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.

Optimism grows that infrastructure deal will get to Biden's desk

The Senate voted to begin debate on a bipartisan infrastructure package that has yet to be turned into legislative text, and that many senators have yet to see. Read more...
Naomi Jagoda, August 1, 2021, The Hill

Visionary highway removal program axed from fed infrastructure package

Advocates are rallying to restore a visionary highway removal program that lost virtually all of its funding during bipartisan infrastructure negotiations despite President Biden and DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s big talk that they would use the package to repair the harm done by urban highways to BIPOC communities. Read more...
Kea Wilson, August 2, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Metro Board member weighs possibility of fare increase for long-distance riders

Metrorail fares for long-distance passengers may be going up in the near future. Read more...
Glynis Kazanjian, John Aaron, July 31, 2021

How bipartisan infrastructure deal impacts rail, transit

The U.S. Senate has voted 67-32 to consider a nearly $1 trillion national infrastructure package, following a compromise by President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators on key provisions, including $39 billion for public transit and $66 billion for passenger and freight rail. Read more...
Marybeth Luczak, July 29, 2021, Railway Age

Biden administration reaches $1 trillion infrastructure deal, Senate votes to begin work

On Wednesday, a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure deal was reached, and the U.S. Senate voted to begin working on the legislation. Read more...
Liz Carey, July 29, 2021, Transportation Today

The pandemic-era commute might be changed forever

Continued teleworking could ease traffic congestion, experts say, but only if commuters embrace mass transit. Read more...
Katherine Shaver, Justin George, July 30, 2021, Washington Post

Weekend Road and Rail: I-66 bridge demolition; closures on DC-295; Metro work on all lines

Metro is doing work on all lines this weekend. Read more...
Mary DePompa, July 30, 2021, WTOP

Eno study: U.S. rail transit projects cost more than they should

A new study from the Eno Center for Transportation, “Saving Time and Making Cents: A Blueprint for Building Transit Better,” analyzes current and historical trends “to understand the drivers behind mass transit construction, cost and delivery in the United States and abroad.” Read more...
William C. Vantuono, July 29, 2021, Railway Age

$1 million in federal emergency funds to help cover costs of collapsed D.C. bridge

Funding will reimburse cleanup costs. A bridge replacement will cost $25 million. Read more...
Luz Lazo, July 29, 2021, Washington Post

Metro delays vote on proposal that would ban passengers arrested for sex offense

Board members said they want more input from jurisdictions served by Metro on the proposal. Read more...
Justin George, July 29, 2021, Washington Post

Automakers to join Biden in 40 percent electric vehicle pledge

Three major automakers will reportedly join President Biden in a promise to make 40 percent of car sales electric by 2030. Read more...
Rachel Frazin, July 29, 2021, The Hill

Shared scooters aren't always where you need them. A U-Md. researcher has a plan for that.

Researchers are trying to get the scooters to reposition themselves in more convenient locations. Read more...
Michael Laris, July 29, 2021, Washington Post

School bus drivers needed: Prince George's is holding a virtual job fair to fill the gap

To help fill a severe shortage of bus drivers, Prince George’s County Public Schools is recruiting new drivers with virtual job hiring events. Read more...
July 28, 2021, ABC7

D.C. rejects proposal for free Circulator bus rides

For the second time, the D.C. Council rejected Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s proposal to keep D.C. Circulator rides free, opposing her request to subsidize a $1 fare on the six-route system. Read more...
Luz Lazo, July 29, 2021, Washington Post

National 'Vision Zero' resolution introduced

As an epidemic of traffic deaths surges nationwide, Vision Zero finally is finally gaining traction in Congress. Read more...
July 28, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Would temporary bans after sex offenses make Metro safer?

Metro’s safety board gave its initial approval July 15 to a policy that would temporarily ban people charged with sex or weapons offenses on Metro property. The full Board of Directors is set to vote on the policy Thursday. Read more...
Libby Solomon, July 28, 2021, GGWash

FRA issues final rule on revised PTC reporting

Effective Aug. 26, 2021, the Federal Railroad Administration is revising regulations governing changes to Positive Train Control (PTC) systems and reporting on PTC system performance. Read more...
William C. Vantuono, July 28, 2021, Railway Age

Prince George's County short more than 270 school bus drivers

Prince George's County is hosting a job fair in hopes of recruiting school bus drivers after reportedly being short more than 270 drivers shortly before the 2021-2022 school year begins. Read more...
Alanea Cremen, July 28, 2021, WUSA9

Study: America's SUV spree spurred pedestrian-death surge

According to a recent study published in Economics of Transportation, as the number of SUVs on the street tripled from 2000 to 2019, pedestrian deaths surged nationwide by 30 percent. Read more...
Christopher Robbins, July 27, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Summer advocacy roundup

This summer has been hot! Our advocacy team has been busy collaborating with partners on the ground to heat up the region with major victories and we are so excited to share these updates with you! Read more...
Jonathan Kincade, July 27, 2021, WABA

Metro switching order of announcements on railcars at request of Accessibility Committee

The new message moves the most important information, what train line and destination it is, to the front. The change will be especially helpful at stations that have multiple lines. Read more...
Jordan Pascale, July 27, 2021, dcist

How MoCo embraced e-scooters and the future of shared micromobility

While these scooters may have seemed like a temporary fad at first, policy in some places, like Montgomery County, shows these e-scooters may be here to stay. Read more...
Abby Wester, July 27, 2021, GGWash

Get police out of traffic enforcement!

The best way to ensure walkers, bikers, and bus riders have safe commutes is to fund safe infrastructure to change driver behavior, and to educate drivers on safety rules and regulations. Read more...
Jonathan Kincade, July 27, 2021, WABA

Make telework decisions based on the job, not 'managerial preference,' OPM says

Agencies are knee-deep in planning and preparing for more federal employees to return to the office, and when it comes to telework, many are reconsidering their old ways. Read more...
Nicole Ogrysko, July 26, 2021, Federal News Network

Americans want green school buses, but Congress sells them short

Most Americans agree it's past time to green the nation’s fleet of yellow school buses, a new survey finds — but Congress keeps whittling down funding for this common-sense, bipartisan priority. Read more...
Kea Wilson, July 26, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Planning a return to the office? The D.C. area's transit systems want to get you there.

Bus and train service is returning to normal. Some systems are adding routes, reducing or eliminating fares, and rolling out new amenities to get riders back. Read more...
Luz Lazo, July 24, 2021, Washington Post

Construction to temporarily close streets around Lafayette Park

Pedestrians and cyclists may encounter some road closures and detours on streets near the White House starting Monday. Read more...
Abigail Constantino, July 23, 2021, WTOP

Car-sharing company Getaround to pay D.C. nearly $1M over alleged misrepresentation of services

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine’s office has reached a settlement with car-sharing company Getaround, claiming the company allegedly misrepresented the safety of its services, operated without a license in D.C., and failed to pay local sales tax. Read more...
Christian Zapata, July 23, 2021, dcist

GM recalling nearly 70,000 Bolt cars over fire risk from batteries

The automaker said it will recall 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolt EVs to “address the risk of battery fires” in the vehicles. Read more...
Jordan Williams, July 23, 2021, The Hill

FTA finds more Americans riding public transportation

According to the FTA, transit ridership is up more than 80 percent over early 2020 levels. Read more...
Liz Carey, July 23, 2021, Transportation Today

Study: Bike Share saves the U.S. $36M public health dollars every year

The long-term health benefits of using bike share vastly outweigh the short-term risks, even in the most polluted and car-dominated U.S. cities, a new study finds -- and cities who invest in reducing those risks by loosening car dominance can save even more lives and millions in precious public health dollars. Read more...
Kea Wilson, July 23, 2021, Streetsblog USA

MCDOT will offer free bus rides for seniors, persons with disabilities

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will enact a long-term ‘Ride Free Program’ for seniors and persons with disabilities. Read more...
Sarah Dilworth, July 21, 2021, mymcm

Prince George's Co. faces bus driver shortage, encourages drivers to apply

Like many local school systems, Maryland’s Prince George’s County Public Schools is facing a bus driver shortage -- and just weeks before the school year starts. Read more...
Kyle Cooper, July 22, 2021, WTOP

Uber acquiring transportation logistics company for $2.25B

Uber’s trucking division has reached an agreement to acquire transportation logistics firm Transplace for roughly $2.25 billion, the ride-sharing company announced Thursday. Read more...
Celine Castronuovo, July 22, 2021, The Hill

Board's reversal revives Maryland plan for toll lanes on part of Beltway, I-270

The approval came after Gov. Larry Hogan agreed to direct state money to bus lanes in Montgomery County. Read more...
Katherine Shaver, July 21, 2021, Washington Post

Tolls for I-270, parts of Capital Beltway back on list of DC-area long-term plans

Proposed toll lanes for Interstate 270 and parts of the Capital Beltway are back on a list of long-term transportation plans for the D.C. area. Read more...
Kate Ryan, July 21, 2021, WTOP

Regional board reverses vote, approves controversial toll lanes for Beltway, I-270

Faced with both a carrot and stick from Gov. Larry Hogan, a regional transportation board on Wednesday reversed course and approved a controversial toll lane project on the American Legion Bridge, Beltway, and I-270. Read more...
Jordan Pascale, July 21, 2021, dcist

MPD creates new unit of officers on bikes, scooters to address violent crime

The Metropolitan Police Department is establishing a new patrol unit focused on combating the recent spike in violent crime through what they describe as “intelligence driven” policing. Read more...
Catherine Whelan, July 21, 2021, dcist

This unique form of casual carpooling is making a comeback

Slugging helps drivers meet HOV lane requirements, while passengers get a free ride to their destination. Read more...
Michelle Logan, July 21, 2021, WUSA9

AAA Report: Traffic volume plunged in spring 2020

According to a AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety survey, U.S. road travel dropped dramatically in spring 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more...
Melina Druga, July 21, 2021, Transportation Today

FAA reports nearly 100 cases of unruly airline passengers in past week

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recorded nearly 100 cases of unruly airline passengers in the past week amid a surge in aggressive and violent behavior at airports and on flights as more people return to the skies following loosened pandemic restrictions. Read more...
Celine Castronuovo, July 21, 2021, The Hill

I-270 toll project could include money for dedicated bus lanes in Montgomery Co.

The day before a regional panel gets set to take a second look at Maryland’s $3 billion plan to deal with traffic from the American Legion Bridge up to Gaithersburg, the state’s transportation secretary offered support for dedicated bus lanes in Montgomery County. Read more...
Kate Ryan, July 20, 2021, WTOP

Why U.S. car crash reporting is broken

Almost a third of car crashes involving a vulnerable road user go unreported in the nation’s capital, skewing District crash totals -- but national under-reporting is worse, advocates say. Read more...
Kea Wilson, July 20, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Hogan commits money to dedicated bus lanes as part of Maryland toll lanes plan

Busway projects that could receive design money are planned for the I-270 corridor or along Rockville Pike. Read more...
Katherine Shaver, July 20, 2021, Washington Post

DC area drops to 12th most gridlocked during COVID-19 pandemic

Lower traffic counts resulted in the D.C. area dropping from the fifth most congested metro region in the U.S. to the 12th most gridlocked. Read more...
Mark Hand, July 20, 2021, Arlington Patch

Md. traffic reaches pre-pandemic levels: How travel habits changed

Travel numbers are close to pre-pandemic levels, the Maryland Department of Transportation said. Use of taxis and rideshares remains down. Read more...
Deb Belt, July 20, 2021, Takoma Park Patch

As transportation panel prepares for revote, critics scoff at MDOT claims

Under intense pressure from the Hogan administration, an influential regional transportation board is poised to revive a plan to widen portions of Interstate 270 and the Capital Beltway in Montgomery County. Read more...
July 20, 2021, WTOP

Tell Senate to add bicycle safety and infrastructure provisions to infrastructure bill

FABB encourages area riders (and other lovers of active transportation) to participate in the League of American Bicyclists’ campaign to use the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework to incorporate key bike safety and infrastructure provisions from BOTH the House and Senate transportation reauthorization bills. Read more...
July 20, 2021, FABB

Start prioritizing traffic safety over speed

The lack of attention to our shameful national record of traffic deaths in the latest infrastructure debate is a political, professional, and moral failing Read more...
July 20, 2021, Streetsblog USA

Get the latest on the 9th Street NW protected bike lane project

The District Department of Transportation will be providing new information on the 9th Street NW protected bike lane project during an upcoming open house. Read more...
George Kevin Jordan, July 19, 2021, GGWash