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D.C. debuts all-electric Circulator buses

D.C. now has 14 of these buses -- the largest electric fleet on the East Coast. They’ll be spread out on the six Circulator routes, starting operation May 1.
Jacob Fenston, April 23, 2018, WAMU

Court rules against delay on car efficiency fines

A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the Trump administration cannot delay a regulation that increased automakers’ fines for “gas-guzzling” cars that violate fuel efficiency standards.
Timothy Cama, April 23, 2018, The Hill

Tens of thousands of Takata air bags still on the road

At least 22 people worldwide have been killed and hundreds more permanently disfigured when the air bags that deployed to protect them instead exploded and sprayed shrapnel.
Ashley Halsey III, April 22, 2018, Washington Post

Silver Line ushers in new age for Reston

Residents in one of the nation’s first planned communities -- designed as a place where people could live, work and play -- are at odds over new development some fear could result in more growth than the town can support and ruin its character.
Lori Aratani, April 22, 2018, Washington Post

Assault on W&OD Trail in Loudoun

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an assault on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD), where a cyclist was seriously injured by another cyclist.
April 22, 2018, Loudoun Times-Mirror

Traffic data will help rate Va.'s transportation spending

The state’s still young Smart Scale program was built on the idea that analytics could determine which projects are the best bet to improve Virginia’s transportation network.
Scott Shenk, April 22, 2018, fredericksburg.com

Metrobuses back in service

More than 160 Metrobuses are back on the road Monday after an engine issue sidelined about 10 percent of Metro's fleet.
April 23, 2018, NBC Washington

Metro service disrupted after man falls onto tracks Sunday

Metro service on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines was disrupted for about and hour between McPherson Square and Foggy Bottom stations after a man fell onto the tracks on Sunday.
Jennifer Ortiz, April 22, 2018, WTOP

Beltway inner loop closed by crash Monday morning

Traffic is getting by on the left shoulder, according to a tweet from MATOC, and delays stretch for about seven miles.
Justin Wm. Moyer, April 23, 2018, Washington Post

Engine inspections lead to delays for travelers on Southwest

Southwest said about 40 of its 4,000 scheduled flights were canceled because of the emergency fan blade inspections. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking website FlightAware showed that more than 500 Southwest flights, or about 13 percent, had been delayed Sunday.
Faiz Siddiqui, April 22, 2018, Washington Post

It's going to cost more to park in Arlington

The County Board of Supervisors included a 25-cents-per-hour increase in the county’s fiscal 2019 budget adopted Saturday.
Luz Lazo, April 22, 2018, Washington Post

Registration open for Bike to Work Day

On Friday, May 18, 2018 Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association invite you to celebrate bicycling as a clean, fun, and healthy way to get to work.
April 22, 2018, biketoworkmetrodc.org

Fatal crash in Prince George's Friday

An 85-year-old man was killed in a crash Friday in Prince George’s County, Md., while driving a dump truck, the state police said.
Martin Weil, April 21, 2018, Washington Post

Md. drops controversial contract

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has killed a controversial $68.5 million management contract that had been awarded to his transportation chief’s former employer and was threatening to undermine a multibillion-dollar plan to add toll lanes on the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270.
Michael Laris, April 20, 2018, Washington Post

Armed robbery on Ride On bus leads to hit-and-run

Montgomery County Police are looking for a suspect who stole a man’s wallet, got hit by an SUV while fleeing the scene -- then still got away.
Tom Roussey, April 20, 2018, WJLA

Fatal crash in Prince George's Saturday

One man is dead after a fatal car accident in Adelphi, Md., police said.
Sheila Wright, April 21, 2018, WUSA9

Pedestrian and Bicycle Access to Schools Act passes Md. legislature

The bill would require the Department of Transportation to collect and consolidate available information from State and local agencies regarding an unmet need for safe pedestrian and bicycle access to schools in the State.
April 20, 2018, WashCycle

NYC bans cars from Central Park

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday that the city would ban cars from Central Park.
Jacqueline Thomsen, April 20, 2018, The Hill

Bicyclists: Report dangerous stormwater grates

Grates oriented in the direction of traffic are more than an inconvenient bump -- they’re downright dangerous.
Mitch Wander, April 20, 2018, GGW

Return of Metrorail shutdowns

Two Yellow Line shutdowns and significant single-tracking on the Red Line are among the major Metro disruptions this weekend, as track work returns following a weekslong break for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
Max Smith, April 20, 2018, WTOP

Metrobuses returning to service

Metro is putting 164 buses back on the road Monday, even though the agency and the manufacturer haven’t found a clear reason why two of them shut off while they were moving last month.
Max Smith, April 19, 2018, WTOP

Judgement against Md. towing company in class-action suit

The case resulted in a $22 million judgment against the company for improperly towing an estimated 28,000 vehicles from April 2012 to June 2017. It also led to judgments against more than 500 property owners who had hired the now-defunct towing company to police their lots.
Fredrick Kunkle, April 19, 2018, Washington Post

Clarendon apartment building earns LEED platinum rating

An apartment building in Clarendon has earned LEED Platinum status from the United States Green Building Council, the first multifamily community in Arlington to do so.
Bridget Reed Morawski, April 18, 2018, ARLnow

Deteriorated traffic calming fixtures to get TLC in Arlington

Aging speed bumps throughout the county are set to be replaced or repaired under a new contract.
Bridget Reed Morawski, April 18, 2018, ARLnow

Md. trooper stops dozens of distracted drivers

"Anything from talking on the cellphones, texting, scrolling through the cellphones. I saw three drivers that actually had books on their steering wheel area, and they were reading a book as they were driving," he said.
Pat Collins, Anddra Swalec, April 18, 2018, NBC Washington

Bikeshare Stations may come to Gravelly Point, Roosevelt Island

The Arlington County Board will discuss a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Park Service at their Saturday meeting. The agency has to approve the new stations because they would be located on NPS land.
Cameron Luttrell, April 18, 2018, Arlington Patch

Va. House rejects tax increases for Metro

Virginia’s House of Delegates voted 50-48 to block proposed Northern Virginia hotel and real estate transfer tax increases to pay for Metro, dealing a blow to local government leaders of both parties who had warned it will lead to too much money being taken away from other Northern Virginia transportation projects.
Max Smith, April 18, 2018, WTOP

TPB chooses bike-pedestrian projects for funding

Eleven construction projects planned for Northern Virginia have been chosen to receive federal funds to help create seamless links for cyclists and walkers between neighborhoods and jobs.
Kristi King, April 18, 2018, WTOP

Fatal crash on I-66 Thursday

One person is dead following a two-vehicle crash along Interstate 66 Thursday morning that closed westbound lanes near Fairfax County, Virginia, for more than two hours.

2019 to be a busy year in D.C. trails

Last November, DC amended the FY 2017-2022 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and it puts a lot of work of interest to cyclists into 2019.
April 18, 2018, WashCycle

New Ballston bike store replaces Freshbikes

Less than three months after Freshbikes closed its Ballston location, another bike store has opened its doors in the space.
Anna Merod, April 17, 2018, ARLnow

Tow truck driver loses leg after car hits him on I-395

The crash occurred Monday morning as the tow truck operator was working on the shoulder near the Seminary Road exit, getting ready to tow two vehicles involved in a crash.
Julie Carey, Angela Jacob, April 17, 2018, NBC Washington

Volunteers fish bike-share bikes out of Rock Creek

The Rock Creek Conservancy held a park cleanup event on Saturday and found five bikes and a scooter in the water: three Mobikes, one Capital Bikeshare bike, one Limebike and one Lime-S Electric Scooter.
Angela Jacob, April 17, 2018, NBC Washington

Arrive Alive in Arlington

“Arrive Alive” is a program that endeavors to show young people what driving under the influence of alcohol or other substances would feel like.
Eden Brown, April 17, 2018, Arlington Connection

Bike rodeo in Arlington teaches safety lessons

Meg Rapelye, executive director of Phoenix Bikes, says the purpose of the event is for children to learn to ride bikes safely.
Shirley Ruhe, April 17, 2018, Arlington Connection

Plans for Richmond Hwy. include widening, BRT

Plans are on the drawing boards to transform Richmond Highway in Alexandria, which call for a nearly 9-mile Bus Rapid Transit system from the Huntington Metro station to Fort Belvoir.
Dick Uliano, April 18, 2018, WTOP

Md. delays consideration of fast-tracked highway contract

The Maryland Department of Transportation used an expedited and unusual process to select a group of firms to help manage a proposed multibillion-dollar project to rebuild parts of the Capital Beltway and Interstate 270.
Michael Laris, April 17, 2018, Washington Post

Weigh in on plan to add toll lanes to Md. highways

Maryland’s governor has proposed an ambitious plan to widen lanes on the Beltway and Interstate 270, and now the state wants to hear from the public about its plans.
Dave Dildine, April 17, 2018, WTOP

Three arrested for assault on Ride On driver in March

Police arrested three Montgomery County adults for assaulting and pepper spraying a Ride On bus driver in North Bethesda last month.
Cameron Luttrell, April 16, 2018, Takoma Park Patch

Flooding affects commuters in D.C., Va. Monday

Torrential downpours and flooding led to an extended closure of the Interstate 95 Express and Interstate 395 HOV lanes Monday morning.
Dave Dildine, April 16, 2017, WTOP

MARC service disrupted Monday afternoon

Service on MARC’s Penn Line, Acela Express 2172 and Amtrak lines was suspended between Washington and New Carrollton. Metro honored MARC tickets. Lines gradually reopened through the evening commute.
Sarah Beth Hensley, April 17, 2018, WTOP

Amtrak train strikes, kills person north of Union Station

Amtrak’s Acela Express 2172 has been temporarily suspended and other Amtrak riders should expect delays after a Boston-bound train struck and killed a person just north of Union Station on Monday afternoon, officials said.
Lori Aratani, April 16, 2018, Washington Post

Free rides in Rosslyn this summer with Sprynt

This summer, the Rosslyn BID is partnering with local startup Sprynt to bring you free, on-demand rides within the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
April 16, 2018, rosslynva.org

Road diet would create transit lanes, protected bike lanes on Army Navy Dr.

Shortly after I wrote about this project in January, Arlington County had a public workshop about the Army Navy Drive Complete Streets project.  Some more material from that meeting is now available.
April 16, 2018, WashCycle

Arrest made in Greenbelt Metro shooting

A suspect was arrested Sunday in the shooting Friday outside the Greenbelt Metro station, the Metro Transit Police said.
Martin Weil, April 15, 2018, Washington Post

Two dead in Capitol Heights crash

Two people are dead after a car they were in hit a utility pole Sunday.
April 15, 2018, WUSA9

Metro users scramble for parking space at Wiehle-Reston East

Limited spaces are available during weekday morning hours as construction continues in the area.
Fatimah Waseem, April 13, 2018, Reston Now

Md. explores changing tolls to electronic only

The Maryland Transportation Authority is exploring phasing out all cash toll booths across the state.
Katherine Brzozowski, April 16, 2018, WTOP

Flooding hits D.C. area roadways

D.C. area residents faced delays as some area roadways were closed due to high water from heavy rain overnight.
Dana Hedgpeth, April 16, 2018, Washington Post

Play digs deep into lives of Metro riders

“This play takes something that you do every day -- riding the Metro -- and it makes it special,” said Toni Rae Salmi, the show’s director.
Martine Powers, April 14, 2018, Washington Post

Fatal crash in Montgomery Friday

A Silver Spring man died Friday night after his motorcycle and an SUV collided in an Aspen Hill intersection that morning, Montgomery County police said.
Joe Zimmermann, April 13, 2018, Bethesda Beat

Metro says new tests could flag 'undetectable' cause of derailment

After a Red Line train derailed in a tunnel in January, Metro said the rust on the rail that snapped would have been undetectable. Now, Metro’s chief safety officer says additional scanning the agency is starting could have provided key hints.
Max Smith, April 14, 2018, WTOP

Metro finds breathing room to plan for the future

On the heels of securing a regionwide commitment for dedicated funding, Metro is embarking on an ambitious plan for the future, including large-scale safety and reliability improvements, the next generation of rail cars and, most immediately, a mobile payment system that will allow riders to pay fares with their smartphones.
Faiz Siddiqui, April 12, 2018, Washington Post

Shooting near Greenbelt Metro leaves one hospitalized

A person was shot in the parking lot outside the Greenbelt Metro station Friday afternoon, officials said.
Justin Wm. Moyer, Lynh Bui, April 13, 2018, Washington Post

Details about Metro's planned fare-payment app

Greg Garback, who is overseeing the program for Metro, said the plan is not an “open payment” model, but instead would require a “virtual SmarTrip” in a cellphone’s mobile wallet.
Max Smith, April 13, 2018, WTOP

NPS closes trail beneath trolley trestle

In the interest of public safety, the National Park Service has immediately closed the trail beneath the trolley trestle at Walhonding Road, known as the Sycamore Store Trail, until further notice. The closure of the trail will block access to the pedestrian overpass leading to the C & O Canal Towpath from MacArthur Boulevard.
April 13, 2018, WMATA

Bowser signs Metro funding bill

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a bill on Friday that commits the city to giving Metro $178.5 million annually, part of a historic regional plan involving Maryland and Virginia that will give the troubled agency something it has never had -- a stream of dedicated funding worth $500 million a year.
Martin Austermuhle, April 13, 2018, WAMU

'Wounded' PRTC promises change, but employees are skeptical

The head of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, or PRTC, ordered an outside review of two instances last year in which drivers absconded with their buses and drove them miles off course.
Alex Koma, April 13, 2018, Inside NoVa

Metro responds to recent incidents

A naked man on a train and a knife-wielding man’s attempt to steal a bus made for an interesting 12 hours, but Metro leaders assure the public that they’re an anomaly.
Max Smith, April 12, 2018, WTOP

Massive road construction season starts in Md.

Maryland State Highway Administrator Greg Slater has announced that a major road construction season is underway across the state.
Kate Ryan, April 12, 2018, WTOP

Montgomery expands Capital Bikeshare

Montgomery County, Maryland, is adding new Capital Bikeshare stations in the area that county officials refer to as the Pike District -- from the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro stop to Twinbrook in Rockville.
Kate Ryan, April 12, 2018, WTOP

Where the bicycle commuter benefit stands

As frequent readers here are aware, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that congress passed late last year made bicycle commuter benefits taxable, but the benefit isn't dead yet, and it could get better.
April 12, 2018, WashCycle

Region's representatives to Congress: Leave National Airport alone

It’s FAA reauthorization season again. Officially, this is about passing legislation to keep the Federal Aviation Administration operating, but seasoned veterans know it’s also an opportunity for members to push their “special” aviation-related priorities.
Lori Aratani, April 13, 2018, Washington Post

Sierra Club releases Blueprint for Better Transportation for NoVa

The Virginia Sierra Club released the Blueprint for Better Transportation in Northern Virginia this week. The Blueprint recommends a set of transportation projects to expand bicycling, walking, and transit access across our region.
April 12, 2018, FABB

Uber is adding safety features it resisted for years

The mobility company will add an emergency 911 feature akin to a “panic button” -- a type of enhanced 911 that connects passengers directly with emergency personnel, and allows them to share their location with the operator.
Faiz Siddiqui, April 12, 2018, Washington Post

Uber agrees to expanded settlement with FTC over privacy

Uber has agreed to expand a settlement it reached with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last year in light of a massive data breach that the company revealed months after the agreement with regulators to settle previous privacy violations.
Harper Neidig, April 12, 2018, The Hill

Hogan bypasses pending requirement for transportation experience on Metro board

A Maryland representative on the Metro board is stepping down after three years, and her replacement comes with financial management chops but little transportation experience.
Martine Powers, April 12, 2018, Washington Post

Metro says its fare-payment app will be 'remarkably elegant'

Two years after Metro canceled a $25-million pilot for mobile fare payment because of a lack of interest, the agency says it intends to give it another shot -- and get it right this time.
Faiz Siddiqui, April 12, 2018, Washington Post

MARC Penn Line schedule change effective April 23

There will be a Penn Line schedule change effective Monday, April 23. Weekend schedules will not change.
April 12, 2018, MTA

Metro looks to buy version 2.0 of 7000-series cars

The agency wants some more cars to replace the 2000/3000-series cars, but with few new major features which would separate them from the 7000s.
Stephen Repetski, April 12, 2018, GGW

How to get around events this weekend

This weekend will be particularly busy in the nation’s capital, with the Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and related events and the District’s Emancipation Day celebrations.
Luz Lazo, April 12, 2018, Washington Post

Thieves steal airbags out of 16 vehicles in Alexandria

The thieves appeared to target Hondas more than any other car. Most of the vehicles ABC7 News saw with their windows smashed and airbags stolen were Civics.
Tom Roussey, April 11, 2018, WJLA

Fairfax County Board approves expanded Reston Station project

Major redevelopment is underway as Comstock Partners continue to complete the massive Reston Station development on the north side of the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station.
April 11, 2018, Reston Now

MCPS bus hits pedestrian in Germantown

A pedestrian was struck by a Montgomery County Public Schools bus with kids in it Tuesday afternoon in Germantown, officials said.
Cameron Luttrell, April 11, 2018, Takoma Park Patch

Naked man assaults Metrorail passengers

Police say a naked man is in custody after he assaulted two passengers while on board a D.C. Metro train. The incident allegedly occurred Thursday morning on a railcar that left the Gallery Place Metro station.
April 12, 2018, Fox5

Metro has no plans to boost rush-hour service

Metro plans to stick with rush-hour service cuts implemented last summer for years to come, an update to the rail fleet plan to be presented to the Metro Board Thursday suggests.
Max Smith, April 12, 2018, WTOP

Changes coming to D.C. Kids Ride Free program

After regular complaints from parents about technical difficulties, among other concerns, Metro and the D.C. government are making significant changes next school year to D.C.’s Kids Ride Free program.
Max Smith, April 12, 2018, WTOP

Suspect arrested following attempted armed busjacking

A 38-year-old man is in custody after an attempted armed “busjacking” of a Metrobus this evening at the intersection of Riverdale Road and Annapolis Road in New Carrollton.
April 11, 2018, WMATA

Trails in Banneker Park to be improved, then rerouted

In December, Arlington County adopted a framework plan for Banneker Park which includes changes to both the Four Mile Run and W&OD Trails.
April 11, 2018, WashCycle

OPM announces new regulations for weather-related leave

New weather and safety leave regulations from the Office of Personnel Management are cutting off teleworkers in most instances.
Amelia Brust, April 10, 2018, Federal News Radio