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The Purple Line is hanging by a thread. It should be rescued.

IT’S HARD to overstate the financial, logistical and street-level disasters that would follow the collapse of Maryland’s $5.8 billion Purple Line project, years in the making and midway through construction through close-in suburbs north of D.C.
Editorial Board, August 11, 2020, Washington Post

Judge grants state 35-Day reprieve in dispute with Purple Line contractor

Amid a rancorous contract dispute that threatens to halt work on the Purple Line, a judge in Baltimore has ordered the company in charge of the project to remain on the job.
Bruce DePuyt, August 11, 2020, WTOP

Is it safe to ride public transit during the pandemic?

It depends on a variety of factors, but there are ways to minimize risk.
August 11, 2020, WTOP

Amtrak enlists GWU for COVID-19 response advice

Amtrak has engaged the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health (GW Milken Institute SPH) in an effort to provide ongoing technical expertise and guidance to enhance Amtrak’s coronavirus pandemic response.
Andrew Corselli, August 11, 2020, Railway Age

EDITORIAL: Long Bridge is still a good investment

THE GOOD news is that the coronavirus pandemic has not derailed one of the region’s most important transit projects: the construction of a second Long Bridge over the Potomac River reserved exclusively for Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express passenger trains.
August 10, 2020, fredericksburg.com

TSA finding three times as many guns in carry-on luggage as before pandemic

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers last month found firearms in carry-on bags at a rate three times higher than July of last year, despite a significantly lower volume of passengers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Rebecca Klar, August 10, 2020, The Hill

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.
Robert McCartney, August 10, 2020, Washington Post

Major NoVa projects stay on track as questions linger about pandemic commuting

Northern Virginia transportation officials painted an uncertain picture of what the region’s mobility tendencies will look like in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but reasserted their commitment to a number of big-ticket projects whose fates could be complicated by falling state and local revenues.
Jared Foretek, August 9, 2020, Inside NoVa

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.
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.
Matt Alderton, August 8, 2020, Washington Post

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.
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.
Mary DePompa, August 7, 2020, WTOP

Va. expands intra-city bus service from downstate to D.C.

Virginia Breeze bus service (dubbed the “Valley Flyer”) between Christiansburg and Union Station in the District of Columbia resumed on July 24 after a COVID-related stoppage, and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation is unveiling two new bus lines.
August 6, 2020, Inside NoVa

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.
Adam Tuss, Sophia Barnes, August 6, 2020, NBC Washington

Metro moves up schedule for Huntington Station escalator replacement to impact fewer riders

Metro will take advantage of the current period of extremely low ridership to replace three escalators at the Huntington Station south entrance, moving up the project’s start date by one year to reduce customer impact.
WMATA Press Release, August 6, 2020

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.
Katherine Shaver, August 5, 2020, Washington Post

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.
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.
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.
Justin George, August 5, 2020, Washington Post

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.
Michelle Murillo, August 4, 2020, WTOP

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.
Tal Axelrod, 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.
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.).
Nicole Ogrysko, August 3, 2020, Federal News Network

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.
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.
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.
Alex Gangitano, August 4, 2020, The Hill

COMMENTARY: VRE prepares for the safe return of riders

The Virginia Railway Express, the commuter rail system that has served our region for nearly three decades, remains a viable option for those headed north in the morning.
Gary Skinner, July 31, 2020, fredericksburg.com

Residential tower approved at Scotts Run South, the massive project atop the McLean Metro

Scotts Run South, the massive development planned atop the McLean Metro station in Tysons, is starting to come together.
Alex Koma, July 31, 2020, WBJ

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.
Will Vitka, August 3, 2020, WTOP

Silver Line work accelerating during pandemic

Significant gains have been made toward completion of phase two of the Silver Line during the coronavirus pandemic.
Adam Tuss, July 30, 2020, NBC Washington