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.

Ranking shows how Fairfax's bicycle-friendliness stacks up to other U.S. cities

To evaluate the “quality and connectedness” of the bicycle networks in different localities, the annual ranking factors in a variety of categories. Fairfax City ranked highest for access to retail with a score of 76, but it scored 0 for transit — meaning bicycle access to major transit hubs is very limited. Read more...
Vernon Miles, July 11, 2025, FFXNow

New report shows pedestrian fatalities drop — but experts say not enough

The group celebrated the fact that fatalities and reckless driving have started to settle after the pandemic, when they say a lack of cars on the road, combined with less police enforcement, induced an epidemic of reckless driving. Read more...
Matthew Sage, July 11, 2025, Streetsblog USA

New gangways and digital displays highlight WMATA's railcar upgrades

Part of the railcar design improves upon the interior, adding more handholds and poles, making room for multi-purpose areas for strollers, bikes and large luggage. Walkways will be made wider for easier mobility, and the railcars will have a new seat design.  Read more...
Alanea Cremen, July 10, 2025, WUSA9

Future of Metrorail: A look at 8000 series railcars as Metro pushes back debut

Metro is set to debut its next generation of railcars, but 8000-series trains will hit the tracks later than previously expected.  Read more...
Joseph Olmo, July 8, 2025, NBC4 Washington

Vienna set to install first Capital Bikeshare stations this fall

“We’re excited to put Vienna on the bike sharing map,” Town of Vienna transportation engineer Andrew Jinks said in the release. “Adding these stations to an already expansive network … means that residents and community members will have a new sustainable and convenient way to get around town.” Read more...
Angela Woolsey, July 10, 2025, FFXNow

E-bikes are becoming e-waste – here's how to reduce the environmental cost

The sector needs stronger regulations to encourage it to cut its waste. This includes encouraging bikes to be designed to be easier to repair or recycle, and establishing universal standards that allow parts to work across different brands and models, so components can be reused instead of thrown away. Read more...
Yvonne Ryan, July 8, 2025, Citti

DC's bus shelters aren't necessarily placed where people need them most

According to the DC Policy Center, the Northeast and Southeast quadrants of DC are not only the hottest, but are home to people most sensitive to high temperatures, because of age, underlying conditions, lack of health insurance, or low income. Read more...
Madeleine Bartin, July 10, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

Fairfax City to explore pedestrian-only zone as part of road and pedestrian safety studies

The pedestrian master plan study will produce recommendations for improvements based on analyses of sidewalks and street crossings to find gaps in infrastructure and identify “high stress” roads for pedestrians.  Read more...
Vernon Miles, July 9, 2025, FFXNow

Transit ridership hasn't recovered since the pandemic. What can the US learn from French transit systems?

A few cities have been able to attract prepandemic ridership levels, in many cases thanks to stronger ridership on weekends. But the overall story remains grim. Nationwide, public transit trips declined by 23 percent in 2024 compared with 2019. Read more...
Yonah Freemark, July 7, 2025, Urban Wire

VPRA awards $1 billion contract to Skanska to build Long Bridge North Project

The Long Bridge North Project is part of the larger 1.8-mile Long Bridge Project that will replace and enhance the busy rail corridor from Washington, D.C., into Arlington, Va., with a series of linked, four-track modern rail bridges and corridors replacing the aging two track system. Read more...
July 8, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine

The 'One Big Beautiful Bill' is about our transportation future, too

If any transportation-related feature of the bill gets mentioned at all, it's usually the Sep. 30 plan to axe the electric vehicle tax credit, or the $12.5 billion fix to America's Air Traffic Control system.  Read more...
Kea Wilson, July 8, 2025, Streetsblog USA

DC to launch e-bike delivery pilot

The District will fund low-cost e-bikes and provide charging and battery swap stations for delivery workers to encourage e-bikes as an alternative to driving for food deliveries. Read more...
Diana Ionescu, July 7, 2025, Planetizen

Here's how Metro's summer infrastructure project will impact Alexandria commuters

Metro shut down rail at the Van Dorn Street station in Alexandria and Franconia-Springfield station in Fairfax County until July 26. The Blue Line will end service at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station for the duration of the project. Read more...
James Cullum, July 7, 2025, ALXNow

The bus that was

The Z line, comprising the Z2 and several other routes in East County, has existed in some form since the 1940s, and on Saturday, June 28, 2025, it made its last run. Read more...
Dan Reed, July 7, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

Alexandria to hold community meeting for Mount Vernon Trail sidewalk expansion

The project addresses a long-standing safety concern along this popular section of the regional trail system. Currently, the Mount Vernon Trail in this area measures just 4.5 feet wide, making it difficult for cyclists, joggers, and walkers to pass each other safely. Read more...
Ryan Belmore, July 6, 2025, ALXNow

Maryland to advance redevelopment of State Center complex in Baltimore City through TOD project

The state of Maryland will advance the redevelopment of the State Center complex in Baltimore City through a transit-oriented concept to include new housing, retail and green space.  Read more...
July 3, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine

Metro Blue, Green lines impacted by summer construction

From July 5-26, track work is scheduled on the southern end of the Blue Line. The following month, from Aug. 2-31, work moves to the southern end of the Green Line. Read more...
Kenzie Chase, July 6, 2025, DC News Now

Metro CEO touts video surveillance improvements ahead of busy Fourth of July

But, as he gave reporters a look inside the operations at the transit system’s Integrated Command and Communications Center in Alexandria, Virginia, he pointed to a bank of massive screens lining the walls of the facility. Read more...
Kate Ryan, July 3, 2025, WTOP

Metro to close Blue Line train stations in Fairfax for construction work

Metro reminded riders in a release that the upcoming track work is scheduled to run from Saturday, July 5, through Saturday, July 26. Read more...
Vernon Miles, July 3, 2025, FFXNow

Metro celebrates three years of joint development project successes

Metro’s joint development program collaborates with developers to build housing, offices, and other amenities on Metro property. It is a form of transit-oriented development that generates new Metro ridership and revenue and adds new housing, jobs, and tax revenue to the region.  Read more...
July 2, 2025, WMATA

Price hikes for Capital Bikeshare bikes starting in August

Under the new plan, the standard annual membership — which includes free unlocks, fare-free shorter rides on unpowered bikes, and a discount on the per-minute e-bike fare — will cost $120 dollars, a $25 increase over the current rate. Read more...
Kate Ryan, July 3, 2025, WTOP

Autonomous public transit shuttle launches, a US first

Rides will be free through Sept. 30, 2025. The service is the first phase of a 10-mile autonomous urban circulator to be completed over the next 10 years.  Read more...
Dan Zukowski, July 2, 2025, Smart Cities Dive

New MARC plan presents increased services in Frederick, Brunswick

In the five-year phase, peak weekday service is expected to increase to at least every hour with limited-stop service occurring every 30 minutes at select stations. Read more...
Sofia Montoya-Deck, July 2, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine

West Falls Church Metro road improvements could begin this summer

Approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in June 2023, the development plan calls for 810 multifamily residential units, 90 townhomes, up to 110,000 square feet of office space, and up to 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Read more...
Angela Woolsey, July 1, 2025, FFXNow

For better mental health, researchers recommend walking and biking

The largest recent study examining the mental health impacts of walking and biking, led by European researchers who reviewed more than 100 earlier studies, found neighborhood walkability, access to opportunities, and green space tend to make people feel less lonely.   Read more...
Chris McCahill, June 30, 2025, SSTI

D.C. is hiking Capital Bikeshare prices. Some will pay triple.

Starting in August, it will cost for some people three times as much per minute to ride a regular Capital Bikeshare bike and more than twice as much for an electric bike.  Read more...
Rachel Weiner, July 1, 2025, The Washington Post

As WMATA's new budget goes into effect, future funding woes remain

WMATA leaders say this budget’s changes to Metrorail service will provide better access and frequency for thousands of customers. On the eastern end of the Silver, Orange, and Blue lines, Silver Line service east of Stadium-Armory is now split between New Carrollton and Downtown Largo. Read more...
Brian Shi, July 2, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

Road closures, Metro changes accompany July Fourth weekend in DC

The transit agency is also ramping up service to rush hour levels during the afternoon. Trains on the Red Line will run every 6 minutes until 5 p.m., and every 5 minutes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. After 11 p.m., trains will run every 10 minutes. Read more...
Thomas Robertson, July 2, 2025, WTOP

DC area county eliminates bus fares

The county debated how to approach fares and transit funding for months before coming to a consensus. One factor that tipped the scales in favor of free fares: installing credit card tap mechanisms for fare collections on the system’s buses would have cost around $19 million — or roughly eight years of revenue. Read more...
Diana Ionescu, July 1, 2025, Planetizen

Creative ways to fund on-demand public transportation and microtransit in 2025

Fortunately, microtransit is eligible for more federal and state funding programs than many think, and it pays to think creatively when approaching funding, especially for city governments, which are often eligible for fewer grant programs than transit agencies or rural communities. Read more...
Katie Malkin, June 30, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine

Montgomery County, Maryland, commuters adjust to Metro, Ride On Bus route changes

In addition to making rides free on RideOn, RideOn extRa, Ride On Flex, and Flash buses, the system also eliminated certain routes where Metrobus makes stops while also adding new routes. Read more...
Christian Flores, July 1, 2025, ABC7 News

'So confusing': Riders try out new Metrobus routes after 50-year changes

Several people were out on Sunday testing the new system before the work week began on Monday. There were also many Metro employees at stops to help people navigate where they were going on Sunday and Monday. Read more...
Jessica Albert, June 30, 2025, NBC4 Washington

Prince George's Co. bus gets a makeup — right as Metro bus revamps

“Overwhelmingly, people in this region are going to get better bus service,” Metro General Manager Randy Clarke told WTOP’s Luke Lukert at Metro’s Downtown Largo Station. Read more...
Luke Lukert, June 30, 2025, WTOP

'I'm just trying to get home': Metrobus riders navigate system-wide changes, new routes

Also, the transit agency has a trip planner web page where riders can see where their current route goes now, versus where it will go on weekdays and on weekends starting June 29. Read more...
Lianna Golden, June 30, 2025, ABC7 News

Montgomery County's Flash BRT on 355 will reduce travel times, if and when it is completed

The project depends on the federal government awarding funds. Based on discussions with the Federal Transit Administration, Montgomery County Department of Transportation officials have expressed a cautious optimism that they’ll be successful. Read more...
Ethan Goffman, June 27, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

Cash-strapped Maryland revives plan for trains to Virginia and Delaware

Under a proposal released last week by the Maryland Transit Administration, trains would run north to Wilmington and south to Alexandria, connecting MARC with regional rail systems in Pennsylvania and Virginia.  Read more...
Rachel Weiner, June 29, 2025, The Washington Post

Metro begins Better Bus Program, biggest change to system in half-century

Clarke said this program took three years of staff work to complete and it creates an entirely new route-naming system, remakes and adds 7,000 new signs and consolidates more than 500 stops, some of which Metro said were just a few hundred yards from each other. Read more...
Dan Ronan, June 29, 2025, WTOP

How the Metrobus overhaul, launching Sunday, will affect Fairfax service

The first Metrobus overhaul since 1973 started rolling out earlier this year with the introduction of approximately 7,000 new signs, starting in Fairfax County. Read more...
Vernon Miles/Angela Woolsey, June 27, 2025, FFXNow