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.
State lawmakers aim to override veto of bill to help businesses along Purple Line
Next week, lawmakers in Annapolis hope to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of a bill that includes $2 million to help businesses hurt by construction of the Purple Line light-rail project.
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Steve Bohnel, December 3, 2021, Bethesda Magazine
Tips on how to reduce vehicle-related crimes as spike in DC area thefts and carjackings continue
Car thieves have been staying busy around the D.C. region.
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John Domen, December 4, 2021, WTOP
Amtrak prepares for possible service cuts as employee vaccination deadline nears
About 6 percent of the railroad’s workforce faces termination for failure to show proof of vaccination, which could leave trains unstaffed.
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Luz Lazo, December 3, 2021, Washington Post
VDOT plans to add toll option to Seminary Road/I-395 interchange return
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is hosting a meeting next week to discuss plans to add the option of non-HOV vehicles to access the Seminary Road ramp to I-395, but with a toll.
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Vernon Miles, December 3, 2021, ALXnow
Citing pandemic struggle, Ascend Cycle in Del Ray is closing at the end of the month
After seven years in Del Ray, Ascend Cycle (2417 Mount Vernon Avenue) is permanently closing by the end of the month.
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James Cullum, December 3, 2021, ALXnow
DC restaurants make final preps for second winter of outdoor dining challenges
With the Omicron variant causing a lot of uncertainty about how the coming months will go, restaurants throughout the DC area are preparing for their second straight winter where some customers will choose to eat outside or in tents.
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Tom Roussey, December 3, 2021, ABC7
All clear: Logjam of USPS trucks leaves Prince George's Co. neighborhood
The streets in a Prince George’s County, Maryland, neighborhood are clearing after hundreds of tractor trailers filled the streets.
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Mike Murillo, December 3, 2021, WTOP
DC funnels millions into ensuring kids' safety to and from school
D.C. is putting millions of dollars into funding a program that ensures kids get to and from school safely.
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Megan Cloherty, December 3, 2021, WTOP
Litter clean up 'blitz' to begin in Anne Arundel County
A litter pick up “blitz” led by the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT) will begin Monday and continue through Friday in Anne Arundel County.
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Jessica Kronzer, December 3, 2021, WTOP
TSA mandates cybersecurity actions for freight, passenger rail
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Dec. 2 issued two new Security Directives for “higher-risk” passenger railroads and rail transit agencies and freight railroads, respectively, to “strengthen” cybersecurity.
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Marybeth Luczak, December 3, 2021, Railway Age
NTSB issues wheelset safety alert, preliminary report on WMATA derailment
Following the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Oct. 12 derailment, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a safety alert calling on rail transit agencies and commuter railroads to check their fleets for “wheelsets that do not meet gage specifications”; NTSB also released a preliminary report on the derailment.
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Marybeth Luczak, December 3, 2021, Railway Age
As infrastructure funds begin to flow, climate, safety, equity impacts are not enough, some say
While transit gets an unprecedented windfall, most transportation funds will still go to roads. Some transportation advocates say that doesn't address key equity and climate issues.
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Dan Zukowski, December 2, 2021, Smart Cities Dive
Thanksgiving holiday traffic deaths decrease in Virginia
Four people died in traffic crashes in Virginia over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the fewest fatalities reported in the past decade.
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Mark Hand, December 2, 2021, Arlington Patch
Despite low ridership, supporters say Transitway is a wise investment in the future
A decade ago, when Arlington County was in the midst of planning the Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway for the future Metroway bus rapid transit line, the Route 1 corridor looked a lot different.
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Matt Blitz, December 2, 2021, ARLnow
NTSB: Wheels on derailed Metro train out of alignment 32X allowable amount
A new NTSB report shows one set of wheels on a Metro train that derailed in October was out of alignment by a measurement 32 times as great as the allowable amount.
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Tom Roussey, December 2, 2021, ABC7
Hundreds of USPS trucks 'invade' Maryland neighborhood: relief coming
The U.S. Postal Service says relief is coming to a Prince George’s County, Maryland, neighborhood that has seen its streets filled with hundreds of tractor trailers.
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Mike Murillo, December 3, 2021, WTOP
NTSB report: Metro operator thought derailment was stuck brake
A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that warns subway systems and commuter railroads nationwide about a wheelset problem also includes more details on how events unfolded following Metro’s Oct. 12 derailment.
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John Aaron, December 2, 2021, WTOP
Weekend Road & Rail: Va. Beltway closure, I-66 stops, bridge work in Md.; Metro maintenance
A big weekend closure is planned for the southbound Beltway in Virginia with lots of full stops overnight on I-66.
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Mary DePompa, December 3, 2021, WTOP
Virginia exploring express lanes for last part uf beltway from Springfield to Maryland
The Virginia Department of Transportation is studying the idea of extending Express Lanes on I-495 from the I-95/I-395 interchange to across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Maryland.
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Jordan Pascale, December 2, 2021, dcist
Compton Road Shared-Use Path meeting
FABB requests local riders participate in the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) virtual public meeting on the Compton Road Shared-Use Path on Thursday, December 9 at 7 pm.
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December 2, 2021, FABB
TSA issues directives to rail sector to strengthen cybersecurity
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Thursday issued two security directives requiring rail and rail transit groups to implement steps to strengthen cybersecurity of the sector, including a requirement to report cyber incidents to the federal government.
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Maggie Miller, December 2, 2021, The Hill
Mapped: D.C. region's top transportation projects
There are several key transportation projects to watch in our region, including dedicated bicycle and bus lanes in D.C., the long-awaited Dulles International Airport Silver Line Metro station, and highway widening in Virginia and Maryland.
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Cuneyt Dil, December 2, 2021, Axios
Silver Line extension takes a large step forward with completion of rail yard at Dulles Airport
The progress means passenger service could begin in 2022.
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Lori Aratani, December 1, 2021, Washington Post
Wheels of derailed Metro car had moved far beyond agency's safety limits, NTSB investigation shows
The wheels of a Metro car that derailed, prompting a federal investigation and subsequent suspension of more than half of Metro’s fleet, had moved far beyond the transit agency’s standard for safety, according to preliminary findings released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board.
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Justin George, December 1, 2021, Washington Post
MDTA police marks 32 years of Toys for Tots collections
Collecting toys across the state, the Maryland Transportation Authority police is marking its 32nd year of supporting Toys for Tots.
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December 2, 2021, WBALTV11
Reform Amtrak to get the biggest value
No corporation will benefit more from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress in November than Amtrak.
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Rick Geddes, December 2, 2021, The Hill
Alexandria VRE project in final design ahead of construction next year
A $30 million overhaul of Alexandria’s Union Station, a Virginia Railway Express stop, is in the final design phase and is working through some final permitting ahead of project construction next year.
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Vernon Miles, December 1, 2021, ALXnow
D.C. is on track to issue electronic versions of driver's licenses
More than 20 states have considered, tested or launched digital versions of the licenses.
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Luz Lazo, December 2, 2021, Washington Post
National safety alert issued over wheel defect on D.C. Metro trains
The NTSB issued a nationwide rail transit system safety alert Wednesday as part of its investigation into a D.C. Metro train derailment.
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Mark Hand, December 1, 2021, Arlington Patch
Even as Transitway moves forward, cars are driving backwards
Even as officials and advocates continue to hail the Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway as forward-thinking, there’ve been literal instances of backwards driving.
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Matt Blitz, December 1, 2021, ARLnow
Beltway to partially close at I-66 this weekend
If you drive on the Capital Beltway late at night, overnight or early in the morning, a partial closure in Northern Virginia could affect you.
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Andrea Swalec, December1, 2021, NBC Washington
1st passenger flight using 100% sustainable fuel landing in DC
United flight 2701 from Chicago to Reagan National used 500 gallons of sustainable aviation fuel.
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Laura Wainman, December 1, 2021, WUSA9
NTSB report on WMATA derailment: Wheelset problem has 'potential to create a catastrophic event'
On Wednesday, the federal agency issued a Safety Alert while also revealing its finding into the October derailment along the Blue Line in Arlington.
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Tom Dempsey, December 1, 2021, WUSA9
Construction on Silver Line Phase 2 rail yard, maintenance facility complete
Metrorail’s Silver Line extension project reached another milestone with the “substantial completion” of a rail yard and maintenance facility.
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Abigail Constantino, December 1, 2021, WTOP
Study: Better bike policy could prevent 15K U.S. deaths every year
If U.S. leaders take aggressive, but realistic, action to replace car trips with bike trips by 2050, they could prevent more than 15,000 premature deaths every year — and not just in traffic crashes, a new study finds.
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Kea Wilson, December 2, 2021, Streetsblog USA
D.C. street closures planned Thursday for National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony
Street closures are planned Thursday in downtown D.C. for the National Christmas Tree Lighting on the Ellipse.
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December 2, 2021, Washington Post
Mask mandates on transit expected to be extended into March
Mask mandates for transit — including on planes, trains and buses — are expected to be extended into March in the United States, sources confirmed to Reuters.
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Caroline Vakil, December 1, 2021, The Hill
King Street Metro-Mark Center express bus to be discontinued
DASH will continue the regular service between the King Street Metro and Mark Center but will eliminate express service.
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Emily Leayman, November 30, 2021, Old Town Alexandria Patch
Brown: Why White's Ferry closed
In 2003, Hurricane Isabel destroyed a wooden wall on the Virginia landing. Ed Brown, my father and the previous owner of White’s Ferry, replaced it with a concrete retaining wall, believing it was within the public right-of-way.
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Herbert O. Brown, November 30, 2021, Loudoun Times-Mirror
Chevy Chase to contribute up to $4 million to convert parking lots near Bethesda Farm Women's Market to parks
The town of Chevy Chase will contribute up to $4 million to a project in Bethesda that aims to convert a group of surface parking lots near the Farm Women’s Market to parks and open space.
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Caitlynn Peetz, November 30, 2021, Bethesda Magazine
Arlington school system tries to ameliorate anger of bus drivers
At least judging by the length and specificity of its most recent response, Arlington school leaders appear to be increasingly sensitive to ongoing criticism lobbed in their direction by bus drivers and activists who support them.
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Scott McCaffrey, November 30, 2021, Inside NoVa
Task force votes to recommend name changes for two Fairfax highways named for Confederates
The county’s confederate names task force voted to recommend a name change for Lee Highway and Lee Jackson Memorial Highway through a lengthy, and at times, heated discussion Tuesday night.
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Justin Hinton, November 30, 2021, ABC7
Greenbelt police to increase presence at Metro station after carjacking
Police are still looking for the suspects in a pair of recent carjackings in Greenbelt — one of which was reported outside the Greenbelt Metro Station.
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John Domen, November 30, 2021, WTOP
Montgomery County's Ride On buses to stay free until July
Ride On buses in Montgomery County, Maryland, will remain free to ride until July 2022
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Rick Massimo, Jack Moore, November 30, 2021, WTOP
Bike infrastructure will help prevent crashes and fatalities, advocates and researchers say
There are 2,000 miles of road in Baltimore City. Only 10 of those miles include separated bike infrastructure that divides the road into distinct lanes for cars and bikes.
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Julia Arbutus, Molly Castle Work, November 30, 2021, WTOP
Montgomery County could send relief to small businesses harmed by protracted Purple Line construction
Around 40 business owners affected by the ongoing construction of the Purple Line could receive up to $5,000 in state grants under a new program proposed in Montgomery County.
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Ally Schweitzer, November 30, 2021, dcist
Howard Street Tunnel expansion project launches
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan led public- and private-sector leaders in breaking ground on the $466 million Howard Street Tunnel expansion project, which will reconstruct the 126-year-old freight rail tunnel to accommodate double-stack container trains to and from the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore.
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Bill Wilson, November 30, 2021, Railway Age
Can e-mopedsharing help wean Americans off car ownership?
Electric moped sharing became one of the most rapidly growing alternatives to driving in cities around the world during 2021, a new report says — but its future in America may be more modest unless local policies catch up with the mid-speed mode.
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Kea Wilson, November 30, 2021, Streetsblog USA
D.C. officers to target traffic safety around school zones, but some say it's not enough
D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department will dispatch officers to school zones throughout the District in hope of improving drivers’ behavior when they are near kids.
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Jordan Pascale, November 29, 2021, dcist
VRE news: Toys for Tots
VRE will not be running Santa Trains this year but expect it to return in 2022. We will continue to support the Marines and their drive to donate toys throughout the Virginia region.
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November 30, 2021, VRE