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.

Crowdsourcing safer streets

The crowdsourced information on things like distracted driving, excessive speeding, and the blocking of bike lanes and crosswalks, will help identify, record, and aggregate information about unsafe conditions that can be used by local governments, transportation planners, and advocacy organizations. Read more...
January 26, 2020, FABB

Two arrested after fatal stabbing at Union Station Metro

Police are investigating a fatal stabbing that occurred Sunday morning at the Union Station Metro following an argument that began on the mezzanine level of the station, a transit agency spokesman said. Read more...
Fredrick Kunkle, January 26, 2020, Washington Post

Metro's next-generation rail cars will not be made in China

Metro is no longer considering China’s state-owned rail-car manufacturer to build its next series of rail cars after Congress, concerned about cybersecurity risks, passed legislation prohibiting transit agencies from making such purchases. Read more...
Justin George, January 25, 2020, Washington Post

How Va.'s $3.7 billion rail plan fits Amtrak's long-term vision

The state exemplifies Amtrak’s growth strategy of focusing on adding short-haul trips that compete with car rides and flights in dense urban corridors. Read more...
Luz Lazo, January 25, 2020, Washington Post

Youth Ride On usage has doubled since Kids Ride Free expansion

Six months after the county government made Ride On and Metro bus services free for children, usage among people younger than 18 more than doubled. Read more...
Caitlynn Peetz, January 24, 2020, Bethesda Magazine

How Metro found out it had a bad number to reach D.C. emergency response

Three incidents on Metro in the last 60 days led to the discovery that the transit agency was using a bad number to reach D.C. emergency dispatchers. Read more...
Megan Cloherty, January 24, 2020, WTOP

I-66 usage drops as traffic slows, tolls rise

The number of drivers using Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway at rush hour fell significantly this summer, as tolls rose and speeds slowed. Read more...
Max Smith, January 24, 2020, WTOP

Montgomery County looks to predict, prevent traffic crashes

The county just approved the use of a Predictive Safety Analysis tool to search for high risk driving areas before a crash occurs. Read more...
Michelle Basch, January 25, 2020, WTOP

VDOT's I-95 plan eyes up to $1.7B in road improvements, including new rush-hour lane

The Virginia Department of Transportation is recommending nearly $1.7 billion in road improvements and up to $444 million in other projects to provide relief to travelers on Interstate 95, particularly supporting those drivers stuck in traffic jams in Northern Virginia. Read more...
January 24, 2020, Inside NoVa

Metro touting big changes to real-time data feed

The update will allow customers to see detailed transit schedules, live departure and arrival times, and the current location of buses and trains in a wider selection of apps, Metro says. Read more...
Elliot C. Williams, January 24, 2020, dcist

DDOT installing corrals for all those errantly parked dockless scooters

The corrals will be installed over the next several months, and they’ll be placed across all eight wards, per DDOT. Read more...
Natalie Delgadillo, January 24, 2020, dcist

Md. lawmaker proposes tax credit for those with long commutes, no access to transit

A Maryland lawmaker has introduced a plan aimed at appeasing commuters forced to drive to work because they lack access to public transit. Read more...
John Domen, January 23, 2020, WTOP

Capital Bikeshare trips slide as rides on dockless scooters, bikes grow

Thousands of people appear to be using shared dockless scooters or bikes in place of Capital Bikeshare, posing a challenge to the publicly-owned system that remains popular with regular users. Read more...
Max Smith, January 23, 2020, WTOP

D.C. has some of the longest commutes in the country

While the average American commutes about 27 minutes (a record high), the average D.C.-area worker spends 43 minutes getting to and from work. Read more...
Eliza Berkon, January 24, 2020, WAMU

House committee members decry FCC plans to open vehicle safety-restricted radio frequency for general use

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure recently denounced a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plan to open more than half of the 5.9 GHz spectrum band to unlicensed operations. Read more...
Chris Galford, January 24, 2020, Transportation Today

Metro used outdated D.C. emergency number for years

Metro was consistently calling an outdated number for 911 in D.C., and at peak times, emergency calls from the transit agency were put on hold. Read more...
Megan Cloherty, January 23, 2020, WTOP

On-time delivery of new Acela train sets at risk, Amtrak inspector general says

Amtrak’s plan to roll out new high-speed trains on its Acela line in early 2021 may be derailed, according to an audit by the railroad’s inspector general, citing delays in the delivery of the trains, testing and training. Read more...
Luz Lazo, January 23, 2020, Washington Post

Transportation Commission endorses bus overhaul, worries reforms lack teeth

While Alexandria’s Transportation Commission endorsed a WMATA-backed plan to overhaul the region’s bus system, that approval was accompanied by concerns that the project won’t be able to achieve its lofty goals. Read more...
Vernon Miles, January 23, 2020, ALX Now

Arlington to advance Vision Zero Action Plan with open house

The open house is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 5-8 p.m. at Washington-Liberty High School (1301 N. Stafford Street). Read more...
Vernon Miles, January 23, 2020, ARLnow

Self-driving Ubers arrive in DC, but they won't pick up rides

Uber is bringing self-driving cars to the streets of D.C. starting Friday, but the vehicles won’t be driving themselves, and they won’t be picking up passengers either. Read more...
Michelle Basch, January 23, 2020, WTOP

Traffic safety group ranks D.C., Md., Va. efforts to prevent deadly crashes

At a news conference Thursday, the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety released its annual report evaluating progress being made by 50 states and D.C. in implementing 16 laws related to child passenger safety, teen drivers, impaired and distracted drivers, motorcycle helmet requirements, and primary enforcement of front and rear seat belt laws. Read more...
Kristi King, January 23, 2020, WTOP

New Acela fleet to enter service in 2021

New Amtrak state-of-the-art, high-speed trainsets are scheduled to enter service on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in 2021, as Amtrak and Alstom have partnered to introduce the new Acela fleet. Read more...
Andrew Corselli, January 23, 2020, Railway Age

In Montgomery County, students are taking advantage of free public buses

Kids are riding public buses more in Montgomery County after officials made Ride On and Metrobus service free at all times of the day for people under 18. Read more...
Margaret Barthel, January 23, 2020, WAMU

Caucus of 48 Md. legislators will push transit funding, pedestrian safety, more

A new caucus of legislators plans to work together this year to advance priorities around funding more and better transit, ensuring oversight of highway widening projects, and much more. Read more...
Alex Holt, January 23, 2020, GGWash

Woman trapped under Metro train after being hit at Court House station

WMATA said initial video review shows the woman may have had a medical emergency before falling from the platform. Read more...
Laura Wainman, January 23, 2020, WUSA9

Fairfax to kick in funding for Route 7 bus initiative

The Fairfax County government will toss in $140,000 in support of the next phase of a plan to develop high-quality bus service in the Route 7 corridor. Read more...
January 23, 2020, Inside NoVa

Silver Spring will get a bunch of bike projects

Silver Spring has seen a big expansion of bike lanes in recent years, but it may only be the beginning. Read more...
Dan Reed, January 23, 2020, GGWash

Prince George's Co. lawmakers want more speed camera exceptions

This year, the county delegation has put forth bills that would allow for speed cameras along Church Road between Old Stage Road and Dunwood Valley Drive in Bowie. Read more...
John Domen, January 23, 2020, WTOP

Why the streetcar from Union Station to Georgetown died (mostly)

The once-proposed DC Streetcar extension in dedicated lanes from Union Station to Georgetown didn’t just die. It basically died years ago. Read more...
David Alpert, January 23, 2020, GGWash

Air bag woes force Honda, Toyota to recall 6M vehicles

Two different air bag glitches have forced Toyota and Honda to recall over 6 million vehicles worldwide, and both problems present different dangers to motorists. Read more...
Tom Kriser, January 23, 2020, Frederick News-Post

Alexandria eyeing roads for complete streets transformation

Even while the debate still rages on over the Seminary Road diet, the City of Alexandria is looking at other locations that could be altered to be more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly. Read more...
Vernon Miles, January 22, 2020, ALX Now

Man killed after he was hit by train in Germantown

A man was struck and killed by a CSX freight train in Germantown Wednesday evening, according to Montgomery County Fire & Rescue. Read more...
Dan Schere, January 22, 2020, Bethesda Magazine

Electric buses in Md. could make Va., D.C. go green, too

Montgomery County says electric RideOn buses will start running routes in Takoma Park and Silver Spring in March. Read more...
Pete Muntean, January 22, 2020, WUSA9

DC Streetcar to Georgetown is dead

Plans to extend the DC Streetcar to Georgetown have been effectively scrapped. Read more...
Max Smith, January 22, 2020, WTOP

Md. Transit Caucus unveils package of bills designed to offer transportation options

“Our state functions better for every single person — drivers included — when people have safe, reliable and efficient transit options” said Del. Brooke Lierman, whose district is in Baltimore City, and who is one of the leaders of the Maryland Transit Caucus. Read more...
Kate Ryan, January 22, 2020, WTOP

Bill aims to make Md. roads safer for pedestrians

One of the bills getting support from a group of Maryland lawmakers in Annapolis would increase minimum fines for traffic offenses involving pedestrians, but it’s not enough for proponents who want a broader approach to making roads safer. Read more...
Kate Ryan, January 23, 2020, WTOP

Amtrak ends policy resulting in $25,000 bill for activists

Amtrak announced Wednesday the suspension of a pricing policy that resulted in a $25,000 travel bill for a group of wheelchair-bound activists heading to Bloomington-Normal, Illinois from Chicago for a conference and rally on disability rights. Read more...
January 22, 2020, WTOP

Va. bills would ban holding phone while driving, prevent racial targeting

Unlike previous failed attempts to tighten the law, this year’s bills would take steps to attempt to ensure that people of color aren’t disproportionately targeted. Read more...
Neal Augenstein, January 22, 2020, WTOP

New bill would repeal Montgomery's mandatory bike registration

After a viral video and a social media campaign by state Del. David Moon, five Montgomery County council members proposed changes to a mandatory bike registration law. Read more...
Kate Masters, January 21, 2020, Bethesda Magazine

Small business owners along Purple Line worry they won't reap light rail's benefits

“There’s a general anxiety that this will be the project that forces them to shut down,” says Javier Rivas, manager of the Resilient Commercial Corridors program at the Latino Economic Development Center. Read more...
Sasha-Ann Simons, January 21, 2020, dcist

Metro issues service updates for bus routes affected by Cinder Bed Road strike

Metro issued a service advisory Tuesday evening for bus routes previously affected by the Cinder Bed Road strike, ending confusion for some riders unsure of when their buses would go back to normal service. Read more...
Margaret Barthel, January 21, 2020, WAMU

This app pays you for commuting. Here's what happened when I used it.

For the last few months, I’ve been getting paid to commute to work. Read more...
Jon Steingart, January 21, 2020, GGWash

Arlington to kick in funding for Route 7 BRT study

The Arlington government will toss in just under $40,000 in support of the next phase of a plan to develop high-quality bus service in the Route 7 corridor. Read more...
January 20, 2020, Inside NoVa

County Manager: ART-bus changes a step in right direction

So far, so good, as the Arlington Transit (ART) system has a new contractor settling in. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, January 21, 2020, Inside NoVa

Potential Metrobus route cuts concern D.C. communities (video)

People living in parts of Northwest D.C. say they feel blindsided by Metro because some of their bus lines may be cut to save money. Read more...
January 20, 2020, NBC Washington

Under new bill, more Md. counties would gain veto power over toll roads, bridges

A new bill introduced in Maryland’s General Assembly would require the state to get the “express consent” from any county where it wants to build a toll road or bridge, which has been the case in the nine counties on the Eastern Shore since the late 1970s. Read more...
Martin Austermuhle, January 20, 2020, WAMU

Criticism mounts over proposed parking in Union Station's $8 billion overhaul

It may be years, if not a decade, before construction begins on a proposed multibillion-dollar redevelopment of Union Station. But debate has already been heating up over a parking garage planned as part of the overhaul. Read more...
Luz Lazo, January 18, 2020, Washington Post

Metro moving forward with naming rights deals

Metro plans to reach a deal to sell naming rights or similar sponsorships, despite a false start in November that happened when the transit agency failed to communicate with key officials. Read more...
Max Smith, January 18, 2020, WTOP

New electric Capital Bikeshare bikes may be semi-dockless

Electric bikes are returning to Capital Bikeshare sometime early this year, and they will likely include the option to leave them anywhere riders choose rather than only at a dock. Read more...
Max Smith, January 19, 2020, WTOP

Alexandria mulls making proposed pedestrian-only King St. permanent

Alexandria officials are still working through the details, but there’s an unmistakable air of excitement from city staff and leadership when it comes to turning part of King Street into a pedestrian-only zone. Read more...
Vernon Miles, January 17, 2020, ALX Now

Bankrupt contractor blamed for delayed escalator canopy at Dupont Circle station

A spokesperson for Metro said the project encountered a "non-Metro delay" when the company contracted to provide glass panels declared bankruptcy. Read more...
Heather Graf, January 17, 2020, WJLA

Metro puts 22 bus lines up for 'elimination.' Will your route be cut?

Metrobus riders are telling the transit agency not to cut or change dozens of bus lines in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia by this summer. But WMATA says it needs to save money by getting rid of routes it calls inefficient. Read more...
Pete Muntean, Jordan Fischer, January 17, 2020, WUSA9

D.C. rule overhaul could cut some regulations for taxis

The regulation changes set for public comment in coming months would take the taxi rules from about 400 pages to about 200 pages, and would lift requirements that cabdrivers get medical physicals, meet dress codes and get rid of cars that are over eight years old. Read more...
Max Smith, January 17, 2020, WTOP

Montgomery County leaders plan road safety town hall after recent pedestrian deaths

Despite Montgomery County, Maryland, being one of the first county governments in the U.S. to create a “Vision Zero” plan, a recent spate of pedestrian deaths involved two just this week on Rockville Pike. Read more...
Kristi King, January 17, 2020, WTOP

WMATA Inspector General finds $87,000 worth of lapel pins in storage closet

A new report from the WMATA Office of the Inspector General found $87,000 worth of unclaimed lapel pins in a Metro storeroom, marking the second unfavorable report on the transit agency this week. Read more...
Colleen Grablick, January 17, 2020, dcist

Metro signs digital ad contract it says will be worth hundreds of millions of dollars

Metro has signed a contract with a digital advertising network that the transit authority says will add hundreds of new LCD screens across the system and pay the agency at least $325 million over the next decade. Read more...
Justin George, January 17, 2020, Washington Post

Purple Line is chugging along

Now, an eastern portion of the 16-mile line, from New Carrollton to College Park, is expected to open in late 2022. The other section, from College Park to Bethesda, won’t be carrying riders until June 2023, according to state officials. Read more...
Margaret Barthel, January 17, 2020, WAMU

CDC to begin airport screenings for cases of new Chinese virus

Public health officials are implementing enhanced health screenings to detect ill travelers traveling to the United States from Wuhan, China, in response to an outbreak of a new type of coronavirus. Read more...
Nathaniel Weixel, January 17, 2020, The Hill

Which bills could improve transportation in Va.?

Two of the more transformative bills before legislators may be HB1414 in the House and SB890 in the Senate, both of which encompass the Governor’s big plans to revolutionize mobility across the Commonwealth. Read more...
Wyatt Gordon, January 17, 2020, GGWash

Delayed vote on funding for Silver Line could push back its opening

Board member Michael Goldman said it is now unlikely the extension will open this year without “heroic circumstances.” Read more...
Justin George, January 16, 2020, Washington Post

Alexandria's new electric school buses will help feed power grid

The new “vehicle to grid” energy workhorses will not only carry children to and from the classroom. They will be feeding the power grid and reducing emissions as Dominion Energy moves forward with the nation’s largest electric school bus deployment. Read more...
Mary Wadland, January 16, 2020, Zebra

Why an East Falls Church Metro bike rack under construction for five years isn't finished

Metro has been building a Bike & Ride facility at the East Falls Church Metro Station for nearly five years, and the project still is not finished. Read more...
Sam Sweeney, January 17, 2020, WJLA

DC-area school districts will soon have electric school buses

Local school districts that will get some of the 50 electric buses in phase one include Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County and Prince William County. Read more...
Jeff Clabaugh, January 16, 2020, WTOP

New details on Silver Line issues that could contribute to opening delay

A quality control leader on Silver Line construction has provided new information to Metro’s inspector general about the thickness of concrete panels in stations, as the watchdog finalizes a report on one of the key issues that could further hold up the opening of the extension to Dulles International Airport and Ashburn. Read more...
Max Smith, January 17, 2020, WTOP

Funding to build trail tunnel at Bethesda Purple Line station dropped from county budget proposal

Montgomery Executive Marc Elrich (D) has included no money in his capital budget proposal for the county’s long-promised plan to build a tunnel to carry cyclists and runners on the Capital Crescent Trail beneath busy Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Read more...
Katherine Shaver, January 17, 2020, Washington Post

MLK Day of Service trail cleanups

Join in a Day of Service for Martin Luther King Jr Day on the Capital Trails Network. Read more...
Ursula Sandstrom, January 16, 2020, WABA

Union votes overwhelmingly for worker contract, ending strike at Metrobus garage

Members of a transit union have approved a worker contract at a Metrobus garage in Northern Virginia, formally ending an 82-day strike and setting the stage for the return of regular service on several bus routes that had been canceled by the work stoppage. Read more...
Justin George, January 16, 2020, Washington Post

Metro board weighs fare increases, service changes in proposed budget

The Metro Board met today to review the transit agency’s proposed 2021 budget, which includes possible fare hikes and bus and train service changes. Read more...
Margaret Barthel, January 16, 2020, WAMU

Safety Commission tells Metro to do its own work on Silver Line

The commission responsible for safety oversight of Metro is telling Metro that it will not do the transit agency’s own safety work and contract negotiations on Silver Line construction problems. Read more...
Max Smith, January 16, 2020, WTOP

Va. tries again to ban handheld devices while driving

A broad transportation safety bill assigned Tuesday to a Virginia House Transportation subcommittee would make it illegal to hold cellphones and similar devices while driving. Read more...
Sophia Barnes, January 16, 2020, NBC Washington

Greenbelt mayor: Maglev train is all pain and no gain, except for rich people

The high-speed project is in the final stages of its approval process. Read more...
Mke Valerio, January 16, 2020, WUSA9

Big changes for Va. drivers could include fuel-efficient car fee, speed cameras

New fees, speed cameras and a handheld cellphone ban are some of the measures on the horizon for Virginia drivers under a wide-ranging transportation bill proposed by Gov. Ralph Northam and Democratic leaders of the state’s General Assembly. Read more...
Max Smith, January 15, 2020, WTOP

Metro ridership continues to rise, statistics show

The transit authority’s latest data shows steady passenger growth after years of decline. Read more...
Justin George, January 15, 2020, Washington Post

Union Station future plans have too much parking, leaders say

A number of local leaders including DC Councilmember Charles Allen and the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission say that the station is on track to have too much parking, a move which would stifle its function and role in a larger city. Read more...
George Kevin Jordan, January 15, 2020, GGWash

VDOT to begin planning study of Shreve Road in Falls Church

Since 2015, there have been 42 crashes on the roadway, 19 of which involved injuries.  An additional 30 crashes per year go unreported in cases where property damage is less than $1500 and no one is injured. Read more...
January 15, 2020, FABB

New Capital Bikeshare station coming to Wakefield High School

Wakefield High School students will soon have a new way of getting to and from school: Capital Bikeshare. Read more...
Vernon Miles, January 14, 2020, ARLnow

Police investigating death on Yellow Line train

Police are conducting a death investigation after a person died on a Yellow Line train Tuesday evening. Read more...
January 14, 2020, ARLnow

Metro details proposed fare hikes, bus cuts

Metro is providing additional detail and estimates on its plans to cut or reduce service on more than 40 bus lines and to eliminate some early-morning weekday trains, but add some bus service on other lines and restore some late-night hours cut a few years ago. Read more...
Max Smith, January 14, 2020, WTOP

D.C. will extend shared moped permit program through fall 2020

The District Department of Transportation on Tuesday announced that it’s extending the pilot program for what it calls “motor-driven cycles,” otherwise known as mopeds. Read more...
Natalie Delgadillo, January 14, 2020, dcist

Metro releases first operating budget for Silver Line extension

Metro will need $24 million from the District, Maryland and Virginia to begin hiring employees and preparing for service on the Silver Line extension, according to an operating budget proposal for the project released Monday. Read more...
Justin George, January 13, 2020, Washington Post

Va. to build new bike/ped bridge with Long Bridge expansion

Virginia will assume about one-third of the cost, using existing rail funding and additional discretionary funds available through the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Read more...
January 14, 2020, WashCycle

Audit finds contractor did not provide daily cleaning services to Metro parking garages

Overall, WMATA spent more than $2.2 million for cleaning services that weren’t performed over a two-year period, according to the audit. Read more...
Josh Rosenthal, January 13, 2020, Fox5

Va. to object to some Metro fare hikes, service cuts

Virginia is joining Maryland to push back on proposed Metro fare increases for long-distance commuters. Read more...
Max Smith, January 13, 2020, WTOP