The DMVMoves Task Force – a Washington D.C. coalition creating a vision for the region’s public transit future – recently made recommendations to invest $460 million in capital projects and unify the National Capital Region.
The recommended actions were recently endorsed by collaborating members of the task force, including the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG), the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC). The task force’s vision revolves around a series of actions to promote better coordination and integration between the region’s 14 transit operators to improve the ridership experience and enhance public transit accessibility.
The most prominent component of the recommendations was to provide Metro with $460 million for capital projects starting in 2028. WMATA would use the funds to modernize the Metrorail and bus systems using a 25-year investment framework to guide and inform the decision-making process. Additional plans would include:
- Repairing, maintaining and modernizing operations with updated assets, technologies and systems.
- Modernizing rail networks with up to date signaling, fleet upgrades and platform screen doors.
- Enhancing the bus network to provide frequent, reliable 24/7 service to address regional travel needs based on bus priority.
- Outlining transit agency funding needs to achieve goals.
- Identifying changes to policy and additional actions needed to optimize service delivery and coordination.
- Promoting priority corridors for bus priority investment.
To sustain these efforts, the task force recommended that the program be unencumbered and grow by 3% annually to account for growing costs and to ensure the regional network can maintain operational sufficiency.
The funding secured through this method would supplement capital maintenance, repair and modernization efforts for the system’s public transit facilities and vehicles. In addition, a bond program would be established to support long-term investments and sustainability, including Virginia’s $153 million operating subsidy need for WMATA beginning in Fiscal Year 2027.
Once enacted, the recommendations would transform regional commuter rail and bus service, providing all participating authorities with the foundation needed to connect riders with safe, fast, affordable and reliable transit. With the endorsement, the DMVMoves Task Force will begin regional advocacy to enact the funding through state legislatures during the 2026 D.C. Council, Maryland and Virginia sessions.
Photo by Erik Mclean from Pexels
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