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.

Fairfax Connector to get $1.85M in funding to keep buses rolling

The bus service is set to receive $1.85 million in funds from the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which oversees statewide transportation and transit projects, to help address the impact of the novel coronavirus, including a dip in revenue from fares. Read more...
Fatimah Waseem, April 1, 2020, Reston Now

Express Lanes traffic falls in coronavirus era as gridlock disappears

No traffic jams during the coronavirus pandemic stay-home orders means drivers are not seeing a reason to use Northern Virginia’s toll lanes. Read more...
Max Smith, April 2, 2020, WTOP

Despite telework, stay-at-home orders, not much change to air quality in D.C. area

One outcome that is emerging from the mandated stay-at-home orders and other local initiatives related to the coronavirus pandemic is less traffic on D.C.-area roadways. But the potential for improved air quality remains to be seen, at least for now. Read more...
Brandon Millman, April 1, 2020, WTOP

Help determine NVTA funding for regional transportation projects

$400 million in funding is available for regional transportation projects in 2020-2025 plan. Read more...
April 1, 2020, FABB

Biking during COVID-19

Note: Everything in this post could change very quickly. Read more...
April 1, 2020, WABA

Where can I park my bike?

While locking your bike to a rack is always the ideal scenario, sometimes there aren’t enough racks available. Read more...
April 1, 2020, WABA

Bikes on bus and rail

Sometimes you need to take your bike on the train or bus. Read more...
April 1, 2020, WABA

Construction ends on the Bay Bridge's westbound span a year early

A long-term rehabilitation project on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge’s westbound span ended Wednesday, when Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced construction wrapped more than a year ahead of schedule. Read more...
Alejandro Alvarez, April 1, 2020, WTOP

Project helps D.C. residents donate bicycles to essential workers

As avid cyclists, Rachel Maisler and Rudi Riet already knew that bikes could be great alternative modes of transit. But as the coronavirus pandemic shut down much of D.C. and greatly reduced access to public transportation, they seemed even more vital. Read more...
Nathan Diller, April 1, 2020, WAMU

Silver Line extension likely to open in Spring 2021

Although Metro is currently cutting routes and closing stations due to COVID-19, planning continues for the extension of the Silver Line into Loudoun County. Read more...
Fatimah Waseem, March 31, 2020, Reston Now

What social distancing and staying home might mean for D.C.'s air quality

In D.C., it’s still too soon to know the true environmental impact of the crisis. But experts say that, at least in the short term, it’s likely to clear up air pollution in the city. Read more...
Nathan Diller, March 31, 2020, dcist

Metro backs away from significant bus service cuts

The Metro Board is set to approve its final budget for fiscal year 2021 on Thursday, following an extensive public comment period and no shortage of controversy. Read more...
Margaret Barthel, March 31, 2020, WAMU

How WMATA is juggling riders' needs and coronavirus safety

Some are questioning WMATA’s approach to curtailing service during a time when many people need it most, bringing to the forefront some key questions. Read more...
Caitlin Rogger, March 31, 2020, GGWash

Car-sharing service shuts down local operations amid outbreak

After quietly launching in October, car-sharing service Penske Dash is quietly closing down in Arlington and D.C. Read more...
March 31, 2020, ARLnow

New rail authority in Va. could revolutionize connections for riders throughout the state

After decades of railroad corporations’ stranglehold on Virginia’s rail expansion plans, the Commonwealth will now join the elite handful of states featuring a legal entity with a mandate to own, manage, and expand rail infrastructure for the public good and the benefit of businesses across the region. Read more...
Wyatt Gordon, March 31, 2020, GGWash

Facing stay-at-home orders, Metro says it will close more stations, scale back service

Metro is warning that it could scale back essential rail and bus service even further now that stay-at-home orders have been issued in all the jurisdictions it serves – Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. Read more...
Pete Muntean, March 30, 2020, WUSA9

Metro board will decide on service, fare changes this week

Metro’s board of directors is set to vote on a final version of its fiscal year 2021 budget this Thursday, likely bringing changes to Metro’s fare structure and service. Once passed, the budget could take effect as early as July. Read more...
Margaret Barthel, March 31, 2020, WAMU

Amtrak makes more service cuts, extends waiver on change fees

To help reduce the spread of the virus, Amtrak said Monday it would temporarily reduce bookings in coach and business class by 50 percent “to help maintain CDC recommendations for social distancing onboard our trains.” Read more...
Luz Lazo, March 30, 2020, Washington Post

WMATA on track for budget compromise that achieves key rider asks

Most but not all of Metro’s proposed cuts to bus service are off the table, under a draft budget proposal the WMATA Board will vote on Thursday. So is an extra charge for riders using cash on buses, which advocates had opposed. Read more...
David Alpert, March 30, 2020, GGWash

Reduced traffic means more time for roadwork during coronavirus crisis

Road crews will have more time to work on Route 7 corridor improvements due to reduced traffic during the coronavirus crisis. Read more...
March 30, 2020, Inside NoVa

Report: Northam to issue a stay-at-home order for Va.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam will order state residents to remain at home with some exceptions, as the state steps up its effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, a source familiar with the order said. Read more...
March 30, 2020, Richmond Times-Dispatch

Md. Gov. Larry Hogan issues 'stay at home' order

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has issued a “stay at home” order, directing Maryland residents not to leave their homes unless it’s for an “essential” purpose, such as getting food or medicine or reporting for work that is deemed essential. Read more...
Jack Moore, March 30, 2020, WTOP

Work on region's big projects continues amid coronavirus

Infrastructure projects across the Washington region, from routine road maintenance to major transit and highway expansions, are progressing apace even as efforts to limit the spread of the potentially deadly virus have brought much of the region to a standstill. Read more...
Luz Lazo, Katherine Shaver, March 28, 2020, Washington Post

Metro to provide free shuttles during summer shutdown

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will provide free shuttle service at Metro stations on the Orange Line that will be closed throughout the summer for construction work, the transit agency announced on Mar. 13. Read more...
Angela Woolsey, March 27, 2020, Fairfax County Times

Less traffic on the roads, fewer crashes

The number of car crashes has dropped off the table -- both across the state and locally -- since social distancing became the norm. Read more...
Scott Shenk, March 29, 2020, fredericksburg.com

Metro to close front and rear cars of trains to riders to protect employees from COVID-19

Metro announced it will shutting the front and rear cars of its trains in order to protect its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic starting Monday, March 30. Read more...
Samantha Mitchell, March 29, 2020, WJLA

IRS issues evacuation notice putting nearly all employees on mandatory telework

The IRS issued an evacuation notice Friday afternoon that would send nearly all of its employees home on mandatory telework during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Jory Heckman, March 27, 2020, Federal News Network

Alexandria's DASH bus makes additional changes due to coronavirus

A modified Sunday schedule and the suspension of the King Street Trolley are just two of the biggest new changes to Alexandria’s DASH bus that take effect Monday. Read more...
Matthew Delaney, March 29, 2020, WTOP

Real ID deadline extended to Oct. 1, 2021

The Department of Homeland Security extended the deadline a year because the coronavirus is delaying issuance of the credential in DMVs across the country. Read more...
Luz Lazo, March 27, 2020, Washington Post

Local public transit agencies cut service in wake of coronavirus

As cases of the coronavirus continue to rise in the Washington region, transit agencies are adapting their schedules in an attempt to balance the virus’ impact on ridership and public health. Read more...
Margaret Barthel, March 27, 2020, WAMU

Van Ness and Tenleytown Stations reopen after contractor tests positive for COVID-19

Metro temporarily closed the Van Ness and Tenleytown Metro stations after it says an overnight contractor tested positive for COVID-19. The stations have since been reopened. Read more...
Samantha Mitchell, March 26, 2020, WJLA

Va., Md. make changes to tolling amid COVID-19 pandemic

Virginia and Maryland are making some tolling changes amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. Read more...
Max Smith, March 26, 2020, WTOP

Coronavirus bill would provide $114 billion to prop up faltering transportation networks

A federal bailout bill aimed at keeping the economy afloat during the coronavirus pandemic would provide $114 billion to prop up transportation networks that have been financially battered as passengers have stayed home. Read more...
Ian Duncan, March 25, 2020, Washington Post

Federal agencies would get money for telework, equipment -- and cleaning the office

Numerous federal agencies would get money to buy protective equipment, sanitize their offices and accommodate increased telework by their employees under the coronavirus emergency spending bill approved by the Senate. Read more...
Eric Yoder, March 26, 2020, Washington Post

Dramatic drop in traffic and congestion as Fredericksburg region stays home

The spread of the COVID-19 virus and extreme changes to how people work have combined to cause a severe drop in transit riders, mirroring what Fredericksburg-area drivers are seeing on local roads and interstates. Read more...
Scott Shenk, March 25, 2020, fredericksburg.com

Transportation options available in Montgomery during pandemic

Montgomery County transportation and health officials have compiled a list of transportation resources for residents -- but particularly for adults over 50 and people with disabilities -- during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Alessia Grunberger, March 24, 2020, Takoma Park Patch

How coronavirus could impact Metro commuters for months after a cure

This pandemic’s impact on public transit systems will be felt by commuters for months after a cure. That's according to transit advocates, who warn that without an influx of federal money, coronavirus could cripple systems like D.C.'s Metro. Read more...
Pete Muntean, March 25, 2020, WUSA9

Teleworking among feds ramped up but plenty of issues remain

It may have taken awhile to get going, but a new survey of federal employees shows that strong majority of federal employees are teleworking during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Jason Miller, March 25, 2020, Federal News Network

Transit agencies grapple with cutting service during pandemic

“Metro wants to provide bus service for essential trips in the region, but if continued usage for non-essential trips becomes a public health concern, Metro may consider discontinuing all bus service,” the agency said in a statement. Read more...
Margaret Barthel, March 25, 2020, WAMU

Fairfax Connector detours bus routes from closed Metro stations

Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) announces that due to the temporary closure of the Mclean and Van Dorn Metrorail Stations beginning Thursday, March 26, 2020, Fairfax Connector bus routes that serve those stations will be re-routed to serve open Metrorail stations. Read more...
March 25, 2020, Fairfax Connector

Alternative routes for Alexandria Metrorail closures & service updates

The following routes may assist passengers impacted by the Van Dorn and Eisenhower Metrorail closures. Read more...
Debby Critchley, March 25, 2020, Zebra

Metro temporarily shuts down Potomac Yard Metroway

In addition to a series bus line closures due to coronavirus, Metro is suspending service of Metroway-Potomac Yard -- a bus line running between Pentagon City and Braddock Road. Read more...
Vernon Miles, March 25, 2020, ALX Now

Multiple Metrobus routes in Northern Va. stop running

Metro canceled more service on Wednesday -- this time, with no warning to riders. Read more...
Max Smith, March 25, 2020, WTOP

Mass transit systems desperate for financial relief as riders stay home

A sharp decline in ridership and revenue is forcing some of the largest transportation systems in the country to seek bailouts from the federal government as money dries up during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Rachel Bucchino, March 25, 2020. The Hill

Fairfax County to close all parks, keeps trails open

People can still use the trails around Fairfax County as long as they keep 6 feet away from other people and don’t form groups. Read more...
Catherine Douglas Moran, March 24, 2020, Reston Now

Metro to close 17 more stations, several entrances amid coronavirus rider drop

Metro is closing more than a dozen stations for an indefinite period beginning Thursday morning. Read more...
Max Smith, March 24, 2020, WTOP

Help avoid stress on the trails

FABB strongly supports everyone getting outside and staying active, but we can’t stress enough that it is important to practice social distancing to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Read more...
March 24, 2020, FABB

Nearly 80 airlines cut capacity by 100 percent over coronavirus

A majority of airlines worldwide have cut capacity by 100 percent as a result of the coronavirus shutting down travel and grounding most flights. Read more...
Zack Budryk, March 24, 2020, The Hill

Metro's cuts and messaging leave some riders who still need transit confused

Although local leaders stopped short of a formal “shelter in place” order, WMATA, the region’s transit agency, has taken extraordinary measures to keep people from gathering. Read more...
Ron Thompson, March 24, 2020, GGWash

The coronavirus takes a toll on Virginia's transit

Facing the worst pandemic in at least a century, transit agencies throughout Virginia and the nation are struggling to balance the needs of their riders, the safety of their operators, and the implications of the coronavirus for their finances. Read more...
Wyatt Gordon, March 24, 2020, GGWash