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- Worker on Purple Line rail project hit by crane
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A worker on Maryland’s Purple Line construction project was injured Friday when he was hit by a crane on a work site in downtown Silver Spring, a project spokeswoman said.
Katherine Shaver, December 6, 2019, Washington Post - What will driving be like in 2030?
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Here’s what some longtime experts are predicting for drivers and automakers alike.
December 6, 2019, WTOP - Metro shows six "fantasy maps" for the Blue and Silver lines
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Now, they have some ideas for riders to weigh in on.
David Alpert, December 6, 2019, GGWash - New Amtrak trains to stimulate US economy
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The newest Amtrak train, Acela, is a joint project between Amtrak and Alstom, and now, the pair are lauding what the machine will be able to do for the U.S. economy.
Chris Galford, December 6, 2019, Transportation Today - Maryland, CSX find $103M in extra funding to let 'double-stacked' freight move through Howard Street Tunnel
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After months of negotiations, the state of Maryland and CSX Transportation have come up with the more than $100 million in additional funding needed to move forward with the expansion of the Howard Street Tunnel -- a long-sought project expected to remove a freight bottleneck and significantly boost the Port of Baltimore’s booming shipping container traffic.
Colin Campbell, Jeff Barker, December 5, 2019, Capital Gazette - Close to 40,000 Va. bus riders affected by two labor disputes
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Tens of thousands of bus riders in northern Virginia have to come up with new ways to get to work thanks to a labor dispute.
John Henry, December 5, 2019, WUSA9 - Climate change protesters block downtown D.C. streets Friday morning
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Protesters took to the District’s streets Friday morning, blocking roads around the World Bank headquarters and disrupting the commute.
Marissa J. Lang, December 6, 2019, Washington Post - Fairfax Connector strike illustrates widening rift over privatization of public services
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A strike by hundreds of Fairfax Connector workers, impacting the commutes of an estimated 30,000 Northern Virginia bus riders, illustrates the growing fight over the privatization of public services.
Justin George, Antonio Olivo, December 5, 2019, Washington Post - Alexandria staff recommend phase two scooter pilot
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Department of Transportation and Environmental Services staff presented a recommendation to city council for a phase two e-scooter pilot program during a legislative meeting on Nov. 26.
December 5, 2019, Alexandria Times - Parking reduction for Fairfax County malls approved
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The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to reduce parking requirements at malls, opening opportunities for empty parking space to be repurposed for redevelopment.
Emily Leayman, December 4, 2019, Vienna Patch - Fairfax County honors companies for green commuter programs
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Earlier this week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recognized more than a dozen employers for excelling in implementing green commuter programs.
Fatimah Waseem, December 5, 2019, Reston Now - Bill would allow cameras to give tickets for distracted driving
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The new technology, recently unrolled in Australia, would use artificial intelligence to scan photos of drivers for illegal cellphone use. If drivers are caught on their phones, a police technician would review the photos to determine whether the driver violated state law.
Kate Masters, December 5, 2019, Bethesda Magazine - Jones Point Park 'Bike Campus' grand opening this weekend
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A new bike campus is all painted and ready to go under the Alexandria side of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
Vernon Miles, December 5, 2019, ALX Now - OmniRide announces major service changes beginning Dec. 9
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OmniRide will make the largest service changes in its history on Monday, Dec. 9. Changes include revised timetables for all express routes, a complete restructuring of bus services in western Prince William County and the first-ever paratransit service in the Manassas area, according to a news release.
December 5, 2019, Inside NoVa - Uber reports more than 3,000 sexual assaults on 2018 rides
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That figure includes 235 rapes across the company's 1.3 billion rides last year. The ride-hailing company noted that drivers and riders were both attacked and that some assaults occurred between riders.
Rachel Lerman, Barbara Ortutay, December 6, 2019, WJLA - Memorial Bridge's interior machinery is removed for good
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Antiquated components of the Memorial Bridge's old drawbridge are being removed and replaced with stronger steel.
Mike Valerio, December 6, 2019, WUSA9 - Metro is saving money during Northern Virginia bus strike
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Six weeks into a Metrobus strike at a privatized garage in Northern Virginia, Metro now says it has been paying its contractor only for the reduced service that is actually running.
Max Smith, December 5, 2019, WTOP - Fairfax Connector strike enters 2nd day
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Routes that are running Friday on a Sunday schedule are: 151, 171, 310, 321, 322, 401, 402, 630, 640, 650, 950, 981, 983, RIBS 1 and RIBS 3. All other Fairfax Connector routes are canceled until further notice.
Colleen Kelleher, December 6, 2019, WTOP - Metrorail weekend service adjustments, Dec. 7-8
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Wiehle-Reston East station will be closed again this weekend.
December 6, 2019, WMATA - Metro releases six concepts for Rosslyn bottleneck
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The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has come up with a multiple choice solution for the Gordian Knot that is the Rosslyn tunnel bottle neck.
Jonathan Capriel, December 5, 2019, WBJ - Fairfax Connector strike disrupts morning commutes
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It’s unclear how long this strike will last. Another WMATA bus strike, which also involves private contractor Transdev, has gone on for 44 days.
Jordan Pascale, December 5, 2019, WAMU - New I-95 interchange in Va. will put drivers on wrong side of road
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Starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday, drivers on Courthouse Road at the interchange over Interstate 95 in Stafford, Va. will be directed onto the opposite side of the road.
Colleen Grablick, December 5, 2019, WAMU - Prince George's, Baltimore business groups support maglev rail project in Md.
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Four Maryland chambers of commerce representing about 1,500 businesses threw their support behind a proposed high-speed magnetic levitating train — saying the multibillion-dollar project will be "transformative" for the Washington-Baltimore corridor because it will create thousands of jobs.
Holden Wilen, December 4, 2019, WBJ - DHS proposal to require U.S. citizens undergo airport facial scans draws fire
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A plan by the Trump administration to require U.S. citizens to have their faces scanned when they enter or leave the United States is drawing criticism from privacy advocates and at least one lawmaker, who said he intends to introduce legislation to prohibit the practice.
Lori Aratani, December 4, 2019, Washington Post - 38 DUI arrests made in third round of alcohol crackdown
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The Alcohol Holiday Task Force arrested 107 people for DUI during a three-week period in Montgomery County.
Alessia Grunberger, December 4, 2019, Takoma Park Patch - Legislation would mandate seat belts on new Va. school buses
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School districts across the commonwealth would be required to ensure that all new school buses have seat belts for every student, under legislation proposed for the 2020 General Assembly.
December 4, 2019, Inside NoVa - Pedestrian dies after Tysons-area wreck
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A Washington, D.C., man died Wednesday after he was struck by a SUV Monday evening in the Tysons area, according to Fairfax County police.
December 4, 2019, Inside NoVa - Metro to abandon water line that flooded Pentagon Metro
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Metro will be unable to fix a supply pipe that caused a flood of water and a ceiling collapse at the Pentagon Metro station during rush hour on the day before Thanksgiving, the agency said Thursday.
Max Smith, December 4, 2019, WTOP - 20 women sue Lyft alleging sexual assault
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Twenty women filed a lawsuit in San Francisco Wednesday against ride-share app Lyft, alleging they were raped or sexually assaulted by the company's drivers.
Marty Johnson, December 4, 2019, The Hill - Eight people, including six construction workers, hurt in crash on I-66
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Eight people were hurt, including six construction workers, early Thursday after an SUV crashed along Interstate 66 in Arlington, officials said.
Dana Hedgpeth, December 5, 2019, Washington Post - Fairfax Connector workers to strike Thursday, but some routes will run
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Most routes won’t run, but others will run on a Sunday schedule, according to Fairfax County.
Jordan Pascale, December 4, 2019, WAMU - Fairfax Connector workers go on strike Thursday
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The bus strike, impacting an estimated 30,000 riders daily, is the second in Northern Virginia.
Justin George, December 5, 2019, Washington Post - Santa to visit King St. Trolley next week
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On Saturday, Dec. 14, Santa is scheduled to make an appearance at a King Street Trolley parked outside City Hall (301 King Street).
Vernon Miles, December 4, 2019, ALX Now - Md. woman dead after Arlington crash
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A Prince George’s County, Maryland, woman is dead after a crash late Tuesday in Virginia near the Pentagon.
Will Vitka, December 4, 2019, WTOP - Tysons may convert the inside of a highway cloverleaf into a park
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The highway-riddled edge city of Tysons is on a 50-year mission to transform into an urban center.
George Kevin Jordan, December 4, 2019, GGWash - USDOT proposes nationwide adoption of highway-rail grade crossing action plans
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In an effort to improve safety at highway-rail grade crossings, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would require all states and the District of Columbia to implement crossing action plans.
Chris Galford, December 4, 2019, Transportation Today - Gov. Hogan agrees to delay key vote on Beltway, I-270 toll lane plan
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Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) agreed Tuesday to delay a key vote on his plan to add toll lanes to the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 after the state’s comptroller said he and the public needed more time to review “important revisions” to the proposal.
Katherine Shaver, December 3, 2019, Washington Post - Man dies after being struck by Metro train overnight at Capitol Heights station
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Investigators report a review of video evidence indicates that he intentionally placed himself in the path of the train.
December 4, 2019, WJLA - Northern Va. bus strike talks resume with threat of broader disruption
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With thousands of commuters stranded for six weeks, and tens of thousands more people in Fairfax County on edge about losing their rides, negotiations resume Wednesday over contracts for hundreds of Northern Virginia bus drivers and other workers.
Max Smith, December 4, 2019, WTOP - Circulator's Winter Wonder Bus is back
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The regular red D.C. Circulator bus has transformed once again into a festive ride called the Winter Wonder Bus.
Selam Berhea, December 3, 2019, dcist - Jump, Lyft, Skip and Spin win bids to deploy up to 10,000 scooters in D.C.
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Two companies will offer e-bike services when the new year begins
Luz Lazo, December 3, 2019, Washington Post - Fairfax Connector strike could affect 30,000 passengers
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Unionized bus workers in Fairfax County are threatening a strike this week that could leave 30,000 Fairfax Connector passengers without a ride.
Jordan Pascale, December 3, 2019, WAMU - Is MARC's newest plan to improve service a step backwards?
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The MARC Cornerstone Plan lays out how the country’s ninth-largest commuter rail system aims to increase ridership and improve reliability and service.
Alex Holt, December 3, 2019, GGWash - The legit pros and cons of a monorail on I-270
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Maryland will officially study a proposal to build a monorail along I-270, from Shady Grove to Frederick. Let’s examine whether that’s a crazy idea, or if monorail is a legitimate and practical possibility.
Dan Malouff, December 3, 2019, GGWash - Environmental groups criticize Hogan's lane-widening proposal
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Environmental groups are protesting Gov. Larry Hogan’s plan to widen the American Legion Bridge as the state’s Board of Public Works prepares to take a crucial vote on the proposal.
Kate Masters, December 2, 2019, Bethesda Magazine - Alexandria Council grapples with implementing, enforcing scooter rules
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It’s one thing to make rules for scooters, but on Alexandria’s City Council, there are concerns about how the city can enforce proposed new restrictions in Old Town.
Vernon Miles, December 2, 2019, ALX Now - Morning I-66 trips slow under tolls, construction
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More people are paying tolls on Interstate 66 inside the Beltway, even as rush hour travel speeds have slowed compared with a year earlier.
Max Smith, December 2, 2019, WTOP - Delay sought on Beltway widening vote
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Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot says a crucial vote on a proposal to widen the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270 should be delayed.
Kate Ryan, December 2, 2019, WTOP - Ask your DC Councilmembers to support the Eastern Downtown Protected Bike Lane
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On Tuesday, December 3rd, the DC Council will vote on emergency legislation that would require the District Department of Transportation to complete the 9th Street NW protected bike lane between Florida Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Jeremiah Lowery, December 2, 2019, WABA - How area leaders are planning for 1.5 million new residents over next 25 years
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The number of people expected to move to the D.C. area in the next 25 years is equal to the entire population of Philadelphia, and plans are in the works to prevent the anticipated addition of 1.5 million residents from worsening the region’s gridlock.
Kristi King, December 1, 2019, WTOP - Wheels begin to turn on self-driving car legislation
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Congress has yet to roll out comprehensive legislation that would create federal standards for self-driving cars this year, but the wheels have started turning on new efforts to draw up policy.
Maggie Miller, December 1, 2019, The Hill - Suburbs try Vision Zero to protect walkers and cyclists on roads designed for vehicles
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In Montgomery County, where more people are killed in road accidents than in homicides, planners recently asked residents to tweet about their experiences as pedestrians.
Katherine Shaver, November 30, 2019, Washington Post - Pedestrian dies after hit-and-run on U St.
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Police said a dark colored SUV traveling east hit the pedestrian, then fled the scene.
Madisson Haynes, November 30, 2019, WUSA9 - After 48 years in DC, District Hardware and Bike to close permanently
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The shop, which moved from its Foggy Bottom location to the Wharf in Southwest in October 2017, offered community bike rides as well as repairs and sales, and even featured the “Velo Café.”
Kate Ryan, November 30, 2019, WTOP - Why googly-eyed brooms have sprouted up around D.C.
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For about two weeks, D.C. cyclists have spotted a scattering of quirky-looking brooms on their morning commutes.
Elliot C. Williams, November 27, 2019, dcist - Man rescued after falling on Metro tracks
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A man had luck on his side while he waited for a Metro train to arrive Friday.
Laura Wainman, November 29, 2019, WUSA9 - Woman dead after car collision in Prince George's Co.
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A woman is dead after a two vehicle collision that occurred Thursday in Seat Pleasant, Maryland.
Sandra Salathe, November 29, 2019, WTOP - More working from home in U.S., Virginia and D.C. area
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More Americans are working from home, and that’s especially true in Virginia and in the Washington, D.C., metro area, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Kelly Booth, November 28, 2019, fredericksburg.com - Montgomery Council members want trash, recycling bins off sidewalks
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Some Montgomery County Council members want the county to review existing policies on leaving trash and recycling bins in public rights-of-way.
Kate Masters, November 27, 2019, Bethesda Magazine - Loudoun Co. approves $7.5M to complete Va. 9 road project through Hillsboro
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Route 9 might be a tiny stretch of road through historic Hillsboro, Virginia, but it’s important enough for 17,000 daily commuters that Loudoun County is setting aside millions to keep traffic flowing smoothly through the town.
Neil Augenstein, November 26, 2019, WTOP - Groundbreaking scheduled next month for Potomac Yard Metro
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With construction back on track for the Potomac Yard Metro station, the city has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony early next month.
Vernon Miles, November 27, 2019, ALX Now - Cyclist dies several days after colliding with a vehicle in Prince George's
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Police said that 47-year-old Luciano Crespo Rodriguez, of Bladensburg, was riding a bike southbound on Hamilton Street approaching Queens Chapel Road, when he was struck by a vehicle.
Abigail Constantino, November 27, 2019, WTOP - Apple Maps app now displays Metro service in real time
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iPhone users can finally view real-time Metro information in Apple Maps, the transit agency announced Tuesday.
Andrew Giambrone, November 26, 2019, Curbed - What's the future of Arlington County's US Route 29?
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Arlington county wants to overhaul US Route 29, a vital corridor that serves as North Arlington’s main street. The project is in the early stages, and there’s a lot of opportunity for residents to shape how it unfolds.
D. Taylor Reich, November 27, 2019, GGWash - Commuter rail industry continues toward positive train control implementation
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The latest report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) touts near-completion of Positive Train Control (PTC) technology among the U.S. commuter rail industry.
Chris Galford, November 27, 2019, Transportation Today - Metro resumes service at Pentagon station after flooding from water main break
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Metro trains resumed service at the Pentagon station Wednesday after hours of bypassing it because of flooding from a broken water main.
Dana Hedgpeth, Marissa J. Lang, November 27, 2019, Washington Post - Twelve arrested at Reagan Airport in worker protest
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A dozen people were arrested at Reagan National Airport on Tuesday after blocking traffic in a sit-in protest to call for better pay for workers who provide in-flight food and beverages for airlines, according to a union that said it represents the catering workers.
Martin Weil, November 27, 2019, Washington Post - VDOT change could put Alexandria bus and bicycle-pedestrian improvements at risk
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After years of relying on the Virginia’s SMART SCALE grant program to fund transportation projects, changes in the program’s scoring criteria could leave that well dry for Alexandria.
Vernon Miles, November 26, 2019, ALX Now - High-tech security could soon come to your Metro stop
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Amtrak added some extra high-tech layers of security at D.C.’s Union Station on Tuesday during the Thanksgiving travel rush. And Metro is also planning to use some of the technology soon at its stations.
Max Smith, November 26, 2019, WTOP - More car-free zones and parklets are coming to the District
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Following the success of the Open Streets event on Georgia Avenue NW this past October, the District is creating some new pilot pedestrian zones and parklets in Georgetown and downtown.
Stephen Hudson, November 26, 2019, GGWash - Investigation of slow-speed Metro crash unearths broader safety problems
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Metro must do more to prevent the “unauthorized movement” of trains and tighten policies on operators and personal electronic devices, according to findings issued by an independent safety agency Monday, as part of an ongoing investigation into a slow-speed crash last month.
Michael Laris, November 25, 2019, Washington Post - Wiehle-Reston East Metro to close weekends through December
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Commuters can expect more changes to service at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station through the end of the year.
Fatimah Waseem, November 25, 2019, Reston Now - Potomac Heritage Trail closed by water main break
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N. Glebe Road reopened to drivers within days of the major Nov. 8 water main break near Chain Bridge, but those looking to hike the rugged Potomac Heritage Trail are not as lucky.
November 25, 2019, ARLnow - Md. ahead of schedule replacing controversial guardrails
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In July 2018, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) announced it would replace all 990 X-LITE end terminals on state-maintained roads.
Susan Hogan, Meredith Royster, November 25, 2019, NBC Washington - Maryland rethinks toll lane promises, could accelerate construction
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Maryland’s Board of Public Works could go back next week on toll lane promises made to appease Montgomery and Prince George’s counties earlier this year.
Max Smith, November 25, 2019, WTOP - Distraction may have played role in Metro crash
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A Metro train operator involved in a crash last month may have been distracted by a cellphone, and he likely moved his train without proper permission, new findings from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission suggest.
Max Smith, November 25, 2019, WTOP - Montgomery Co. leaders frustrated by lack of access to Beltway plan details
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Montgomery County’s top planners are so frustrated with the State Highway Administration -- and what they claim is a persistent refusal to provide key data related to a controversial highway widening proposal -- that they may file a Public Information Act request to get what they’re looking for.
Bruce DePuyt, November 25, 2019, WTOP - Police investigation brings brief suspension of Red Line service
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In a statement, D.C. police said officers responded to the report of a person with a weapon in the 1000 block of Newton Street NE at about 3:40 p.m. The suspect fled and was arrested after a foot pursuit that went onto the tracks at the Brookland station, police said.
Justin Wm. Moyer, November 25, 2019, Washington Post - D.C. students face violence, transit delays on commute to school
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Students trying to get to class in DC face violence and a plethora of obstacles and delays -- and children, parents, and teachers say that needs to change.
George Kevin Jordan, November 25, 2019, GGWash - Uber's license to operate not renewed in London
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Uber on Monday lost its license to operate in London, Transport for London (TFL) announced citing safety concerns.
Rebecca Klar, November 25, 2019, The Hill