Regional Transit News Service Alerts | ART News | Subscribe Latest News Goodbye Van Ness Kiss and Ride, and a few other WMATA Better Bus updates Well before WMATA rolled out the new Better Bus system on June 29th, we knew that the old, familiar lines like the L2 and the 30s buses would be remade and renamed. What we did not realize is that the new system would mean the end of the Van Ness Metro Kiss and Ride. August 15, 2025, Forest Hill Connection Public transit funding and the road not yet taken In the days before both chambers convened to approve their respective solutions, Republican Sen. Gene Yaw, of Williamsport, and Democratic Sen. Anthony Williams, of Philadelphia, suggested solving two problems at once: collect a $500 monthly fee from unregulated skill game terminals and use it to pay for increased public transit support. Christen Smith, August 14, 2025, The Washington Examiner We don't need flying cars – we just need transit that works The newest survey from Diffusion, fielded by Censuswide, shows that reliability and efficiency (42%), decongestion (27%) and accessibility (26%) are the top requests from transit riders over a flying car. Tory Patrick, August 15, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine Moving to a walkable city can add more than 1,000 steps to your day: Study Using smartphone step counts and the Walk Score system, which rates locations from 0 to 100 based on access to amenities like stores, parks and schools, they found that moving from a low-walkability city (48 or less) to a high-walkability one (75 or more) added an average of 1,100 steps a day. Dr. Ashish Bibireddy, August 13, 2025, ABC News Ambitious MTA plan would get Baltimore students to class, advocates tell Moore An organization that advocates for public city schools students is calling on Gov. Wes Moore to fund a recently released vision plan to expand Maryland Transit Administration bus service, citing “significant positive impacts for students.” Daniel Zawodny, August 13, 2025, The Baltimore Banner Maryland Governor announces transit-centered development at Bowie State University Located immediately west of the Bowie State MARC Station train tracks, the agency says the 4.6-acre state-owned site represents an opportunity to create a vibrant, mixed-use community centered on public transit, as well as the growing Bowie State University campus. August 13, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine The only surviving 611 steam locomotive returns to the tracks this fall in Virginia That's after the "Shenandoah Valley Limited" is coming back to the tracks for another year. The iconic Norfolk & Western Class J#611 steam locomotive will be carrying passengers on a 60-mile path beginning and ending in Goshen. Tickets for the experience are on sale now. Robert Locklear, August 13, 2025, ABC7 News King Street ranks 53rd on 'Top 100 Best Main Streets in US to Walk' list With pedestrian-only blocks near the Potomac River to local businesses along picturesque red brick sidewalks, King Street in Old Town was just listed as one of the top 100 main streets to walk in the United States. James Cullum, August 13, 2025, ALXNow New Arlington program offers vouchers for e-bikes worth up to $1,650 “This program supports the County’s Community Energy Plan (CEP) by incentivizing residents to adopt lower-emissions transportation options and reduce travel via single-occupancy vehicles,” a county webpage says. Vernon Miles, August 13, 2025, ARLNow MDOT's Purple Line grant program awards small businesses $500,000 The program awarded more than 40 small businesses along the Purple Line grants between $5,000 and $40,000 to assist in sustaining operations and preserving jobs during the project’s construction. Elizabeth Polo, August 12, 2025, ABC7 News No desire for streetcars: a transit mode falls out of favor Ridership on the 2.2-mile line peaked in the first years of service but was never as high as hoped for. Despite gradually growing since a pandemic-era drop-off, city officials have said switching to bus operations will allow for a more “nimble” and less costly expansion of the service. Jared Brey, August 12, 2025, Governing Record growth for shared micromobility in North America North American ridership on shared micromobility devices in 2024 was up 31 percent — 32 percent in the United States — above 2023 levels, according to the sixth annual Shared Micromobility State of the Industry Report by the North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association (NABSA). Skip Descant, August 11, 2025, Government Technology Is U.S. passenger rail having a big moment? We brought in an expert to unpack some of the biggest rail headlines of the day — and a few you might have missed. August 12, 2025, Streetsblog USA Amtrak adds new boarding platform at Washington Union Station The new track will primarily serve Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains, as well as Amtrak Long Distance and Amtrak Virginia trains. The new platform is located on the lower level of Union Station and previously served as a storage track, officials said. Liz Carey, August 11, 2025, Transportation Today New food disposal bins installed at Metro stations and in Pentagon City Between the initiative’s start in July 2024 and early May, more than 89,000 pounds of food material was placed in the bins. More than 2,000 people are participating in the app-driven initiative. Dan Egitto, August 11, 2025, ARLNow Amtrak Virginia ridership increased exponentially this year. But is future growth in jeopardy? Current projects that have already been approved, such as the Long Bridge Project, which will create two new track railroad bridges over the Potomac River from Alexandria into D.C., have not been affected by federal budget cuts. Diana Ionescu, August 10, 2025, Planetizen OmniRide launches route revisions, new times and frequencies on bus services Notably, buses on the Local Woodbridge (93) route will go around Chinn Center and Potomac Mills Mall, with a new stop added on Prince William Parkway & Church Hill. The Prince William Senior Center bus stop was discontinued, officials said. August 10, 2025, ABC7 News Capital Bikeshare expands to Herndon area, Huntington Metro station Installations in the Innovation Center area began earlier this month, and all six stations are expected to be in place by early next week, according to the Fairfax County Department of Transportation. Four stations will then be added in Huntington. Angela Woolsey, August 8, 2025, FFXNow Metro's Green Line closures expand north, closing 5 total stations for 2 weekends The two new station closures, Southern Ave. and Congress Heights, are only for two weekends: Aug. 9-10 and Aug. 16-17. The other three stations are closed all month long. Freixys Casado/Maggie More, August 9, 2025, NBC4 Washington Purple Line railcars testing in Maryland Construction has been ongoing for years, but the light rail is expected to open in 2027 and run between New Carrollton and Bethesda. Adam Tuss, August 7, 2025, NBC4 Washington Amtrak to enhance service, rider experience on Northeast Corridor Amtrak notes the new NextGen Acela trains feature free, high-speed 5G-enabled Wi-Fi, as well as individual power outlets and reading lights. Five new trainsets will be in service initially. Brandon Lewis, August 8, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine Is Better Bus ... better? The 51st heard about how it’s going from more than 30 bus riders who shared their experiences with the new system. The verdict? Well, it’s mixed. While some commuters say they’ve benefited from new connections and more frequent service, others say the overhaul has involved more confusion than clarity. Jazmyn Gray, August 7, 2025, The 51st Amtrak Virginia ridership increased exponentially this year. But is future growth in jeopardy? Current projects that have already been approved, such as the Long Bridge Project, which will create two new track railroad bridges over the Potomac River from Alexandria into D.C., have not been affected by federal budget cuts, said Gerica Goodman, director of external affairs at the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. Ian Stewart, August 7, 2025, ALXNow How to gear up for your fall bike commute The only must-haves for a cycling commute are a bike and a place you feel safe riding — but a few accessories don't hurt, either. August 8, 2025, Streetsblog USA Amtrak's new Acela trains hit the rails Aug. 28 The roomier passenger cars include more leg room and larger tray tables in both classes. Seats include USB ports, adjustable reading lights and cars have streamlined overhead luggage compartments. The cafe cars have self-select and check-out options. Jeff Clabaugh, August 7, 2025, WTOP Benefits of the Purple Line expansion in College Park Colleges are the perfect place for walkable neighborhoods, yet many colleges don’t focus on Transit Oriented Development. The Purple line going through the University of Maryland is a key expansion point for the D.C metro and will allow greater connections between D.C and the University of Maryland. Josh Nover, August 6, 2025, Market Urbanism 'Week Without Driving' highlights needs of non-drivers The event is meant to encourage public officials to experience their local public transit and understand the day-to-day experiences of transit riders. Diana Ionescu, August 6, 2025, Planetizen Montgomery County adding real-time bus arrival displays to some bus stops The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) announced that it will be installing real-time bus arrival displays at 100 of the county’s busiest bus stops in Bethesda, Germantown, Rockville, Shady Grove, Silver Spring and Twinbrook. Makea Luzader, August 6, 2025, DC News Now We can't have justice for all without public transit Many states suspend driver’s licenses for those with unpaid court fines, including for failure to appear in court — and without a license, public transit may become one of the only mobility options for defendants to keep those fines from piling up. Jack Guan, August 7, 2025, Streetsblog USA Weekend trackwork: Green Line construction work closures extend to Southern Av, Congress Heights Free local and express shuttle buses replace trains between Anacostia and Branch Av. Express shuttles will stop at Anacostia, Southern Av., and Branch Av. A local shuttle will stop at Anacostia and each closed station. August 6, 2025, WMATA New dashboard tracks millions of visits to Arlington bridges and trails this year An updated online dashboard in partnership with the French firm Eco Counter includes a running tally of pedestrians and bicyclists that pass by 35 sites on trails countywide. Scott McCaffrey, August 6, 2025, ARLNow Virginia's proposed extension of Beltway toll lanes into Maryland won't solve our mobility crisis If Maryland gives in to Virginia’s pressure to extend the Interstate 495 Southside Express Lanes into Maryland, it will be outsourcing our state highway network to unaccountable privateers and their shareholders. Gary V. Hodge, August 6, 2025, Maryland Matters 300 MPH train rejected amid cost overruns in MD, DC The train would have also traveled through a short stretch in southwestern Baltimore County before reaching Baltimore City. The Baltimore station would have been located near the Inner Harbor, the Baltimore Peninsula or Cherry Hill. Jacob Baumgart, August 5, 2025, Patch DASH submits plan to construct electric bus charging station The open canopy structure is part of DASH’s goal to have a fully electric bus fleet by 2035. The garage would allow for parking, maintenance, and storage for 24 electric buses, according to the special use permit filed with the city. James Cullum, August 5, 2025, ALXNow Transit bus costs rise sharply due to tariffs The cost of a transit bus has gone up by 68 percent since 2021, in part because of recent tariffs on steel and aluminum. Diana Ionescu, August 4, 2025, Planetizen Heads Up: OmniRide's changing some local bus routes this weekend OmniRide’s service changes will take effect on Sunday, August 10. Some routes have been revised and will have new timetables. There have been map changes and additional trips added to some Express routes. August 5, 2025, Potomac Local News Green Line Metro stations close for major repairs The Branch Avenue, Suitland and Naylor Road Metro stations closed over the weekend and will stay closed for weeks. Later in the month, the closures will extend to the Southern Avenue and Congress Heights stations. Adam Tuss, August 4, 2025, NBC4 Washington Metro safety watchdog calls for expedited work to install new radio communication system The radio system is not only depended on for day-to-day operations, but also serves as a lifeline during emergencies. A revamp of the system that started in 2015 was supposed to be finished in 2022, but the WMSC now believes that finish date is the end of next year. Mike Murillo, August 4, 2025, WTOP How to get between Washington, D.C., and New York: Flying, driving, or taking the train Each comes with its pros and cons, price point, and difficulty level. With how busy the Northeast Corridor is, it’s no wonder there are so many options to choose from! James Larounis, August 3, 2025, Upgraded Points Cities turn to tech to make curb ramps ADA-accessible ADA requires localities to install or regrade curb ramps to meet current requirements when roads are constructed or changed, such as repaved. But some localities don’t have good records on where all their curb ramps are located, how they were constructed or whether they comply. Stephanie Konowitz, August 1, 2025, Route Fifty Transportation Secretary cancels $26 million for planned Baltimore to DC high-speed rail project The original plan for SCMAGLEV had been to build a track and train that could run at 311 mph between Baltimore and D.C. in 15 minutes, with an intermediate stop at Baltimore Washington International Airport. Eventually, the project would have expanded to provide a one-hour service from The District to New York. Ittai Sopher, August 1, 2025, WUSA9