Regional Transit News Service Alerts | ART News | Subscribe Latest News Metro CEO touts video surveillance improvements ahead of busy Fourth of July But, as he gave reporters a look inside the operations at the transit system’s Integrated Command and Communications Center in Alexandria, Virginia, he pointed to a bank of massive screens lining the walls of the facility. Kate Ryan, July 3, 2025, WTOP Metro to close Blue Line train stations in Fairfax for construction work Metro reminded riders in a release that the upcoming track work is scheduled to run from Saturday, July 5, through Saturday, July 26. Vernon Miles, July 3, 2025, FFXNow Free Metro rides after 5pm on July Fourth as DC prepares for safe celebrations The fare-free service applies to Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess through the system’s 2 a.m. closing time. City leaders are encouraging residents and visitors to use public transit to attend Independence Day events, including the fireworks display on the National Mall. Sam Kosmas, July 3, 2025, Fox 5 News Metro celebrates three years of joint development project successes Metro’s joint development program collaborates with developers to build housing, offices, and other amenities on Metro property. It is a form of transit-oriented development that generates new Metro ridership and revenue and adds new housing, jobs, and tax revenue to the region. July 2, 2025, WMATA Price hikes for Capital Bikeshare bikes starting in August Under the new plan, the standard annual membership — which includes free unlocks, fare-free shorter rides on unpowered bikes, and a discount on the per-minute e-bike fare — will cost $120 dollars, a $25 increase over the current rate. Kate Ryan, July 3, 2025, WTOP Autonomous public transit shuttle launches, a US first Rides will be free through Sept. 30, 2025. The service is the first phase of a 10-mile autonomous urban circulator to be completed over the next 10 years. Dan Zukowski, July 2, 2025, Smart Cities Dive New MARC plan presents increased services in Frederick, Brunswick In the five-year phase, peak weekday service is expected to increase to at least every hour with limited-stop service occurring every 30 minutes at select stations. Sofia Montoya-Deck, July 2, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine West Falls Church Metro road improvements could begin this summer Approved by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in June 2023, the development plan calls for 810 multifamily residential units, 90 townhomes, up to 110,000 square feet of office space, and up to 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. Angela Woolsey, July 1, 2025, FFXNow For better mental health, researchers recommend walking and biking The largest recent study examining the mental health impacts of walking and biking, led by European researchers who reviewed more than 100 earlier studies, found neighborhood walkability, access to opportunities, and green space tend to make people feel less lonely. Chris McCahill, June 30, 2025, SSTI D.C. is hiking Capital Bikeshare prices. Some will pay triple. Starting in August, it will cost for some people three times as much per minute to ride a regular Capital Bikeshare bike and more than twice as much for an electric bike. Rachel Weiner, July 1, 2025, The Washington Post As WMATA's new budget goes into effect, future funding woes remain WMATA leaders say this budget’s changes to Metrorail service will provide better access and frequency for thousands of customers. On the eastern end of the Silver, Orange, and Blue lines, Silver Line service east of Stadium-Armory is now split between New Carrollton and Downtown Largo. Brian Shi, July 2, 2025, Greater Greater Washington Road closures, Metro changes accompany July Fourth weekend in DC The transit agency is also ramping up service to rush hour levels during the afternoon. Trains on the Red Line will run every 6 minutes until 5 p.m., and every 5 minutes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. After 11 p.m., trains will run every 10 minutes. Thomas Robertson, July 2, 2025, WTOP DC area county eliminates bus fares The county debated how to approach fares and transit funding for months before coming to a consensus. One factor that tipped the scales in favor of free fares: installing credit card tap mechanisms for fare collections on the system’s buses would have cost around $19 million — or roughly eight years of revenue. Diana Ionescu, July 1, 2025, Planetizen Creative ways to fund on-demand public transportation and microtransit in 2025 Fortunately, microtransit is eligible for more federal and state funding programs than many think, and it pays to think creatively when approaching funding, especially for city governments, which are often eligible for fewer grant programs than transit agencies or rural communities. Katie Malkin, June 30, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine Montgomery County, Maryland, commuters adjust to Metro, Ride On Bus route changes In addition to making rides free on RideOn, RideOn extRa, Ride On Flex, and Flash buses, the system also eliminated certain routes where Metrobus makes stops while also adding new routes. Christian Flores, July 1, 2025, ABC7 News 'So confusing': Riders try out new Metrobus routes after 50-year changes Several people were out on Sunday testing the new system before the work week began on Monday. There were also many Metro employees at stops to help people navigate where they were going on Sunday and Monday. Jessica Albert, June 30, 2025, NBC4 Washington Prince George's Co. bus gets a makeup — right as Metro bus revamps “Overwhelmingly, people in this region are going to get better bus service,” Metro General Manager Randy Clarke told WTOP’s Luke Lukert at Metro’s Downtown Largo Station. Luke Lukert, June 30, 2025, WTOP 'I'm just trying to get home': Metrobus riders navigate system-wide changes, new routes Also, the transit agency has a trip planner web page where riders can see where their current route goes now, versus where it will go on weekdays and on weekends starting June 29. Lianna Golden, June 30, 2025, ABC7 News Montgomery County's Flash BRT on 355 will reduce travel times, if and when it is completed The project depends on the federal government awarding funds. Based on discussions with the Federal Transit Administration, Montgomery County Department of Transportation officials have expressed a cautious optimism that they’ll be successful. Ethan Goffman, June 27, 2025, Greater Greater Washington Cash-strapped Maryland revives plan for trains to Virginia and Delaware Under a proposal released last week by the Maryland Transit Administration, trains would run north to Wilmington and south to Alexandria, connecting MARC with regional rail systems in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Rachel Weiner, June 29, 2025, The Washington Post Metro begins Better Bus Program, biggest change to system in half-century Clarke said this program took three years of staff work to complete and it creates an entirely new route-naming system, remakes and adds 7,000 new signs and consolidates more than 500 stops, some of which Metro said were just a few hundred yards from each other. Dan Ronan, June 29, 2025, WTOP How the Metrobus overhaul, launching Sunday, will affect Fairfax service The first Metrobus overhaul since 1973 started rolling out earlier this year with the introduction of approximately 7,000 new signs, starting in Fairfax County. Vernon Miles/Angela Woolsey, June 27, 2025, FFXNow Art installation at Reston Town Center Metro station competes for international award For the project, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) commissioned Bates to create artwork for the glazing along the escalators at the north and south entrance pavilions of the Metro station. Scott McCaffrey, June 27, 2025, FFXNow Metro launches Better Bus Network Redesign on June 29, transforming bus service across the DMV The newly redesigned bus network introduces a modernized bus system designed to make trips faster, reduce transfers, and simplify schedules. Starting June 29, all Metrobus routes will feature new, intuitive names – such as “C” for crosstown DC, “P” for Prince George’s County, or “A” for Arlington/Alexandria – making it easier for riders to navigate. June 27, 2025, WMATA Metro sees 16 signal issues since June, sparking urgent infrastructure upgrade calls Clarke says even if Metro receives sufficient funding to upgrade and replace its signaling system, it “will take a long time to do. But the earlier we can get going on that, not only will it be cheaper, but it’ll be safer and more reliable.” Tom Roussey, June 26, 2025, ABC7 News Metro's major changes to bus stops & routes start soon | Here's what riders need to know Metro said back in May that eliminating nearly 530 bus stops would make its bus service “faster and more direct.” The transit agency also said that many of the stops it is eliminating are 660 feet or less from other stops and are not heavily used. Jessica James/Rebecca Turco, June 27, 2025, ABC7 News Fairfax County leaders still uneasy with VDOT's I-495 Southside Express Lanes plan The unanimous vote to send the letter to Richmond came after VDOT shared plans to add two toll lanes on the Capital Beltway from the I-95/I-395 interchange in Springfield to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Alexandria at a series of community meetings earlier in June. Scott McCaffrey, June 26, 2025, FFXNow Fifteen projects awarded $39.5 million to help reduce congestion in Northern Virginia This Program of Projects includes 12 bus service enhancements for Arlington Transit, Alexandria Transit Company, Fairfax Connector, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Metrobus and OmniRide; one new Metrobus route; the improvement of Virginia Railway Express' Leeland Road Station; and future implementation of bus rapid transit on Route 1 in Fairfax County. June 25, 2025, Mass Transit Magazine City of Alexandria wins top regional honor for employee transportation benefits Alexandria’s program offers a multi-faceted approach to alternative transportation. The city subsidizes employees who use public transit and qualified vanpool services through SmartBenefits, while cyclists and pedestrians can access shower facilities, lockers, and covered bike racks at most worksites. June 25, 2025, ALXNow Metrobus to eliminate 500+ stops and rename routes: Here's what riders need to know Tools like the Trip Planner and Bus Network Tool are now live to help commuters navigate upcoming changes. Miracle Gross, June 25, 2025, FOX 5 News AI will aid transit, not transform it Some transit vehicles will become autonomous, as well, and future iterations may well include Waymo-style vans and shuttles. More immediate are AI applications that optimize routes, signals, and back-office support for human-operated buses. Some transit systems are already using them. John Hood, June 25, 2025, The Carolina Journal OmniRide ridership surges, prompting overcrowding concerns on key commuter routes Commissioners raised questions about how ridership trends align with overall population growth. Staff explained they track commuter lot capacity and development trends — not just raw population figures — to guide service decisions. Uriah Kiser, June 24, 2025, Potomac Local News DASH and WMATA secure $14.9 million for Alexandria transit projects This funding, part of the I-395/95 Commuter Choice Program, aims to reduce traffic congestion in Northern Virginia by enhancing public transit options. Ryan Belmore, June 24, 2025, ALXNow Alexandria City Council receives update on proposal to use DASH buses for high school student transportation The initiative, which has been under study for five months through a joint City Council and School Board subcommittee, aims to provide student transportation that is safe, reliable, effective, and efficient while supporting environmental goals and potentially reducing costs. Ryan Belmore, June 24, 2025, ALXNow Which American cities are becoming bike-friendly the fastest? America has a new most-bikeable city, according to a prominent ranking — but the real story may be the dozens of communities that are sparking a revolution in rapid cycling investments, even if they haven't claimed a spot in the top 10 just yet. Kea Wilson, June 24, 2025, Streetsblog USA A manifesto for a next-generation streetcar The lack of fast and direct east-west connections has been frequently noted as a particular problem for the District’s transportation system. Scott Burger, June 24, 2025, Greater Greater Washington Challenges for drivers and walkers in Silver Spring with Purple Line construction It’s part of ongoing construction on the Purple Line in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties that’s made it hard to access some areas. That work has led to financial losses for some businesses; MDOT has offered grants to some of the impacted small businesses. Kyle Cooper, June 24, 2025, WTOP Metro's faster trains and "Better Bus" launch mark biggest overhaul in decades WMATA aims to make bus the backbone of the D.C.-area's transportation system by 2030. Many of the changes are an attempt to solve transportation disparities and provide access to underserved communities, given 60% of Metrobus riders are low-income and 83% are people of color. Anna Spiegel, June 23, 2025, Axios Blue Line closures to disrupt Alexandria Metro Service in July Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield stations will be out of service during this time. WMATA is offering free shuttle buses to replace train service at these stations, along with free parking. Ryan Belmore, June 23, 2025, ALXNow New data suggests increased flooding risks for D.C. region's roads and transit systems The FEMA data previously used exclusively for the analysis found that, when counting both coastal/river flooding and urban flooding, about 14% of roads, 4% of bus stops, 7% of rail stops and 39% of rail line-miles were at risk. Scott McCaffrey, June 23, 2025, FFXNow Metro says it's so hot that train must go slower An excessive heat warning was issued for the DC Metro area on Monday. The extreme heat is expected to last through Wednesday. Alanea Cremen, June 23, 2025, WUSA9 Major Metrobus and Metrorail changes take effect across the DC region Later this month, Metrobus will undergo a full system redesign aimed at making routes faster, simpler, and more frequent without increasing fleet size. Miracle Gross, June 23, 2025, Fox 5 News Bikeshare Beat: Ridership shifts into high gear with over 690K rides May 2025 was the second-busiest month in Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) history, with a total of 691,727 trips recorded across the regional micromobility network. This marks a 34.2% increase over May 2024, continuing a strong springtime surge in ridership. Samuel Littauer, June 23, 2025, Greater Greater Washington Metro unveils new Metrorail map ahead of expansion to Red and Silver Lines starting Sunday Beginning Monday morning, Red Line trains will be more frequent, running every four minutes, compared with five minutes now during weekday rush periods, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced in a statement. Dan Ronan, June 21, 2025, WTOP