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Latest News
- Inside Maryland's transportation lab that keeps the DMV moving
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The wall in the lab is covered in massive monitors. Simultaneously looking at roadway sensors, highway cameras, and temperature readings, all with the constant sound of public dispatch scanners calling out information.
Matt Gregory, February 19, 2025, WUSA9 - New Greater Washington Partnership report shows ripple effects of Maryland Transit Administration's capital and operating expenditures
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According to the Greater Washington Partnership, the study is a tool to inform a holistic analysis of the impact of transit investments – not just for riders, but for the broader economy.
February 19, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine - Planning for new Eisenhower Metro station park to kick off next year (or sooner)
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The project will engage the community and WMATA to develop a plan for the park proposed under the Eisenhower Metrorail tracks as part of the Eisenhower East Small Area implementation. The planning process will begin in Winter 2026-27.
Vernon Miles, February 19, 2025, ALXNow - Weekend track work: Buses replace trains between Medical Center and Van Ness on Red Line Feb 22-23
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Shuttle buses replace trains between Medical Center and Van Ness. Crews will be working to replace the switch machines in the interlocking where trains are able to cross between separate tracks.
February 19, 2025, WMATA - Know someone who needs help navigating Metro? There's an app for that
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Funded through a grant from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Arc2Independence is a virtual guide that allows people with IDD conditions to have a constant companion while navigating public transportation.
Matt Kaufax, February 20, 2025, WTOP - Commuter incentives, resources available as workers return to office in DC area
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As hundreds of thousands of people in the D.C. area return to in-person work following President Donald Trump’s order ending remote work for federal employees last month, officials are reminding commuters of free resources in the region.
Gabby Allen, February 18, 2025, DC News Now - Union Station added to Metro TAP-to-Exit program
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Metro ambassadors and TAP Blue Shirts will be on-site to assist passengers with loading their fares, and representatives for Metro's LIFE -- a fare reduction program -- will help enroll income-qualified riders.
February 18, 2025, KFI - Maryland's Purple Line providing grants to businesses, communities near rail corridor
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MDOT says the larger, four-year program will make $4 million available for businesses impacted by closures and detours, as well as marketing support for those companies.
Dan Ronan, February 19, 2025, WTOP - Metro on track for a turnaround
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Metro, which plugged a $750 million budget gap last year, says it has saved $500 million over the past two years while making improvements to passenger experience, like better station signs and maps.
Cuneyt Dil, February 18, 2025, Axios - How rail operators are tackling the transition to cleaner technology
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The transition to zero-emission technology on the bus side is well documented, yet significant challenges remain for passenger rail agencies to make a similar net-zero transition.
John Batey, February 18, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine - Virginia speed camera program set aside for further review
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Speed cameras have become a significant source of revenue for some localities across Virginia. In 2023, 12 agencies in Virginia reported 326,614 speed camera citations, leading to $19.9 million in fines, a 370% increase from the $4.2 million in 2022.
Shirleen Guerra, February 13, 2025, The Center Square - Lane, ramp closures on northbound I-495 in Tysons start Monday
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Through March 1, expect lane closures and traffic stoppages during the overnight hours on northbound Interstate 495 between Route 7 and north of Dulles Toll Road.
Jeffery Leon, February 17, 2025, WTOP - Metro considers banning violent offenders
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Courts are able to ban riders, but court orders often only last a few weeks and only prohibit access to the specific bus line or train station where the crime is committed, according to WMATA.
Joseph Olmo, February 13, 2025, NBC4 Washington - Proposed May 2025 Fairfax Connector service adjustments
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If approved, the changes will be included in the May 2025 route changes that were presented to the public in November 2024. Those routes include: 352, 353, 598, 599, 642, 652.
February 12, 2025, Fairfax County - President of ongoing D.C. to Bmore Maglev train project shares promising new update
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The project, which has been a decade in the making, is currently still in the same ‘regulatory review and permitting process’ that it has been for around seven years, however, the president’s update suggested that this “nightmare” stage might be coming to an end soon.
Alex Striano, February 13, 2025, Secret DC - Intercity bus service on the upswing
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Long distance and regional bus lines are buying more motor coaches as they see growing ridership.
Dan Zukowski, February 13, 2025, Smart Cities Dive - Flash buses, stations in Montgomery County decorated with hearts to celebrate love
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With neon lights and heart decals, passengers can ride five buses servicing Colesville Road and Columbia Pike/US 29 in style. The department also decorated the Four Corners, Burnt Mills, White Oak, and Briggs-Chaney Flash bus stations with hearts that read “Let love take flight.”
Odyssey Fields, February 14, 2025, DC News Now - Chesapeake backs effort to expand HRT's on-demand rideshare program
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Chesapeake City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to support Hampton Roads Transit’s application for a state grant that would help establish what’s been dubbed a “microtransit” zone in Chesapeake in an effort to expand access to fixed bus routes for longer distance trips across the region.
Natalie Anderson, February 14, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine - WMATA launches free Waymap navigation app to improve transit access for riders with vision impairments
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Waymap’s SmartStep™ technology gives step-by-step audio instructions with up to three feet of accuracy throughout a user’s journey. Waymap notes that with over 32 million square feet of real estate mapped globally, its services do not rely on mobile phone signal, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth beacons, GPS or other physical infrastructure.
February 12, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine - Metrobus to resume normal service Thursday after winter storm disruptions
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Metrobus will resume normal service on Thursday starting at 4 a.m., after operating under a severe snow plan following a winter storm that left dozens of buses immobilized.
February 12, 2025, Fox 5 News - FTA's proposal to end taxicab exception for paratransit contractors could slow down rides
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There are fears in the industry that services such as paratransit, which private companies have increasingly provided for public transit agencies, would be hindered as a result.
Aden Yacobi, February 12, 2025, Greater Greater Washington - This app makes D.C. one of the most accessible transit networks in the world
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A groundbreaking new app will make it possible for people with visual impairments to navigate every transit stop in the nation's capital — and its founders hope it will spark a deeper conversation about how technology can help everyone choose shared modes with confidence and ease.
Kea Wilson, February 12, 2025, Streetsblog USA - The missing ingredients in America's minimobility revolution
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Cargo trikes, GEMs, bike rickshaws, and other light electric vehicles could help wean America off cars — but a new grant that could help cities encourage their adoption is being paused by the Trump administration.
February 11, 2025, Streetsblog USA - Train usage spikes in Virginia
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State-supported Amtrak trains set a ridership record in 2024 with 1,389,840 rider trips, the highest figure since Virginia started its state-supported service in 2009, the authority said in a news release.
Scott Shenk, February 11, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine - A step backward for paratransit? What riders stand to lose
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For many paratransit riders, transportation dictates what is possible in a day. A rigid system requires advance planning and limited options, while a flexible one adapts to real needs as they arise. It’s about having the freedom to participate fully in daily life.
Kristoffer Vik Hansen, February 10, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine - Metro starting new elevator modernization project updating 27 elevators
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Each project should take about two and a half to three and a half months to complete, and the elevators will be out of service during that time. Customers with accessibility needs who use elevators can still get to these stations via a shuttle at nearby stations.
February 10, 2025, WMATA - Metro presents proposed budget; achieved $500 million in savings the last two years
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Metro’s ridership, revenue, and customer satisfaction numbers have continued to grow over the last 45 months. Last quarter, revenue was 16% above budgeted projections with increased paid rail ridership.
February 10, 2025, The MoCo Show - Traffic congestion in DC expected to rise as federal employees return to offices
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Ward 6 Councilman Charles Allen cautioned that traffic congestion in the District will significantly worsen as federal employees return to their offices.
February 10, 2025, ABC7 News - Commuter rail to Loudoun: The next chapter
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In the historic, densely populated downtowns of Loudoun and Fairfax, improving access to transit does more than simply help people get to work; it will also protect and revitalize these areas.
Ryan Jones, February 7, 2025, Greater Greater Washington - With limited parking, thousands of workers to return in-person at Washington Navy Yard
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Naval District Washington said its leaders have worked with area government and officials and police departments “to inform efforts for public safety and traffic control, and the base has been working with its tenant commands to ensure a smooth transition back to the office.”
Matt Small, February 10, 2025, WTOP - 3rd grader shares his love for transit with letter to DC Metro
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Metro shared the following on social media. “We love our young transit enthusiasts! Noah, a 3rd grader at Forest Knolls Elementary School, wrote about how Metro inspires him, and his teacher shared it with us. How inspiring!”
February 8, 2025, The MoCo Show