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.

From Metro funding crisis to telework's rise, transportation is in historic turmoil

The coronavirus pandemic and the recession it generated have disrupted transportation plans in the Washington region more than any events in memory, officials and analysts say. Read more...
Robert McCartney, August 10, 2020, Washington Post

DDOT sets construction date for car free lanes on Martin Luther King Ave. SE

Today, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced that construction of Car Free Lanes on Martin Luther King Jr, Avenue SE will begin August 10, weather permitting. Read more...
August 7, 2020, DDOT

Why climate change is about to make your bad commute worse

Something remarkable happened on American roadways during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic: In even the most congested cities, traffic started moving again. Read more...
Matt Alderton, August 8, 2020, Washington Post

Opinion: This is wrong time to push I-495/I-270 highway expansion project

This is not the time to forge ahead with Gov. Larry Hogan’s highway expansion project. Read more...
August 8, 2020, Bethesda Magazine

Tropical Storm Isaias leaves some Md. roads in tatters

Tropical Storm Isaias has come and gone from the D.C. region, but it left plenty to remember it by, and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, or MDOT SHA, is working to assess the damage. Read more...
Zeke Hartner, August 7, 2020, WTOP

Amtrak preparing for new locomotives

Amtrak announced this week that it is preparing for the first of its new diesel-electric locomotives as part of long-term planned improvements for fleet, infrastructure, and stations. Read more...
Douglas Clark, August 7, 2020, Transportation Today

Weekend road and rail

An improvement project begins on Maryland’s River Road. Virginia Route 28 has new bridge beams being installed. Reconstruction of the New York and New Jersey Avenues intersection in D.C. continues, and there will be closures on Metro’s Red Line. Read more...
Mary DePompa, August 7, 2020, WTOP

D.C. will add 17 more miles of 'slow streets' by September

The District is limiting automobile activity on more streets to make them more accommodating to recreation and pedestrians. Read more...
Jordan pascale, August 6, 2020, dcist

Woman using wheelchair rescued from Metro tracks after fall

A woman who apparently was using a motorized wheelchair fell onto the train tracks at the Suitland Metro station Thursday and was rescued, Metro says. Read more...
Adam Tuss, Sophia Barnes, August 6, 2020, NBC Washington

Cashless tolling now permanent throughout Md.

Maryland has made cashless tolling permanent throughout the state, Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday. Read more...
Will Vitka, August 6, 2020, WTOP

Uber, Lyft sued in California over alleged wage theft

A California agency is suing Uber and Lyft over alleged wage theft, saying the ride-hailing companies have misclassified drivers as independent contractors. Read more...
Kaelan Deese, August 6, 2020, The Hill

Maryland will manage Purple Line construction if partnership falls through, state officials say

Maryland transit officials are preparing to manage Purple Line construction if a public-private partnership on the $2 billion project dissolves amid feuds over hundreds of millions in cost overruns, according to a letter sent Wednesday to the project's subcontractors. Read more...
Katherine Shaver, August 5, 2020, Washington Post

AAA: Partially automated driving systems don't always work

Two tests by AAA during the past two years show that partially automated driving systems don’t always function properly, so the auto club is recommending that car companies limit their use. Read more...
August 6, 2020, WTOP

Amtrak "Phase VI" livery gets a fresh application

Amtrak diesel-electric locomotives have worn many liveries over the years since the company was founded in 1971. Read more...
William C. Vantuono, August 5, 2020, Railway Age

Debate on face masks divides air-travel industry

A debate over whether the federal government should mandate masks at airports and on commercial flights is dividing key industry players and pitting powerful lobbying groups against each other. Read more...
Alex Gangitano, August 6, 2020, The Hill

Key Democrats pledge support for more federal aid for transit

Key congressional Democrats on Wednesday pledged their support for at least $32 billion in federal coronavirus relief for public transit, one week after Republicans included nothing in their stimulus proposals for an industry that agency heads warn is on the brink of layoffs without help. Read more...
Justin George, August 5, 2020, Washington Post

D.C. driving citations spike during the early stages of COVID-19

With less cars on the road, conventional wisdom would say that moving violations would have decreased. But it seems the opposite is true. Read more...
Adrian Nesta, August 5, 2020, GGWash

Protected bike lanes any city can afford

Road users who are tired of contending with car traffic on their ride could soon get some relief -- thanks to an ultra-affordable bike lane made out of recycled car tires. Read more...
Kea Wilson, August 5, 2020, GGWash

Gas price increases stalling

“This summer is no doubt the cheapest at the pump for motorists in more than a decade,” Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson, said. Read more...
Douglas Clark, August 5, 2020, Transportation Today

No answer yet as to what caused July's Metro Red Line derailment

Preliminary evidence has yet to reveal the answer, but it is providing clues as to what caused the July 7 derailment along Colesville Road. Read more...
Michelle Murillo, August 4, 2020, WTOP

There's a significant uptick in stolen cars in D.C. this year

In a joint email blast Tuesday, the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles and the police department wrote that there is “an increase in car thefts targeting delivery drivers in DC,” and advised people to take precautions to prevent their vehicles from being stolen. Read more...
Jenny Gathright, August 4, 2020, dcist

Virgin Atlantic files for bankruptcy in U.S.

Virgin Atlantic Airways filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. on Tuesday as it suffers a financial toll during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Tal Axelrod, August 4, 2020, The Hill

Uber to allow employees to work remotely through June 2021

Uber will allow its employees to work from home through the end of June 2021, the company said Tuesday. Read more...
Zack Budryk, August 4, 2020, The Hill

Metro closes Cleveland Park station due to potential flooding

Metro has closed the Cleveland Park station as part of its severe weather plan in response to the impact of Isaias on the D.C. region Tuesday. Read more...
August 4, 2020, WJLA

Senators push for max telework in next coronavirus relief package

All federal employees and contractors who can perform their duties remotely should be doing so,” senators wrote in July 31 letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Read more...
Nicole Ogrysko, August 3, 2020, Federal News Network

Video shows some of the challenges bicyclists face in Prince George's County

Black Women Bike DC, an organization that encourages bicycling for Black women and girls, recently released a video highlighting what riding a bike in Central and Southern Prince George’s County looks like. Read more...
George Kevin Jordan, August 4, 2020, GGWash

Isaias brings heavy rain, triggers tornado warnings

Isaias is bringing strong winds, heavy rains and the threat of tornadoes to the mid-Atlantic region Tuesday as the storm makes its way up the east coast. Read more...
Mike Thomas, August 4, 2020, Fox5

More cars on the road plus summer heat means poor air quality

The summer’s scorching temperatures combined with returning traffic on roadways across D.C., Maryland and Virginia, means the chances of poor air quality are on the rise. Read more...
Matt Small, August 3, 2020, WTOP

Air travel picks up alongside strict mask enforcement

Air travel is slowly making a comeback as more passengers appear to be gaining confidence with airlines that are imposing strict rules for wearing masks. Read more...
Alex Gangitano, August 4, 2020, The Hill

Montgomery Co. Ride On bus service increases 40% on weekdays

Ride On bus service in Montgomery County, Maryland, has expanded in an effort to support residents and businesses reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Will Vitka, August 3, 2020, WTOP

MDOT releases documents on next steps of Capital Beltway/I-270 plan

It’s no surprise to local drivers that congestion on the Capital Beltway and I-270 in Maryland causes hours of slow travel each weekday. Read more...
Dan Friedell, August 2, 2020, WTOP

Proposed system would gather data about helicopter noise in the D.C. region

D.C.-area lawmakers are pushing a measure that would create a centralized system to track complaints about helicopter noise in the region similar to ones used to collect information about airplane noise. Read more...
Lori Aratani, August 1, 2020, Washington Post

Government officials adopt plan to expand Washington region trail network to 1,400 miles

The region’s top transportation board has endorsed a proposal for a network of trails stretching across the greater Washington region, from Frederick, Md., to Prince William County, Va., that would expand the amount of off-road bicycle and pedestrian pathways to 1,400 miles. Read more...
Luz Lazo, August 1, 2020, Washington Post

Sen. Ernst: Telework 'bolsters' claim federal agencies don't need DC headquarters

Large swaths of the federal workforce are still out on mandatory telework because of the coronavirus, but the government could save billions of dollars each year if agencies continued to embrace work-from-home options even after the pandemic. Read more...
Jory Heckman, July 30, 2020, Federal News Network

Business owners fight to bring back Adams Morgan 'streatery'

There are growing calls to bring back a popular pedestrian zone in D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood. Read more...
John Aaron, July 31, 2020, WTOP

Montgomery Co. Ride On bus service expanding

Ride On bus service in Montgomery County, Maryland, is expanding starting Sunday in an effort to support residents and businesses reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic. Read more...
Will Vitka, July 31, 2020, WTOP

Bowser administration celebrates 15 years of DC Circulator bus service

This month, the Bowser Administration celebrates 15 years of DC Circulator service, the region’s fourth largest bus system that connects residents, visitors, and commuters to the District’s main attractions and liveliest corridors. Read more...
July 27, 2020, DDOT

Expanded telework could save individual feds $2.5K-$4K annually

An average federal employee could save up to $4,000 a year by teleworking, according to a recent analysis. Read more...
Courtney Bubl?, July 30, 2020, Nextgov

Weekend road and rail: Planned stops on I-66; Red Line work with changes

Metro’s 24/7 summer track work project has moved to the Red Line and more changes are in store for this weekend. Read more...
Mary DePompa, July 31, 2020, WTOP

Manufacturing group accuses Metro of sidestepping 'Buy America' clause for new rail cars

Metro said there are no U.S. manufacturers of passenger rail cars to contract. Read more...
Justin George, July 31, 2020, Washington Post

Lawmakers said aviation companies laid off workers even as they took Cares Act funds

Democratic lawmakers have launched an investigation into whether four aviation contractors violated provisions of the Cares Act by laying off thousands of workers, despite receiving millions of dollars from the government to keep workers on the job. Read more...
lori Aratani, Ian Duncan, July 29, 2020, Washington Post

Homeland Security seized $2 billion from travelers, but most were never charged

More than $2 billion was taken from travelers at the nation’s airports by the CBP and other agencies now associated with the Department of Homeland Security between 2000 and 2016, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis of a government database of every seizure. Read more...
Justin Jouvenal, July 30, 2020, Washington Post

APTA gathers public transportation leaders on need for COVID-19 relief funding

While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted most sectors, the public transportation industry has taken a particularly heavy blow, and that fact spurred the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) to host a press conference this week to call for at least $32 billion in emergency funding. Read more...
Chris Galford, July 30, 2020, Transportation Today

Ride On bus service expanding in Montgomery County

Montgomery County will expand Ride On bus service starting Sunday, Aug. 2. The on-demand Flex service, however, remains suspended. Read more...
Alessia Grunberger, July 30, 2020, Takoma Park Patch

Summer traffic on the rise for some major roads as travelers opt to drive during pandemic

Although traffic is still down overall due to the coronavirus pandemic, some major roads are seeing almost as much traffic as they did last summer. Read more...
Tom Roussey, July 29, 2020, WJLA

Cameras catch 5K speeders on Indian Head Highway in a month

Records provided to News4 show that more than 5,000 citations were issued in one month for speeding on Indian Head Highway -- with one driver caught going 143 mph. Read more...
Adam Tuss, Gina Cook, July 29, 2020, NBC Washington

Metro says it faces 'very difficult choices' if it doesn't get more pandemic aid

As Congress formulates its next coronavirus relief package, transit agencies across the country say they need federal help to survive. Metro is in better shape than most, but says the system will need funding to avoid a financial crisis come next year. Read more...
Jordan Pascale, July 29, 2020, dcist

Whisper networks long warned women about a prominent local journalist

A series of allegations against former WAMU transportation reporter Martin Di Caro depict a clear pattern of inappropriate behavior, even as he continued to receive professional opportunities and public accolades. Read more...
Rachel Kurzius, July 29, 2020, dcist

Support protected bike lanes and bus lanes on Penn Ave. SE

The District Department of Transportation is making plans for more than a mile of protected bike lanes on Pennsylvania Ave SE west of the river to calm traffic and expand the low-stress bike network. Read more...
Garrett Hennigan, July 29, 2020, WABA

D.C. has committed to stop burning fossil fuels by 2050. Washington Gas has another plan.

In March, Washington Gas unveiled its “climate business plan” purporting to explain how the utility will comply with DC’s commitment of carbon neutrality by 2050. Read more...
Mark Rodeffer, Matthias Paustian, July 29, 2020, GGWash