulles Toll Road rate increase earlier than expected

Though the road’s usage rose from 70.9 million vehicles in 2024 to 72.3 million in 2025, last year’s total was 4% below forecast. Shortfalls were greatest in the final three months of 2025. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, May 21, 2026, FFXNow

Metro Memorial Day weekend schedule: Free garage parking, train delays

Throughout the holiday, trains along the Orange and Silver Lines will single-track between East Falls Church and Ballston, as crews perform rail tamping. The routine work firms up the gavel beneath the tracks to help keep the rails level and reduce vibration for Metro riders. Read more...
Odyssey Fields, May 20, 2026, DC News Now

Some of DC's iconic, retired streetcars are up for auction

As of Wednesday, May 20, the three 100 Series streetcars were listed online. The auctions are set to end on June 1, June 6 and June 5. The price for these streetcars ranged from $35,000 to $50,000. Read more...
Makea Luzader, May 20, 2026, DC News Now

Metro to crack down on high bus fare evasion, union raises driver safety concerns

Meeting notes outlined a plan to launch “enhanced fare enforcement” starting May 24, including increased Metro Transit Police Department visibility, an updated fare validator software and verbal reminders from bus operators about the fares. Read more...
Makea Luzader/Ya-Marie Sesay, May 20, 2026, DC News Now

Documentary highlights the likely demise of Baltimore's Red Line

The Red Line proposal would have connected the “Black Butterfly” with the rest of Baltimore, and potentially hundreds of thousands of jobs along with educational opportunities. The pushback against the new transit line from residents in majority white neighborhoods was immediate. Read more...
Glenn Daigon, May 19, 2026, Greater Greater Washington

To improve transit service, we need better transit-oriented development

One of the best ways to get out of the transit “death spiral” is to put as many people and essential destinations as possible close to transit stations, while making sure residents know reliable transit is close by and available when they need it. Studies consistently show that developing mixed-use spaces near transit increases transit ridership.  Read more...
Elisa Ramirez, May 13, 2026, Transportation for America

Metro crackdown on fare evasion draws union pushback over safety concerns

Metro leaders at a board meeting last week said the transit system will ramp up enforcement and outreach following the Memorial Day holiday weekend, including adding more Metro Transit Police across the system to get more riders to pay their fare.  Read more...
Mike Murillo, May 19, 2026, WTOP

At last, new mass transit line emerges in Maryland

The alignment connects the cities of Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park and New Carrollton and links them to Maryland branches of the Washington Metro Red, Green, Yellow, Silver and Orange lines, to three lines of Maryland’s MARC commuter rail system and to Amtrak interstate rail service. Read more...
May 18, 2026, ENR East

More input sought on planned bus rapid transit service in Route 7 corridor

“Last fall, the team asked residents, business owners, and visitors along the Route 7 corridor to share their vision for transit improvements,” transit officials said in a newsletter announcing the survey. “Now, we’re back to share feedback results, project updates and gather additional input.” Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, May 18, 2026, FFXNow

Metro's 50-year legacy featured in Smithsonian exhibit ahead of America's 250th birthday

As part of the collaboration, a new mural installation inside the museum highlights destinations across the District, Maryland, and Virginia accessible by Metro Rail and Metro Bus. Read more...
May 18, 2026, WMATA

APTA releases report on AI, public transit

“Public transit agencies of all sizes are deploying AI to make service more reliable, more efficient, and more responsive to riders,” Paul P. Skoutelas, APTA President and CEO, said.  Read more...
Liz Carey, May 18, 2026, Transportation Today

Nearly 70% of Metrobus riders evading fare, WMATA says

It's called a fare awareness campaign. Metro actually used to do this but stopped quoting fares about a decade ago, and the transit agency's largest union says there was good reason to stop. They believe it led to bus operators getting involved in altercations. Read more...
Adam Tuss, May 18, 2026, NBC4 Washington

New bike lanes and sidewalks planned for Rockville

Rockville has begun designing a capital improvement project aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle safety along North Stonestreet Avenue between Lincoln Avenue and Park Road. Read more...
Patrick Herron, May 17, 2026, The MoCo Show

I-95/395 Express Lanes daytime reversal moves up to 10 a.m. starting May 21

The adjustment affects weekday operations when the lanes switch from northbound to southbound. Officials made the change to provide more southbound capacity earlier in the day as vacation and leisure travel ramp up. Read more...
May 15, 2026, Potomac Local News

Urban areas can expand housing supply through transit-oriented development

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a planning strategy that integrates mass transportation access with the surrounding environment, defined as within a one-quarter to one-half mile radius of stops.  Read more...
Eliza Terziev, May 12, 2026, Reason Foundation

Metro wants to double Stadium-Armory station's capacity for new RFK site

With the new Commanders stadium expected to be built and open in just four years — by 2030 — the sense of urgency was palpable among Metro staff at Thursday's board meeting. Officials are seeking to make sure everyone can get to and from games and events at the new stadium. Read more...
Adam Tuss, May 14, 2026, NBC4 Washington