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.

Automatic Train Control (ATO) suspended on WMATA Red Line

Regarding the current station overruns, the Post reports that the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission is not requesting or requiring that WMATA turn ATO off on the Red Line, but to bring in engineering experts, possibly from the NTSB, to determine what is wrong and correct it.  Read more...
David C. Lester, April 16, 2025, RT&S

Weekend trackwork: Buses replace trains between Rhode Island Ave and Takoma on Red Line this weekend

The Brookland station will be closed and there will be no Red Line train service at Fort Totten. Crews will be working to replace the switch machines in the interlocking where trains are able to cross between separate tracks.  Read more...
April 16, 2025, WMATA

Baltimore ordered to improve sidewalk accessibility

In addition to building thousands of curb cuts and improving sidewalk conditions, the city is ordered to inspect its pedestrian walkways every 10 years, keep walkways clear of vegetation and overgrowth, prune obstructive trees, and other actions. Read more...
Diana Ionescu, April 15, 2025, Planetizen

Virginia DRPT Drafts $7b Six-Year Improvement Program

The SYIP details DRPT’s funding priorities for FY 2026, allocating $332 million to local and regional public transportation providers, $442 million to WMATA’s Metrorail and Metrobus services, and $17 million to the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) operating and capital budget.  Read more...
William C. Vantuono, April 16, 2025, Railway Age

Tysons Community Alliance turns to tax district for transportation project funding

The district’s advisory board voted last Wednesday (April 9) to recommend that $1 million be allocated to the TCA for fiscal year 2026 to support its work to close gaps in the Tysons transportation network, reduce traffic from single-occupant vehicles, and boost public awareness and engagement. Read more...
Angela Woolsey, April 15, 2025, FFXNow

Gasoline prices are likely to dip this summer in the DC area and nationwide

Gas prices are expected to be slightly above the national average in D.C., but in line with the national forecast in Maryland and Virginia. Some parts of the country, especially in oil and gas producing regions — including Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico — could see prices below $3 a gallon. Read more...
Dan Ronan, April 15, 2025, WTOP

Ten years since 7000 series railcars entered Metro service

In a post on X, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) said that the first railcar went into service on the Blue Line. It left from the Franconia-Springfield station. Read more...
Makea Luzader, April 14, 2025, DC News Now

Pedal with Petals returns to Tysons

Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just learning to ride, Pedal with Petals has something for everyone—and FABB is proud to be helping again this year by providing ride marshals for both the short and long routes. Read more...
April 14, 2025, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling

How to build a better sustainable transportation pilot

Pop-up projects and trial runs can build support for new street safety ideas and new alternatives to driving — or they can turn the public against a project before it even gets off the ground. A new study outlined how to avoid the most common pilot pitfalls. Read more...
Kea Wilson, April 15, 2025, Streetsblog USA

Over 500 bus stops being removed across the DMV

Dubbed the “Better Bus Network,” the initiative aims to streamline service, improve travel times and enhance safety for riders—and that means cutting down on the number of stops. Read more...
Samantha Gilstrap, April 14, 2025, WUSA9

Metro, Casey Trees plant dozens of new trees at West Hyattsville Metro Station

For Metro customers, these trees improve aesthetics and create a more comfortable, enjoyable, and healthy transit experience. Last summer, the region saw record-breaking temperatures, making trees increasingly important for shading and air cooling for customers and employees at Metro stations. Read more...
April 14, 2025, WMATA

New Metro policy on banning riders for crimes has Northern Va. leaders' support

Under the new policy, adopted March 27, the agency can ban passengers for 45 days for a first offense, 90 days for a second offense and 365 days for a third. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, April 14, 2025, ARLNow

Free buses would mean 12% faster rides and 20% more riders: study

The key to the increased bus speeds is that by doing away with fares, you reduce the dwell time — the amount of time it takes to get people onto the bus — at each stop.  Read more...
Dave Colon, April 14, 2025, Streetsblog USA

VDOT lifts lane closures to brighten Easter Holiday travel

VDOT will be suspending many highway work zones and lifting most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia from noon on Friday, April 18, until noon on Tuesday, April 22.   Read more...
April 10, 2025, VDOT

How to make US trains faster

A new report by the NYU Marron Institute’s Transit Costs Project by researcher Nolan Hicks suggests a “suite of targeted improvements” dubbed the “momentum” framework that could speed up passenger rail service in the United States by up to 30 percent — without high-speed rail. Read more...
Diana Ionescu, April 11, 2025, Planetizen

Free bus transit in Richmond to continue for another year

Many Richmond residents simply cannot afford to lose fare-free transit, said Faith Walker, executive director of RVA Rapid Transit — an organization that advocates for an enhanced regional transportation system. Read more...
Samual B. Parker, April 11, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine

Electrifying our future: The power of partnerships in transit's green revolution

These agencies aren't merely reducing emissions; they're proving that zero-emissions mass transit can effectively serve our communities. Yet, this transformation extends beyond simply swapping vehicles.  Read more...
Brendan Harney, April 11, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine

Metro Board of Directors approves $4.957 billion FY2026 budget that improves service without raising fares

The approved budget continues to fund Metro at levels where service is safe, frequent, and reliable. In recent years, Metro has seen increased ridership thanks to those tenets and expects that trend to continue with additional Metrorail service and a revamped bus network coming in June. Read more...
April 10, 2025, WMATA

Virginia's new speed-limiting device law could inspire other states

The new rule, approved by Governor Glenn Youngkin late last month and expected to go into effect in July 2026, will enable judges to force drivers convicted of going over 100 miles per hour to install a “speed governor” in their vehicles. Read more...
Aaron Short, April 10, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

Metro approves nearly $5B budget that extends weekend hours starting in June

Starting Sunday, June 22, Metrorail will open at 6 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and close at 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Additional trains will also be introduced on the Silver and Red Lines during peak rush hour on weekdays, and will be scheduled to run at least every 4 minutes. Read more...
Ciara Wells, April 11, 2025, WTOP

Car prices will go up. Taking the train or a bus looks like a bargain

Public transit advocates hope soaring car costs will push more people to the US transit system and spur government investment to improve service. Trump’s 25% tariffs on all cars shipped to the United States are likely to pile costs on to the already steep financial burdens of driving, and consumers can save thousands of dollars annually by switching to transit. Read more...
Nathaniel Meyersohn, April 10, 2025, CNN

Planned commuter path from Newington Road to Springfield Metro met with ongoing concern

Mostly funded with federal dollars, the bikeway is slated to be constructed along the west side of Cinder Bed Road and connect to an existing trail through Fairfax County Park Authority property.  Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, April 9, 2025, FFXNow

A warning for Metro about expanding automated train service

Metro has had about 220 station overruns on the Red Line since automation began on Dec. 15, according to the safety commission. That’s compared to 144 in all of 2023 for the entire Metrorail system. Read more...
Luke Lukert, April 9, 2025, WTOP

What the 'walk score' misses

Calling the Walk Score tool a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” the researchers caution that “A market urbanism that suggests universal provision of walkable neighborhoods will fix inequities doesn't reflect the structural forces [in our cities] — and WalkScore, in particular, is about investment flows.” Read more...
Diana Ionescu, April 8, 2025, Planetizen

DMV Moves task force might not deliver specific recommendations for future transit funding

The DMV Moves task force already has vetted a range of funding options. A December report provided revenue estimates on a host of possibilities, ranging from property and sales tax increases to higher vehicle-related taxes and fees. Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, April 8, 2025, FFXNow

See the Purple Line under construction

We’ll hopefully get to ride the Purple Line in winter 2027, though if you’re on Veterans Parkway in New Carrollton, you’ll soon see trains doing test runs. For now, check out these photos, courtesy of the Maryland Transit Administration. Read more...
Dan Reed, April 8, 2025, Greater Greater Washington

Automatic trains 'cannot be relied upon' amid station overruns on Red Line: WMSC

In March, there were 33 overruns, according to the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. The agency said that could impact activities such as passengers being able to get off a train. Read more...
Adam Tuss, April 8, 2025, NBC4 Washington

Arlington to launch microtransit pilot program later this year

A pilot program, which would last at least a year, would be centered on an area with N. Glebe Road to the east, Langston Blvd to the south and the county line to the north and west.  Read more...
Scott McCaffrey, April 8, 2025, ARLNow

Why should we subsidize public transportation?

Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding. Read more...
Todd Litman, April 7, 2025, Planetizen

Alexandria station ranks second busiest in Southeast Amtrak Network

Alexandria’s station is a key stop in Amtrak Virginia’s network. It connects passengers to major cities like Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston. From here, travelers can also hop on trains to Chicago, Charleston, New Orleans, Savannah, and Miami. Read more...
Ryan Belmore, April 7, 2025, ALXNow

Advocates push to build commuter rail to western Loudoun Co. along W&OD trail

The train line would include stops in Fairfax County, including Herndon, Reston and Vienna, connecting with the Silver Line in Reston, and the Orange and Silver lines in East Falls Church. Read more...
Neal Augenstein, April 7, 2025, WTOP

Climate Protection: Ride the bus to stop burning gasoline

You have a choice about how you commute. You can sit behind the wheel of a car, vigilantly avoiding getting killed in high-speed, stop-and-go, rush-hour traffic, or you can sit on a bus and read a book, listen to a podcast, watch a movie, answer email or play games. Read more...
Nick Maxwell, April 6, 2025, My Edmonds News

Purple Line dynamic testing of light rail cars to begin in Maryland

The testing will be adjacent to the project’s operations and maintenance facility along Veterans Parkway in Glenridge, Maryland, according to a news release from the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration. Read more...
Valerie Bonk, April 6, 2025, WTOP

Spring traffic enforcement campaign launches next week in Arlington

The region-wide Street Smart campaign, which runs from Monday, April 7 through Sunday, May 4, focuses on reducing traffic-related crashes and educating drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists about the law. Read more...
Dan Egitto, April 4, 2025, ARLNow

Maryland Purple Line enters dynamic testing phase as project reaches 76% completion

The testing involves eight light rail vehicles on a one-mile track, aiming to simulate real-world conditions. Purple Line Transit Operators will conduct dynamic testing during both daytime and nighttime hours, officials said. Read more...
April 4, 2025, ABC7 News

Virginia will be 1st state to order reckless drivers to install speed-limiting devices

While the bill doesn’t provide specific technologies that must be used, the small devices will use smart GPS technology, which can see where a car is being driven, gauge how fast it’s going and limit further acceleration. Read more...
Neal Augenstein, April 3, 2025, WTOP

Richmond's zero-fare bus funding could run out soon

Faith Walker, executive director of RVA Rapid Transit, said her group spoke to 100 bus riders about how zero fare transit plays a critical role in their lives. Their report shows a funding need of $6.8 million for next year. Read more...
Ian Stewart, April 2, 2025, Virginia Mercury

Transportation Department announces nearly $1B in road safety funding

The SS4A program was created as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which allocated $5 billion in funding for the program between 2022 and 2026. Read more...
Liz Carey, April 3, 2025, Transportation Today