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Lane conversion and speed decrease may be coming to Crystal Drive

If approved at Saturday"s County Board meeting, a portion of one of Crystal City’s thoroughfares will receive a substantial upgrade and a speed limit downgrade.
Vernon Miles, September 22, 2018, ArlNow

14th Street Bridge entrance closed to cyclists starting Sept. 24

Starting Monday, September 24th, The National Park Service (NPS) will close the DC-side entrance to the paved path along the 14th Street Bridge.
Gordon Chaffin, September 22, 2018, DC Commute Times

Limited weekend track work, some weekend road closures

Limited Metro track work this weekend may make the rail system the best way around some weekend road closures.
Max Smith, September 22, 2018, WTOP

In planning for Washington's transportation future, a look at the practical and beyond

Big additions to Metro are among “aspirations” presented by transportation planners.
Michael Laris, September 22, 2018, Washington Post

Scooter rider fatally struck by SUV in Dupont Circle, officials say

A person riding an electric scooter was killed Friday morning in a collision with an SUV at Dupont Circle in what officials believe is the District’s first fatality involving a rider of a shared scooter service.
Luz Lazo and Peter Hermann, September 21, 2018, Washington Post

New data show American commute times are longer

New survey data show the average American's commute inched up to 26.9 minutes from 26.6 minutes the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017 American Community Survey.
Gabriela Saldivia, September 21, 2018, NPR

More Americans now telecommute than take public transportation to work

Driving remains the predominant form of commuting. But for the first time, the next most common is working from home.
Mike Maciag, September 21, 2018, Governing

County unveils dockless vehicle pilot program, plans to cap number of scooters and bikes in Arlington

Arlington is rolling out its promised pilot program to guide the use of dockless vehicles, clearing the way for more companies to offer electric scooters and bikes in the county.
Alex Koma, September 21, 2018, ArlNow

Rep. Comstock scales back cost of her Metro bill in hope of quick passage

Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) on Thursday renewed her push to extend federal funding for Metro, although she scaled back legislation she proposed last year to reduce its cost in hope of winning quick passage.
Robert McCartney, September 21,2018, Washington Post

Navigation apps flood neighborhood with traffic and VDOT proposes Beltway ramp shutdown

VDOT plans to have a decision on whether not to do the pilot ramp shut down by early 2019.
Peggy Fox, September 21, 2018, WUSA9

Memorial Bridge closures pushed back until next weekend

Repairs to the Arlington Memorial Bridge have been pushed back from this weekend to the next, according to US Park Police.
Arielle Buchmann, September 21, 2018, WUSA9

A new report highlights the stark racial disparities in Metro fare enforcement

As Metro Police have ramped up enforcement of the fare evasion law, a disproportionate number of people issued citations are black, a new report from the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs shows. 
Eve Zhurbinskiy, September 21, 2018, Greater Greater Washington

9 cities with smart ideas to improve transportation

In cities across the country, local politicians, transit advocates, and commute-weary citizens are responding to the need for more sustainable, equitable, street-level transit solutions, delivering on promises to make daily commutes more multimodal and connect more workers to jobs
Patrick Sisson, September 21, 2018, Curbed

How's D.C. driving? This new tool instantly reveals any driver's traffic violations.

A new Twitter bot, How’s My Driving DC, uses license plate numbers to produce a list of unresolved traffic fines and violations on request.
Marissa J. Lang, September 20, 2018, Washington Post

Here's a look at who's using Northern Virginia's 495 and 95 express lanes

The average user is younger than 45 and has a household income of less than $100,000 a year, according to a new survey.
Luz Lazo, September 20, 2018, Washington Post

New bike-share station opens near Mount Vernon Campus

A Capital Bikeshare station equipped with 19 docks was installed last week on MacArthur Boulevard in front of Safeway near the George Washington University's Mount Vernon Campus.
Kelsey Bartlett and Lia DeGroot, September 20, 2018, The GW Hatchet

Auto trade group says ride-sharing won't end individual ownership

NADA is confident a dislike of waiting will keep people buying and driving their own cars for years to come, especially when parking is convenient.
Nate Delesline III, September 19, 2018, The Virginia-Pilot

An unreported fire closed a Metro station a year before a 2016 explosion

An insulator caught fire and filled the Benning Road Metro station with heavy, thick smoke in a previously-unreported incident from August 2015.
Stephen Repetski, September 19,2018, Greater Greater Washington

AAA: Fewer and fewer parking tickets are getting issued around DC

AAA Mid-Atlantic has found that nearly 600,000 fewer citations were issued in the 2017 fiscal year compared with 2011 as more drivers use their smartphones not only to reserve and pay for parking but also to extend their parking time remotely.
Jack Pointer, September 20, 2018, WTOP

Metro's inspector general takes over investigation into flawed Silver Line concrete

In­spec­tor General of­fice will con­duct the probe ex­am­in­ing the con­crete flaws re­vealed in May, when a whistleblower’s law­suit alleging test-doc­tor­ing and ma­nip­u­la­tion of pro­ject ma­teri­als be­came pub­lic.
Faiz Siddiqui and Lori Aratani, September 20, 2018, Washington Post

Fatal crash in Springfield Monday

A 70-year-old woman died Monday afternoon in a crash in Springfield, Va., and officials said speed and weather may have played a role.
Dana Hedgpeth, September 19, 2018, Washington Post

Metro adds temporary bus-tracking displays to Columbia Pike stops

The California-based company Connectpoint announced earlier this month that it’s working with WMATA to install the devices, which will display wait times for various buses, route maps and even alerts about service disruptions.
Alex Koma, September 18, 2018, ARLnow

Developer wants to reduce parking for Clarendon development

The developer looking to transform the Red Top Cab properties in Clarendon into three mixed-use buildings now hopes to cut back on the parking offered on the properties, prompting some worries from neighbors.
Alex Koma, September 18, 2018, ARLnow

Company that supplied faulty concrete still working on Silver Line

“Universal Concrete Products is completing their contract work,” said Charles Stark of Dulles Metro Project. “Right now they’ve still got a few panels to supply.”
Adam Tuss, September 18, 2018, NBC Washington

Concrete panels along Silver Line won't need fixes other than sealant

The additional problems a whistleblower raised about concrete panels framing new Silver Line stations will not require additional fixes beyond a sealant that had already been planned for them due to other production failures, a project official said Tuesday.
Max Smith, September 18, 2018, WTOP

When Silver Line Phase 2 opens, Metro employees probably won't run it

The transit agency issued a request for proposals from private companies willing to handle operations and maintenance for the line segment.
Martine Powers, September 18, 2018, Washington Post

Arlington Memorial Bridge to shut down Sep. 21-24

The closure of a major route into downtown Washington means drivers, pedestrians and cyclists who use the bridge will need to find another way to cross the Potomac River. Officials are also asking boaters to approach the bridge with caution during that closure and avoid the area near its center span.
Lori Aratani, September 13, 2018, Washington Post

Arlington Cemetery expansion could help bicyclists, pedestrians

Southgate Road will close, and Columbia Pike will be realigned further south. The cemetery will get the land where those streets are now, and Columbia Pike will get a fresh design that's hopefully more multimodal.
Gillian Burgess, September 18, 2018, GGW

Photo tour of Richmond's Pulse BRT

On June 24, 2018, the Pulse BRT opened along Richmond's Broad Street corridor. It's the second bus rapid transit line in Virginia, and the first in Richmond.
Dan Malouff, September 18, 2018, GGW

Business leaders warn that inadequate bus system is stifling growth

The region’s bus network possesses valuable assets, including more than 3,800 buses and a growing system of limited-stop service and bus rapid transit lines, but the region hasn’t fully leveraged the potential of the bus system to help solve its transportation challenges, the Greater Washington Partnership said in a report released Tuesday.
Luz Lazo, September 18, 2018, Washington Post

Fatal crash on I-66 Tuesday

The crash happened in the eastbound lanes of I-66 between Chain Bridge Road and Nutley Street.
September 18, 2018, NBC Washington

How to get a free bus ride in Arlington this week

Arlington Transit is letting passengers ride free Sept. 20 as a way to celebrate the transit agency’s 20th anniversary.
Jack Moore, September 17, 2018, WTOP

14th St. Bridge will get better for cyclists

“The 14th Street Bridge connector is a primary route for pedestrians and cyclists to access historic sites, recreational opportunities, and communities in Washington D.C. and Virginia,” says Eliza Voigt, park planner for the National Mall and Memorial Parks at NPS.
September 17, 2018, dcist

Messy Tuesday commute with flooded roads, downed trees

Some parts of the area are under a flash flood watch in the early morning hours. And some commuter trains in the area are delayed or closed because of high water on the tracks.
Dana Hedgpeth, September 18, 2018, Washington Post

Work on Clarendon Circle Rebuild to start next week

Next week, Arlington County will start work on the Clarendon Circle intersection improvement project which will add bike lanes and a queue box to the intersection, along with a host of other improvements.
September 18, 2018, WashCycle

Arlington delivers a bike friendly(er) Ballston

Quincy St. now sports almost a half mile of new, protected bike lanes between Glebe Rd and 9th St. N!
Garrett Hennigan, September 17, 2018, WABA

Americans' commutes keep getting longer

Washington-area residents spent an average of nearly 35 minutes commuting each way in 2017, the Census Bureau reports.
Faiz Siddiqui, September 17, 2018, Washington Post

Montgomery County Bicycle Plan costs are overstated

The planning board estimates the fiscal impact of the bicycle plan at less than $1.9 billion.
September 17, 2018, WashCycle

Bicyclist killed by driver in Lanham

The crash happened around 10:05 p.m. on Annapolis Road when a car and a bicycle crashed for reasons unknown.
Arielle Buchmann, September 17, 2018, WUSA9

A look at Metro's collisions, derailments, injury rate

Metro averaged one rail collision and one derailment each month of the year ending June 30, fewer than the same period a year earlier.
Max Smith, September 17, 2018, WTOP

Will a free burrito get you to go car-free this week?

A regionwide effort to get you out of your car this week includes incentives such as raffle prizes, giveaways and buy-one-get-one free burritos.
Kristi King, September 17, 2018

Park Service volunteers push back

Volunteers who have donated thousands of hours of their time to the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park have been walking off the job in response to what they describe as a hostile and unsafe work environment that the National Park Service has done little to fix.
Marissa J. Lang, September 16, 2018, Washington Post

Milllenials are abandoning Metro

Just as a new Metro study points to poor service as the key cause of its faltering ridership, an outside analysis paints a profile of the commuters most likely to abandon the system: millennials, the generation said to be killing everything from homeownership to driving to, uh, mayonnaise.
Faiz Siddiqui, September 15, 2018, Washington Post

Fewer smoke incidents on Metro

Overall, Metro’s fiscal year 2018 performance report covering July 2017 through the end of June 2018 lists 82 smoke or fire incidents compared to 98 in the same period a year earlier.
Max Smith, September 14, 2018, WTOP

As Purple Line construction ramps up, so do disruptions and complaints

While train tracks won’t appear until early 2020, the $2.4 billion project is in full swing throughout parts of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
Katherine Shaver, September 13, 2018, Washington Post

Fake labels on electrical parts used in Metro car maintenance

The middle-aged rail cars Metro is phasing out due to poor performance have had potentially fraudulent parts installed on them for years.
Max Smith, September 14, 2018, WTOP

Security of public Metro web apps in question

Metro could do more to protect personal information stored in or accessible through web apps like SmarTrip and other agency databases, a new Metro Office of Inspector General report found.
Max Smith, September 13, 2018, WTOP

D.C. reaches five percent bike commute share

Unfortunately, driving in DC rose for the first time in a few years, from 38.1% to 39.6%; walking dropped again, to 12.7% from 13.7% and transit use was down.
September 14, 2018, WashCycle

Tips for bicycling in the rain

A few practical riding tips will make sure that you end up at your destination damp but happy.
Daniel Hoagland, September 12, 2018, WABA

Fatal crash in D.C. Wednesday

The D.C. Fire Department says the single vehicle crash happened at 18th and P Streets, SE and they were called to the scene at around 8:35 p.m.
Stephen Pimpo Jr., September 13, 2018, WJLA

Metro considers charging more during major events

Metro could charge riders more to ride on weekends or holidays when the rail system runs extra service to carry large crowds.
Max Smith, September 13, 2018, WTOP

Metro will update 7000-series cars for blind riders by May

FTA had previously requested Metro complete modifications to its newest rail cars by the end of 2018. Blind passengers have had trouble navigating the 7000 cars and accidents this year have injured at least one rider.
Gordon Chaffin, September 12, 2018, DC Commute Times

Pop-up protected bike lane will appear in Park View next week

The lane will be in Park View, just west of MedStar Washington Hospital Center. The area is a hub for heavy car traffic on Irving Street NW and Michigan Avenue NW.
Andrew Giambrone, September 12, 2018, Curbed

Fatal crash in Upper Marlboro Wednesday

A Silver Spring, Maryland, man is dead after an early-morning head-on crash Wednesday morning in Prince George’s County.
Jack Moore, September 12, 2018, WTOP

House plans hearings on progress of PTC

On the 10th anniversary of a head-on crash that killed 25, Congress wants an update on its mandate to eliminate human error by train engineers.
Ashley Halsey III, September 12, 2018, Washington Post

DDOT to host Crosstown Protected Bike Lane pop-up event

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will install a temporary installation of the Crosstown Protected Bike Lane along Kenyon Street NW from September 19-21, 2018.
September 11, 2018, DDOT

D.C. declares state of emergency for Hurricane Florence

D.C. joins Virginia and Maryland in having declared a state of emergency.
Andrew Giambrone, September 11, 2018, Curbed

Florence could impact area roads, transit

The Washington region is preparing for the potential of torrential rain and winds strong enough to bring down trees and power lines as Hurricane Florence approaches the area.
Luz Lazo, September 11, 2018, Washington Post

Metro's soaring pension costs threaten future service, federal report says

Metro’s rising pension costs threaten its future operating position, potentially hampering its ability to provide service if the agency fails to rein in unfunded retirement and health-care liabilities, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office released Monday.
Faiz Siddiqui, Robert McCartney, September 10, 2018, Washington Post

Most crash-prone stretch of Beltway

A review of fender benders, side-swipes and pile-ups recorded via the WTOP Traffic Center's incident database over the past years shows where and when Beltway crashes are most likely to happen.
Dave Dildine, September 11, 2018, WTOP

Driver Alcohol Detection System tested in Va.

There are already sensors to help drivers park cars and safely change lanes. Now, a new sensor being tested in Virginia aims to stop drunken drivers from getting on the road.
Mike Murillo, September 10, 2018, WTOP

Trains canceled, airlines waiving fees as East Coast braces for Hurricane Florence

Am­trak said Mon­day it is canceling serv­ice to points south of Washington start­ing Wednes­day and through the week­end.
Luz Lazo, September 10, 2018, Washington Post

NPS closes Hains Point due to potential for flooding

It’s unclear when the area will reopen, particularly as forecasts for Hurricane Florence show the storm intensifying as it heads toward the East Coast and likely to drop multiple inches of rain on the mid-Atlantic region in just a few days.
Andrew Giambrone, September 10, 2018, Curbed

Contractor selected for Potomac Yard Metro Station

Metro (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) and the City of Alexandria have announced that Metro today selected Potomac Yard Constructors as the prime construction contractor for the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station.
September 10, 2018, WMATA

Loudoun offers free bus rides to Metro for Try Transit Week

During the week of Sept. 17 through 21, Loudoun County Transit is offering free rides on all buses that provide connections to Metrorail stations.
Joseph Dill, September 8, 2018, Loudoun Tribune

Arlington Boulevard Trail could still be the next big thing

As GGW wrote at the time, the trail has some good parts, and some simple to fix parts and then some expensive to fix parts.
September 10, 2018, WashCycle

Flooding hits parts of Alexandria

Officials said they will be giving out sandbags Monday, starting at 7:30 a.m., at King and Lee streets in Old Town.
Dana Hedgpeth, September 10, 2018, Washington Post

See Dulles airport's new facial recognition system in action

Dulles airport is using new facial recognition technology to make sure passengers on international flights are really who they claim to be.
Mike Murillo, September 10, 2018, WTOP

Next steps in Metro bus system overhaul

A presentation on Metro’s “Bus Transformation Project” outlines a strategy meant to respond to changes from decreased ridership due to Metrorail track work to changes in where people live and work.
Max Smith, September 10, 2018, WTOP

Memorial Bridge closure scheduled for Sep. 14-17

All six lanes and both sidewalks of Arlington Memorial Bridge will be closed from 7 pm Friday, Sept. 14 to 5 am on Monday, Sept. 17, forcing motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to seek alternate ways to cross the Potomac River, according to the National Park Service.
Jeff Wong, September 9, 2018, DC Commute Times

Consultant tells Metro what riders already know

Chronic service disruptions, such as those caused by track work and station closures, drive riders away, according to a consultant’s report.
Faiz Siddiqui, September 8, 2018, Washington Post

Mobile Commuter Store will no longer serve Pentagon Metro

With the opening of a new Commuter Store location at Pentagon Metro, the Mobile Commuter Store will no longer have regularly-scheduled stops there. The new Commuter Store is on the upper level, near bus bays 8 and 9, in the space formerly occupied by the Metro sales office.

New Commuter Store opens at Pentagon Metro

The Commuter Store has a new location, at Pentagon Metro station, 2 S. Rotary Road, Arlington VA 22202. The new store is in the upper level bus bay area, near bays 8 and 9, in the space formerly occupied by the Metro Sales Office.
September 5, 2018, Commuter Store

'Car-Free Days' Coming in September

Washington-area residents will be encouraged to ditch their cars and find other ways to get around in September, as part of a two-day “car-free” event.
Tim Lemke, July 17, 2018, DC Commute Times