All Commuter News stories gathered from Washington, D.C. area sources over the past two weeks are listed below. Stories can be sorted by topic using the links immediately below. For older stories, see the Commuter News archives.
Metro track work for weekend of Feb. 3-5
Beginning at 10 p.m. Friday and continuing through system closing on Sunday, shuttle buses will replace Orange Line trains between Court House and Foggy Bottom and Blue Line trains between Pentagon and Foggy Bottom to allow for rail fastener renewal, insulator replacement and sludge removal from the tunnel beneath the Potomac River.
January 30, 2012, WMATA
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Arlington sees threat to Metro in U.S. House transportation bill
A vote by the House Ways and Means committee to end guaranteed transit funding poses a threat to Metro, a key component of Arlington County's transit system, Arlington County Board Chair Mary Hughes Hynes said today.
February 3, 2012, Arlington County
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Metro scales back hiring to 877 positions
Metro has scaled down its hiring plans for the next budget cycle, seeking to add 877 positions instead of 1,013, agency officials said Thursday.
Kytja Weir, February 2, 2012, Examiner
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Dulles Rail back on track, managers say
The first phase of the Dulles Rail project, which was six months behind schedule last August, is now just 11 days late and on target to be completed next year, officials said.
Liz Essley, February 2, 2012, Examiner
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The business implications of creating a 37-mile D.C. streetcar system
The District of Columbia has imagined resurrecting its streetcar system for awhile now, but as we approach the anticipated 2013 debut date, what becomes ever more clear is the need for careful planning, especially as our businesses, officials, and residents realize the economic implications of what 37 miles and eight lines of streetcar will bring.
John Hendel, February 2, 2012, TBD
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Funding mandate for bike, pedestrian projects defeated
The House Transportation Committee in a pair of votes on Thursday defeated efforts to continue mandated federal funding for bike and pedestrian projects.
Ashley Halsey III, February 2, 2012, Washington Post
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Region would gain under House highway funding proposal
Maryland, Virginia and the District would receive a significant bump in federal highway funding under a five-year transportation spending plan being debated by the House Transportation Committee on Thursday.
Ashley Halsey III, February 2, 2012, Washington Post
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Metro's Red Line riders can expect years of inconvenience
Even after new track circuits and switches are installed on the Red Line over the next three years — safety upgrades recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board — Metro officials said there will be a "steady stream of maintenance" that will involve shutdowns and single-tracking.
Dana Hedgpeth, February 2, 2012, Washington Post
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Lawmakers debate effects of longer, heavier trucks on highways
Should trucks be allowed to grow to 110 feet, more than five times as long as a passenger car? Will increasing their maximum weight to 97,000 pounds tear up local roads?
Ashley Halsey III, February 2, 2012, Washington Post
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Reagan National breaks all-time passenger count
More passengers used Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in 2011 than at any other time in the facility's 71-year history, according to new figures.
Scott McCaffrey, February 2, 2012, Sun Gazette
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Fairfax balks at governor's transportation plan
Despite their general interest in bringing more state funding to transportation, Fairfax County supervisors say they have serious concerns with Gov. Robert F. McDonnell's (R) 2012 transportation package.
Kali Schumitz, February 1, 2012, Fairfax Times
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BRAC traffic Issues Improve in Barcroft neighborhood
Efforts by residents to reduce traffic headaches in the Barcroft neighborhood appear to have paid off. Residents report that the increase in shuttle buses for government workers affected by BRAC has diminished the number of cars clogging the neighborhood.
Katie Pyzyk, February 1, 2012, ARLnow
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Leaders talk seriously about new Potomac bridge
Whether or not you think there should ever be another Potomac River crossing, the leaders of Maryland and Virginia have started to talk about the possibility.
Adam Tuss, February 1, 2012, WTOP
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Capital Bikeshare looks to spread to suburbs
The sturdy red bikes that arrived in the District and Arlington County as a curiosity and now blend into the urban landscape will swarm into suburbia this year.
Ashley Halsey III, February 1, 2012, Washington Post
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New intercity bus routes added using Intercounty Connector
New MTA intercity bus routes are utilizing the new Intercounty Connector. Existing and new routes serve the following end points, with stops along the way in Montgomery County:
Jen Bondeson, February 1, 2012, Gazette.Net
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Va. lawmakers push to prohibit mandatory union labor in Dulles rail construction
Virginia lawmakers moved Tuesday to withhold $150 million in funding for Dulles Rail if the authority in charge of the project forces contractors to use a union-friendly labor agreement.
Liz Essley, January 31, 2012, Examiner
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Major track work planned on Blue, Orange lines
The Rosslyn and Arlington Cemetery Metro stations will be completely closed this weekend for major track work on the Blue and Orange lines.
January 31, 2012, ARLnow
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A not-so-fond farewell for Dupont south escalators
Metro begins a nine-month project on Wednesday to replace the balky escalators at Dupont Circle's south entrance, considered some of the least reliable in a transit network that relies on them more than any other in North America. The transit authority's communications team said farewell Tuesday night in a unique way.
Michael D. Bolden, February 1, 2012, Washington Post
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O'Malley supports sales tax on gasoline in Maryland
O'Malley, speaking on WTOP-FM's "Ask the Governor" show, said he would like to "phase out" a sales tax exemption on gas.
Scott Dance, January 30, 2012, Washington Business Journal
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Metro set to close Dupont's south entrance for nine months
Metro riders who rely on the Dupont Circle station may want to rethink their commute -- or budget extra time for getting into and out of the D.C. station.
Kytja Weir, January 30, 2012, Examiner
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Metro: Riders' fares to cover 42% of Silver Line costs in first 3 years
Metro is forecasting that the first segment of the Silver Line currently under construction will cost $112 million to operate over the next three years, including fuel and energy costs. But riders' fares are expected to pay for only $47 million of that, leaving an estimated $65 million bill on the table for local jurisdictions and taxpayers.
Kytja Weir, January 30, 2012, Examiner
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Cameras may catch drivers who blow past stopped school buses
There is growing support in Montgomery County to put external cameras on school buses to catch drivers who don't stop when a school bus does.
January 31, 2012, WTOP
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Legal action possible over Silver Spring Transit Center
A construction error at the unopened Silver Spring Transit Center has council members in Montgomery County considering legal action.
Matt Bush, January 31, 2012, WAMU
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D.C. taxi rider surcharge proposed
Hundreds of cab drivers parked their vehicles Monday to pack in to a council hearing on their future. Not only was the hearing room full, so too was an overflow room three floors below.
Sam Ford, January 30, 2012, ABC 7
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Metro's renovations never seem to end: Is it getting any better?
Metro is like a homeowner who decides to remodel the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, basement and dining room — all at the same time — and not only lives in the place while the work is underway but also invites the neighbors to drop by anytime.
Robert Thomson, January 27, 2012, Washington Post
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House Republicans to unveil transportation bill
House Republicans will present a long-awaited plan to fund the nation's transportation system on Tuesday, a proposal that would shift more decision-making authority to state governments, dramatically reduce the time spent on environmental reviews and encourage private companies to expand the highway system by building toll roads.
Ashley Halsey III, January 30, 2012, Washington Post
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Funding delayed for second entrance to Bethesda Metro station
Transit activists and community leaders blasted the county executive's proposed capital budget, which defers construction funds for a second entrance to the Bethesda Metro station on Wisconsin Avenue.
Jessica Ablamsky, January 25, 2012, Gazette.Net
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Metro service suffers as agency asks more from wallets
Metro General Manager Richard Sarles observed his first anniversary as official head of the transit system last week with a cracked rail, a complete meltdown of the communications systems and thousands of angry riders berating the system.
Kytja Weir, January 28, 2012, Examiner
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New tool tells Northern Va. residents when the plows will come
Now, the Virginia Department of Transportation has unveiled an online tool that will tell residents of Northern Virginia just when the plows will arrive.
January 28, 2012, WTOP
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Improvements coming to tricky Clarendon intersection
Based on a study of the intersection at Washington, Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards, the plan provides safety improvements for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.
Katie Pyzyk, January 27, 2011, ARLnow
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Riders unhappy with D.C. taxi service
The survey released by Councilwoman Mary Cheh, D-Ward 3, was nonscientific, but helps bolster her case that the city's taxi industry is in need of an overhaul.
Liz Essley, January 26, 2012, Examiner
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ART bus ridership on the rise
More people are riding Arlington's ART buses more often, County Board Chair Mary Hynes said earlier this week.
January 26, 2012, ARLnow
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Virginia sees surge in teen driver deaths
Preliminary figures show that 11 young people between the ages of 16 and 20 died in crashes around the Commonwealth over the first three and a half weeks of the year, compared with just three fatalities during that period a year ago.
Matt McCleskey, January 26, 2012, WAMU
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Yet another 10-car train in service on Metrorail
Are 10-car trains the wave of the future on Metro?
Dana Hedgpeth, January 26, 2012, Washington Post
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More Trouble on Metropolitan Branch Trail
Prince of Petworth reports that a man was robbed and shot at while walking on the multi-use Metropolitan Branch Trial in Northeast yesterday.
Martin Austermuhle, January 26, 2012, DCist
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Amid another breakdown, Metro to let public weigh in on probable fare increases
Metro riders are likely to see higher fare prices this year, the transit authority's board decided Thursday — the same day Red Line commuters faced a long and chaotic morning rush period because of a broken rail on the system's busiest line.
Dana Hedgpeth, January 26, 2012, Washington Post
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Metro: Power outage caused major overnight delays
Metro is investigating a power outage that left riders stranded on station platforms and stuck in train cars late Thursday night into Friday, without any communication from transit officials.
Maggie Fazeli Fard, January 27, 2012, Washington Post
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Study: D.C. streetcar network could spur $15b property boom
The District's proposed 37-mile streetcar network would spur development and raise property values by some $15 billion, not just give city residents more ways to get around, according to a new report.
Kytja Weir, January 25, 2012, Examiner
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Funding transportation: Gas tax vs. tolls
A new report says the easiest way to raise more money to fix crumbling roads and bridges and aging transit systems is to make drivers pay at the pump.
Adam Tuss, January 26, 2012, WTOP
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Loudoun County getting cold feet about Silver Line
As work continues on the first phase of the Dulles Rail Metro project, some lawmakers in Loudoun County are reportedly considering dropping out of the second phase of the Silver Line project.
Elliott Francis, January 25, 2012, WAMU
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List details properties at risk of condemnation for Purple Line
The list, which The Washington Post obtained through a public information request, provides the first detailed look at properties that state transit planners say might be needed to build two tracks for light rail trains along local streets.
Katherine Shaver, January 25, 2012, Washington Post
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Long-term transportation funding likely to be delayed
With Congress riven by partisan politics and facing a truncated election-year schedule, the chances are slim that it will pass a long-awaited bill to fund the nation's highways, mass transit and ports, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday.
Ashley Halsey III, January 25, 2012, Washington Post
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Loudoun County may back out of Dulles rail project
FAIRFAX, Va. - The first phase of the new Silver Line is well underway, but now there's concern Phase 2 of the 23-mile Metro expansion to the airport may run into money troubles again.
Hank Silverberg, January 25, 2012, WTOP
D.C. cracks down on illegal cab company
The DC Taxicab Commission on Tuesday shut down a cab company it said was operating illegally, in the first such action taken by the commission in years.
Liz Essley, January 24, 2012, Examiner
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Loudoun, Fairfax officials ask for tab on running Silver Line
Fairfax and Loudoun counties are asking for the bill on how much the Silver Line will cost them to operate before they agree to build the rest of the Metro line.
Kytja Weir, January 24, 2012, Examiner
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Three Metro workers disciplined for 10-car train incident
Three Metro employees were disciplined after an incident in which a 10-car train left the Shady Grove yard in a December, transit officials said.
Dana Hedgpeth, January 24, 2012, Washington Post
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Montgomery council endorses buses for I-270 corridor
The Montgomery County Council has changed its mind on what kind of transit line to build in the rapidly growing and heavily congested Interstate 270 corridor, voting Tuesday to recommend a busway over the light rail system it endorsed in 2009.
Katherine Shaver, January 24, 2012, Washington Post
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Metro to begin replacing Dupont Circle escalators
The transit agency says the entrance at 19th Street will close on Feb. 1 and that the work will take about eight months. Metro chief spokesman Dan Stessel says crews will work days, nights and weekend to complete the work as fast as possible.
January 24, 2012, WUSA 9
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Bikeshare stations could bloom
Five Capital Bikeshare stations could be coming to the National Mall in time for the National Cherry Blossom Festival on March 20, a key target for starting the popular bike-sharing service there.
Kytja Weir, January 21, 2011, Examiner
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Effects of Metrorail hikes differ among riders
The impact of the proposed Metro fare increases would vary greatly, depending on the type of trip.
Robert Thomson, January 20, 2012, Washington Post
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Bicycle commuting catching on with employers across region
Bike commuting is on the rise in D.C. and the surrounding areas, supported by more and more trails, bike lanes, bike racks and employers who encourage biking with financial incentives and by providing bike storage and shower facilities in the workplace.
Liz Essley, January 21, 2012, Examiner
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VRE scores record on-time service in 2011
Virginia Railway Express ended 2011 with its best on-time performance in its 19-year history, a turnaround for the agency whose trains were once late so often that riders fled the system.
Kytja Weir, January 22, 2012, Examiner
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Fairfax students to wear pedometers, track eating habits
The small electronics will track how many steps the child takes each day as part of a $2.1 million federal grant to track students' nutrition and physical activity over three years.
Lisa Gartner, January 21, 2012, Examiner
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D.C. provider of MetroAccess service pulls out
Battle's Transportation will stop providing MetroAccess trips for the agency as of Feb. 10, "primarily for economic reasons," according to Metro spokesman Dan Stessel.
Kytja Weir, January 21, 2012, Examiner
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Alexandria approves waterfront plan
Members of the Alexandria City Council have approved a plan that will drastically reshape the city's waterfront by overturning a longstanding ban on hotels and increasing the amount of development allowed there despite fierce opposition.
Michael Pope, January 23, 2012, WAMU
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Nearly 80 properties could be displaced by Purple Line project
When it comes time to start building the Purple Line in 2015, 31 residences, 46 commercial and nine institutional properties could be displaced to make way for the project, according to the Maryland Transit Administration.
Nesa Nourmohammadi, January 20, 2012, Gazette.Net
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Texting while driving could become a primary offense in Va.
A Senate Transportation committee approved approved legislation this week that would allow police to pull over drivers who are texting.
January 21, 2012, WTOP
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For $20M rail-car job, VRE board recommends Tokyo-based company
A Tokyo-based multinational company should receive a more than $20 million contract for eight new Virginia Railway Express passenger cars, the railroad's Operations Board recommended Friday.
Jeremy Borden, January 20, 2012, Washington Post
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Rosslyn and Arlington Cemetery Metro stations will be closed weekend of Feb. 3-5
Metro has made an adjustment to its track work plan for the weekend of February 3-5, 2012, on the Blue and Orange lines. Due to the configuration of the electrified third rail in the work zone, it will be necessary for Rosslyn and Arlington Cemetery stations to be closed, with alternate shuttle bus service provided.
January 12, 2012, WMATA
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Spring brings growth of regional public bicycle program Capital Bikeshare
Sara Wilson was halfway through her errands Friday when she dropped off her second bike of the day at Union Station.
Ashley Halsey III, April 23, 2011, Washington Post
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