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- Bike to Work Day: Over 100 pit stops in the DMV
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There are several benefits to biking to work – and many D.C.-area employees bike to work year-round. Bike to Work’s website notes that it’s a healthy, quiet, clean, economical and fun way to commute.
Gabby Allen, May 17, 2024, DC News Now - USDOT opens applications for third round of SMART grants
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During Stage 1, the SMART program will fund technology demonstrations and prototypes that solve real-world transportation problems and build data and technology capacity for state, local and Tribal governments.
May 16, 2024, Mass Transit - Fairfax Connector proposes bus service changes, fare hike
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If approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, the fare changes will take effect on July 1. The Connector’s policy is to match Metrobus fares, which will increase in an effort by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to address a budget shortfall.
Jamie Rogers, May 16, 2024, FFXNow - Riders give Metro high marks in poll but still worry about crime
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Seventy-seven percent of regular and occasional Metro riders rate the system as “excellent” or “good.” That’s similar to last year’s 75 percent positive rating but represents a steady increase from a nadir of 45 percent in 2017, according to Post-Schar School polling.
Danny Nguyen/Scott Clement, May 17, 2024, The Washington Post - $80K in funding for safety study at busy South Arlington intersection
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TPB awarded the funding as part of its Fiscal Year 2025 TPB Regional Roadway Safety Program. Localities can request up to $80,000 for planning projects or $100,000 for design projects that contribute to the reduction of fatal and serious injury crashes.
Michael O'Connell, May 16, 2024, Patch - Study: Lack of safe infrastructure keeps people away from active transportation
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Roughly two-thirds of respondents to an REI Co-op survey said they would ride bikes more if protected bike lanes and other safety measures were more prevalent in their communities.
Diana Ionescu, May 15, 2024, Planetizen - Red Line station closure this weekend to prepare for summer construction
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Free shuttle buses will connect the closed stations between Takoma and Rhode Island Avenue. The closure will allow Metro to perform work in preparation for the three-month closure on the Red Line this summer.
May 15, 2024, WMATA - Car parked in the bike lane? Near-miss? WABA has a regional reporting tool for that
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We call it the Crash Tracker. It’s a simple, quick way to report problematic incidents you face when out in the community, whether you are walking, biking, taking public transportation, or even driving.
Elizabeth Kiker, May 15, 2024, Greater Greater Washington - Feds open the door to $2B in Northeast Corridor rail improvements
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The money would come from President Joe Biden’s signature 2021 infrastructure law and, depending on the outcome of November’s election, could be one of the last opportunities for the Biden White House to shape the future of the Northeast Corridor, which runs from Boston to Washington, D.C.
Daniel C. Vock, May 14, 2024, Route Fifty - Eliminate silos to innovate your transportation system
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Bike paths, bus systems, crosswalks and airports — all should work together, transportation leaders said recently. Forging an efficient and seamless network, they agreed, can bring challenges, but opportunities as well.
Skip Descant, May 14, 2024, Government Technology - Virginia DRPT awards 'truck diversion' grants
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DRPT said it administers Rail Industrial Access Program grants to “contribute to the overall efficiency and sustainability of the transportation network.”
William C. Vantuono, May 14, 2024, Railway Age - Poll: How often do you bike to work?
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This Friday (May 17) is Bike to Work Day, an annual event that encourages locals to bike to the office.The city and community organizations will operate pit stops around the city with giveaways, coffee and more.
Vernon Miles, May 13, 2024, ALXNow - A bike lane on the rebuilt Key Bridge? It's being discussed.
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Compared with our neighboring states, Maryland has been slow to adapt to the growing demand for safe cycling lanes, particularly over bridges.
Rona Kobell, May 13, 2024, The Baltimore Banner - What would happen if we electrified every bus in America?
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America would reap massive public health and emissions-reduction benefits from electrifying its bus fleet, a new study confirms — even if we only replace the diesel buses that are too old to run anyway, or focus all our energies on greening the largest cities alone.
Kea Wilson, May 14, 2024, Streetsblog USA - Virtual reality to help people use public transport
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Simulated scenarios developed with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Interactive Technologies at the University of São Paulo will help participants practice navigating environments that may be challenging to them, in order to increase resilience and self-confidence.
May 14, 2024, Railway Gazette - Book Review: Shifting focus from car-free to car-lite cities
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Just in time for Bike Month, a new book is hitting shelves that highlights the opportunities to remake American cities into better, more prosperous places through a focus on creating bikeable communities.
Stephanie Rouse, May 14, 2024, Planetizen - Virginia budget passes with full Metro funding but also cuts to minimum wage increases
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After months of discussion, and votes in the House and Senate in a special session Monday, the budget finally landed on Youngkin's desk Monday afternoon.
Matt Gregory/Alanea Cremen, May 13, 2024, WUSA9 - 'Infill Stations' bring transit closer to residents
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Despite living near — or, in some cases, directly below — rapid transit lines, some residents of cities like Atlanta and Washington, D.C. still lack access to transit.
Diana Ionescu, May 13, 2024, Planetizen - The definition of great BRT is changing fast — and most of the U.S. isn't measuring up
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Late last month, the Institute for Transportation Development and Policy released the newest edition of the Bus Rapid Transit Standard, which since 2012 has set the bar for exactly how BRT should be designed and run to maximize its benefits for riders — and ranks which cities are clearing that bar in 2024.
Kea Wilson, May 13, 2024, Streetsblog USA - Red, yellow, green … and white? Smarter vehicles could mean big changes for the traffic light
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Eventually, the upgrades could do away entirely with the red, yellow and green lights of today, ceding control to driverless cars.
The Associated Press, May 11, 2024, WTOP - VDOT advances Interstate 95 and Route 123 interchange improvements in hops of clearing infamous bottleneck
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The transit agency on Wednesday held a public hearing at Occoquan Elementary School to solicit input from residents on the $7.2 million proposal, which is slated to begin construction in 2023 with a planned 2027 completion.
Ben Peters, May 10, 2024, Inside NoVa - Projects aim to reduce I-66 traffic, increase commuter options
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The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission is reviewing more than $30 million in proposed projects to ease traffic congestion along the I-66 corridor. Roughly $6 million from these proposed projects would directly assist Fairfax County in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion on I-66.
Jared Wenzelburger, May 9, 2024, Fairfax Times - Alexandria using smart tech to improve traffic flow
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Traffic engineers used to have to retime traffic signals after months or even years. With the smart traffic technology, they could be retimed every three-to-five minutes.
Adam Tuss, May 9, 2024, NBC4 Washington - Pit stops and free giveaways planned for Bike to Work Day next week in Alexandria
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Bike to Work Day is an annual tradition encouraging locals to ride a bike to their offices. This year, Bike to Work Day is on Friday, May 17.
Vernon Miles, May 9, 2024, ALXNow - To expand transit on the cheap, cities explore infill stations
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In Atlanta, DC, and the Bay Area, transit agencies are building new stops on existing lines to reach neighborhoods that 1960s planners intentionally skipped.
Benjamin Schneider, May 8, 2024, Bloomberg - Be a Better Bus Hero, engage with Metro on proposed Better Bus Network
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Metro today announced the launch of our next phase of the Better Bus Network Redesign project to create a bus network to meet the transit needs of our rapidly changing region. Starting May 13 through July 15, we invite you to be a Better Bus Hero by sharing your opinions on the proposed new bus routes.
May 9, 2024, WMATA - Goodbye, carpet on Metro. Oldest trains in system to be removed
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The trains were built to last approximately 40 years, according to a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority news release. While these trains have undergone updates and improvements, they've had four times the number of issues compared with the newer, 7000-series trains, the statement said.
Lilly Roser, May 9, 2024, NBC4 Washington - Metro's future of bus service could bring new routes and end some familiar stops
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“The proposed 2025 network is constrained and focused on optimizing service to grow ridership, because we are anticipating limited resources at Metro and from the region for the next budget year,” said Tom Webster, Metro’s chief planning and performance officer.
Mike Murillo, May 9, 2024, WTOP - Public hearings will gather input on Fairfax Connector changes
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These modifications, including the addition of two new routes, are part of Phase II of the Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna, and Tysons (CCVT), and Franconia-Springfield service adjustments.
Fairfax County Department of Transportation, May 8, 2024, Gazette Leader - How to navigate every step of the energy transition: think collaboration
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Governments around the world are catalyzing decarbonization efforts, pursuing these mission-driven goals with increasing intensity at every level. This includes public transit, which has been undergoing significant strategic shifts.
Houari Cheikhi, May 8, 2024, Metro Magazine - Help improve e-bike safety rules
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This is a golden opportunity for all e-bike users to share their experiences and ensure the safety guidelines truly benefit all riders and other road, trail, and path users.
May 8, 2024, Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling - E-bikes and creating financially sustainable bike share programs
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E-bikes have been steadily gaining market share on city streets and suburban roads. In 2016, classic bikes outsold e-bikes in the U.S. by a 50 to 1 ratio. Today, the ratio is about 4 to 1 and the gap is shrinking.
Phillip Mark Plotch, May 8, 2024, Streetsblog USA - Walk more in your city. It could open up new horizons.
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As downtown DC and commercial centers in other cities seek a new, post-pandemic identity, we needn’t wait for them to magically evolve. The future identity of the District begins with us — the people who spend time here.
Maria de los Angeles, May 8, 2024, Greater Greater Washington - This 62+ community boasts unparalleled transit and walkability
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The Leggett at Elizabeth Square is a brand-new 62+ community located in the heart of downtown Silver Spring, and there are so many phenomenal reasons to live there.
The Leggett, Maier & Warner PR, May 7, 2024, Patch - Suburban backlash threatens country's biggest transit systems
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After several years of incomplete recovery from a massive ridership drop, federal relief money is running out for systems in New York, Washington, Philadelphia and other major cities.
Ry Rivard, May 8, 2024, Politico - Officials give updates on Purple Line project during first community meeting
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Officials said they expect delivery of the light rail vehicles to the operation and maintenance facility later this spring. They also said test track centered around the operation and maintenance facility is expected to be complete this summer, and that will kick off a period of intensive local testing.
Tosin Fakile, May 7, 2024, DC News Now - Metro releases proposal for major changes to its bus system
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The “Better Bus Network” proposal involves many things riders are likely to embrace – more service during off-peak hours and weekends, more service to places like hospitals, schools, and grocery stores, plus more service to fast-growing areas like National Harbor.
Tom Roussey, May 7, 2024, ABC7 News - 'Build Green' bill seeks a clean shift in transportation spending
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The transportation sector now makes up 28 percent of U.S. carbon emissions, and there has been little progress in reducing that burden.
Marianne Lavelle, May 6, 2024, Inside Climate News - Metrorail weekend construction on four of six lines with station closures on Blue, Silver lines
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Free shuttle buses will replace trains to/from the closed stations connecting to the Metrorail system at Addison Road. Additional maintenance is also scheduled on the Red and Green lines with trains single tracking through the work zones.
May 7, 2024, WMATA - A look at the path forward to a revamped Union Station
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Amtrak, which wants to take control of the station's commercial space as soon as June 1, has said it wants to put more focus on the station’s role as a transit hub, and less as an indoor shopping mall.
Daniel J. Sernovitz, May 8, 2024, Washington Business Journal - Metro's proposed future strategy includes increased service but also suggests turnbacks for Silver and Red lines
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The presentation also outlined how many of each series of trains are currently in service. WMATA outlined plans to phase out the remaining 74 2000-series trains that are still in service for its “near-term fleet.” These trains entered service between 1983 and 1984.
Makea Luzader, May 6, 2024, DC News Now - How will AI impact transportation? US DOT wants public input.
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The government wants to avoid potential dangers that could disrupt labor, privacy and national security. Concurrently, the Biden administration seeks to promote opportunities, innovation and trustworthiness with the new technology.
David Taube, May 6, 2024, Smart Cities Dive - Maryland Transit Authority to host purple line community meeting
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The 16-mile light train rail will bridge the transportation gap from Bethesda in Montgomery county to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County.
Ya-Marie Sesay, May 7, 2024, DC News Now - Could the Yellow Line be separated? Unearthing an underwater idea
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For a certain kind of transit nerd, the DC Metro is most famous not for its trains, architecture, or history but for its unique network topology, a consequence of the Yellow Line reverse-branching through the core of the network.
J.M. Christoph, May 6, 2024, Greater Greater Washington - 11 Must-know Apple maps features for daily commuters
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These types of apps have revolutionized the way we get around and made things like TomToms and paper maps obsolete due to their sheer convenience and effectiveness. You simply have to type in your location, and your iPhone will instantly find the quickest route.
Nathan P. Gibson, May 5, 2024, Slash Gear - E-Bikes contributing to bike share growth
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Shared mobility users are gravitating toward e-bikes, which make cycling easier and more accessible for a larger segment of the population.
Diana Ionescu, May 5, 2024, Planetizen - Bike to Work Day returns to D.C. area this month, promising a workout and swag
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Participants are encouraged to register and visit a pit stop by bike to receive a complimentary T-shirt in this year’s color (orange), along with snacks and door prizes. A total of 110 pit stops will be available throughout D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
James Jarvis, May 3, 2024, FFXNow