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.

DASH to resume fare collection, front-door boarding March 15

Beginning Monday, March 15, DASH will begin fare collection and front-door boarding on buses. The cost per trip will be $2. Read more...
March 1, 2021, Zebra

Help shape the future of active transportation in Fairfax County

Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT), in collaboration with regional, county and community partners, is continuing to address the transportation of all users with the launch of the ActiveFairfax Transportation Plan development and community engagement effort. Read more...
March 1, 2021, Fairfax County

'Bike To Work Day' adds pit stops for Arlington telecommuters

The organizers are encouraging telecommuting registrants to bike to a local pit stop early in the day for a free t-shirt and then cycle back home to start the workday. Read more...
Mark Hand, March 1, 2021, Arlington Patch

Early registration for Bike to Work Day now open

The Bike to Work Day event, which will take place on May 21, has a new feature to make sure people working from home can participate. Read more...
Alessia Grunberger, March 1, 2021, Takoma Park Patch

Fairfax County releases surveys to get public input for climate action plan

In addition to holding two public meetings last week, one focused on energy and another on transportation, waste, and development, the county is looking to gather more public feedback through a trio of short surveys. Read more...
Fatimah Waseem, March 1, 2021, Reston Now

Bicycle safety bill wins approval from Virginia lawmakers

Legislation aimed at improving bicycle safety will require Virginia motorists to change lanes when passing bicyclists if the travel lane is not wide enough to pass at least 3 feet to the left. Read more...
March 2, 2021, WTOP

MARC fixes glitch that kept riders from paying with credit card

MARC says most train users can now use credit cards to pay fares, after a technical issue caused problems for its ticket-vending machines. Read more...
Anna Gawel, March 1, 2021, WTOP

No one's talking about the best thing about the new USPS mail truck

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night will stop the mail from making it to your door -- but the next generation of mail trucks might be a lot more likely to stop for a pedestrian, thanks to the advanced safety features under the hood. Read more...
Kea Wilson, March 2, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Three Silver Line stations could close months after opening

Metro’s Board of Directors is still proceeding as if the Silver Line Phase II will open this year, but a public survey is asking riders to weigh in on drastic service cuts, including closing the newly-opened Phase II stations in Janurary 22. Read more...
Matt Blitz, March 1, 2021, Reston Now

Md. students return to riding school buses today, cops urge drivers to follow safety laws

Students across Maryland are taking the school bus Monday for the first time in almost a year, and state police are urging drivers on the roads to follow safety laws. Read more...
March 1, 2021, WJLA

National Cherry Blossom Festival unveils hybrid plan for 2021

A sure sign of spring is taking place in 2021 despite ongoing coronavirus concerns. Read more...
Matt Pusatory, March 1, 2021, WUSA9

Metro will only reunite riders with lost wallets, electronics going forward

Metro is bringing back in-person pickup for missing items found in the D.C. transit system, although anyone looking for something other than a wallet or electronics might be out of luck. Read more...
Alejandro Alvarez, March 1, 2021, WTOP

Head's up, MARC riders: Credit card machines still down Monday

MARC train users still aren’t able to use credit cards Monday because of processing problems with ticket vending machines that are affecting many vendors along the East Coast that have persisted for days. Read more...
Anna Gawel, March 1, 2021, WTOP

Random Hills Park trail plans

FABB encourages local Fairfax riders to share their views and ideas with the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) on the design of a planned trail improvement project in Random Hills Park in Fairfax. Read more...
March 1, 2021, FABB

Why the new mobility revolution leaves seniors behind

Elders are being left out of the new mobility revolution -- and if we don’t learn from the failures of the rise of e-taxis, the transportation challenges of older Americans will only compound with the rise of autonomous vehicles, a new study argues. Read more...
Kea Wilson, March 1, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Lime makes big bet on electric bikeshare

Micromobility giant Lime will announce on Monday that it will spend $50 million to quadruple the size of its e-bike fleet and bring the mode into 50 cities worldwide by the end of 2021, transforming an outfit that’s largely associated with scooters into the single largest provider of shared electric cycles outside of China. Read more...
Kea Wilson, March 1, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Survey examines the pandemic's effects on mobility in the D.C. region

Residents in the Washington region say they are likely to go back to driving once they resume commuting, but many are showing enthusiasm for biking and walking, according to a new survey that examines how the pandemic is reshaping attitudes about mobility in the area. Read more...
Lori Aratani, February 27, 2021, Washington Post

New Metro lost and found procedures go into effect Monday

Metro will only work to reunite customers with lost wallets and electronics starting Monday. Read more...
Michael O'Connell, February 26, 2021, Vienna Patch

Speed camera missing in Montgomery County

A technician who services the camera and downloads information from the unit arrived at the 4000 block of East West Highway, west of Connecticut Avenue, and found the camera missing, police said. Read more...
Camille Furst, February 26, 2021, NBC Washington

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg rode Capital Bikeshare

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg rode a bike on Thursday evening, presumably on his commute from the Department of Transportation headquarters in Navy Yard. Read more...
Jordan Pascale, February 26, 2021, dcist

Accelerating active transportation change in northern Va.

Plan now to join FABB and nine other organizations focused on bicycling, walking, and other elements of active transportation along with local government representatives for a major regional summit. Read more...
February 27, 2021, FABB

15th St. needs a better bicycle connection

The current configuration relies on a two-block stretch along Lafayette Park on Madison Place and Pennsylvania Avenue, which is increasingly closed for long stretches of time and has been totally closed since January 6 as part of the expanded White House security perimeter. Read more...
Matthew Holden, February 26, 2021, GGWash

Support for the DC Streetcar extension to the Benning Road Metro gains momentum from residents

Earlier this month, ANC 7E passed a resolution of support for the full streetcar extension to the Benning Road Metro, and requested that the Mayor and DC Council ensure that the extension receives full funding in the 2022 budget. Read more...
Michael Havlin, Delia Houseal, February 26, 2021. GGWash

Report: Smart traffic management significantly reduces congestion and emissions

A new report from Juniper Research has found that smart traffic management will save cities $277 billion by reducing emissions and congestion by 2025. Read more...
Liz Carey, February 25, 2021, Transportation Today

Md. reveals potential toll rates for proposed HOT lanes on Beltway, I-270

Motorists using high-occupancy toll lanes planned for the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 in Maryland would pay an average of $4 to $5 for a typical weekday trip, according to preliminary toll rate ranges released Thursday. Read more...
Katherine Shaver, February 25, 2021, Washington Post

Metro Transit Police chief says changes underway to address community concerns

The Metro Transit Police Department is making strides in addressing community concerns about policing, its chief said Thursday, highlighting efforts to rewrite policing standards, review past internal investigations and improve transparency. Read more...
Justin George, February 25, 2021, Washington Post

Confederate president's name to be removed from Rt. 1

The Virginia Senate passed a bill Thursday that calls for removal of Jefferson Davis's name from all parts of Route 1. Read more...
Mark Hand, February 25, 2021, Arlington Patch

What's Next: Reducing traffic related injury

Arlington is beginning to wrap up an important long-term plan for Arlington street safety: Vision Zero. Read more...
Nicole Merlene, February 25, 2021, ARLnow

Metro asks customers to consider major cuts in service proposed to begin in July

When the new fiscal year begins in July, Metro will face a budget gap so big that it’s asking customers to consider some pretty serious service cuts. Read more...
Kristi King, February 25, 2021, WTOP

Support restored bicycle commuter benefits

Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon has introduced an amendment to the tax code, now under consideration by the House Ways and Means Committee, to modify employer-provided fringe benefits for bicycle commuting, including use of bikeshare. Read more...
February 26, 2021, FABB

What are the potential I-495/I-270 tolls? Md. Transportation Authority gets 1st look

Motorists who use Maryland’s new High-Occupancy Toll lanes along Interstate 270 and the Capital Beltway (I-495) can expect to pay -- on average -- about $1 per mile during the morning commute and approximately $1.50 per mile to get home, according to a preliminary set of toll ranges that were presented Thursday morning to the Maryland Transportation Authority board of directors. Read more...
Bruce DePuyt, February 25, 2021, WTOP

Annapolis, battling sea level rise, sues 26 oil companies

The city of Annapolis, Md., one of the oldest state capitals in the nation, is sinking into the quickly-rising Chesapeake Bay. Read more...
Jacob Fenston, February 24, 2021, dcist

Montgomery County school buses could go completely electric by 2035

Every bus in the Montgomery County Public Schools system could be electric by 2035, according to a plan approved this week by the county’s board of education. Read more...
Jenny Gathright, February 25, 2021, dcist

Buttigieg, Alghabra commit to 'reinvigorate' U.S., Canada transportation partnership

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra will team “to fight climate change and limit the environmental impacts” from the countries’ transportation networks, USDOT and Transport Canada announced on Feb. 25. Read more...
Marybeth Luczak, February 25, 2021, Railway Age

Md. lawmaker calls for better accountability in I-495 and I-270 partnership

A Maryland lawmaker is pushing for more transparency and accountability in the I-495 and I-270 public-private partnership, as the state’s board of public works appears poised to select a contractor before environmental impact statements have been released. Read more...
John Domen, February 25, 2021, WTOP

Quarter of MCPS buses to be electric by 2024

Over the next four years, Montgomery County Public Schools will switch some of its diesel buses to a fleet powered by electricity. Read more...
Caitlynn Peetz, February 24, 2021, Bethesda Magazine

State bill allows County to rename Lee Highway, but 'Loving Avenue' name unlikely

Passed Virginia legislation allows Arlington County to rename Lee Highway, but it’s unlikely to be “Loving Avenue.” Read more...
Matt Blitz, February 24, 2021, ARLnow

Lights out in Montgomery County on busiest stretch of I-270

For reasons unknown, dozens of overhead lights are either out or flickering dimly in the stretch between the Democracy Boulevard exit and the exit for Shady Grove Road. Read more...
Jackie Bensen, February 24, 2021, NBC Washington

Rebuilding infrastructure would bring jobs, improve economy, Hogan tells Congress

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan told Congress on Tuesday that rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure would create jobs and help the nation’s economy recover from the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Dick Uliano, February 24, 2021, WTOP

Environmental critics tout bills for oversight of Beltway-270 toll lanes plan

As plans move forward for the addition of toll lanes on part of the Beltway and Interstate 270 in Maryland, some state lawmakers are backing a pair of bills that would put the plans under a microscope. Read more...
John Aaron, February 24, 2021, WTOP

Senator withdraws budget amendment over Metro station name

A Virginia state senator is withdrawing her budget amendment that could have cost the D.C. region’s Metro system more than $165 million if it didn’t add the name of Capital One bank to a Northern Virginia Metrorail station. Read more...
February 24, 2021, WTOP

Metro asking public to weign in on cuts, including closing several Arlington stations

Metro is asking the public to weigh in on possible options for drastic service cuts, including potentially closing several Arlington stations in January 2022. Read more...
Matt Blitz, February 24, 2021, ARLnow

Metro's wallet could lose $166M in Capital One dispute

A Virginia Senate budget amendment would block the D.C. region’s Metro system from receiving at least $166 million in state funding unless it adds the name of Capital One bank to a northern Virginia Metrorail station. Read more...
February 24, 2021, WTOP

Senators announce bill to renew federal funding for WMATA

U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) announced Thursday that they had introduced a bill to renew federal funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for the next 10 years. Read more...
Liz Carey, February 24, 2021, Transportation Today

Bicycle Friendly Community public survey

FABB asks all county cyclists to take a few minutes to complete a survey by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) on biking in Fairfax County. Read more...
February 24, 2021, FABB

Police to conduct transportation safety campaign as students return to school

New designated park and walk zones will be in place to create safe buffer zones for students, teachers and parents. Read more...
February 24, 2021, Arlington County

Maryland, citing traffic relief, recommends current Bay Bridge as best site for a new span

Building another span at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge would relieve the most traffic congestion, cause the least amount of environmental damage and cost the least of three sites considered, the Maryland Transportation Authority said Tuesday. Read more...
Katherine Shaver, February 23, 2021, Washington Post

Virginia Senate bill demands Metro change station name to include bank or lose millions in funding

A Virginia Senate bill would withhold at least $166 million pledged to Metro unless the transit system adds the name of Capital One bank to the McLean rail station. Read more...
Justin George, Robert McCartney, February 23, 2021, Washington Post

Pentagon City Metro is getting a second elevator

On Saturday, the Arlington County Board voted to award a contract to W. M. Schlosser Company for the construction of a second station elevator on the west side of S. Hayes Street, near the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall. Read more...
Matt Blitz, February 23, 2021, ARLnow

Beltway surface abrasion underway to prevent accidents, speeding

After a number of serious accidents on a dangerous stretch of the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County in recent months, highway officials have made changes to the road surface -- scuffing it up, on purpose. Read more...
Adam Tuss, February 23, 2021, NBC Washington