Leaders in the D.C. area are grappling with the complexities of enhancing collaboration between the region’s diverse bus systems, with consensus proving elusive.
The DMV Moves task force has already ruled out the option of merging all local bus systems. Instead, the task force is focusing on how to improve cooperation across the systems, including with Metrobus.
Nick Donohue, who is facilitating the DMV Moves initiative, acknowledged the challenges that come with building agreement on transit issues. He stated, “We are trying our best to build consensus … [but] dealing with these issues is difficult.”
DMV Moves, a joint effort between the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), was launched last year. Its mission is to identify sustainable operational and funding models to enhance transit networks in the region, encompassing both bus and rail.
During the task force’s latest meeting on May 16, members deliberated on a proposed regional bus priority fund aimed at centralizing financial resources for the development and maintenance of high-frequency bus lines that span across jurisdictional boundaries.
The approach outlined by Donohue includes the formation of a panel responsible for developing a 10-year plan, which would use local funding commitments to issue bonds. However, opinions varied on the proposed model.
Charles Allen, a member of the D.C. City Council and co-chair of the DMV Moves panel, expressed reservations about granting a new body decision-making authority. He appreciated the prospect of regional cooperation on planning and procurement, but emphasized, “It gives me pause.”
Sharon Kershbaum, D.C.’s transportation director, echoed Allen’s sentiment. While she acknowledged that coordination is beneficial, she questioned the added value of empowering a new body with greater authority.
The overarching goal for transportation planners is to enhance the network of high-frequency bus routes across the D.C. metro area, defined as routes where buses operate every 12 minutes or less.
High-frequency lines are currently in place locally along major corridors such as Route 1, Route 7, and Columbia Pike.
Challenges arise on such routes due to congested traffic, often resulting in buses running closely together rather than at desired intervals to maximize ridership. For instance, the high-frequency 28A route, which runs between Tysons and Alexandria, often sees buses closely tailing one another despite the intended spacing.
According to Tom Webster, WMATA’s executive vice president and chief planning and performance officer, heavy traffic directly affects bus ridership. He noted, “When buses get stuck in traffic, riders are less likely to use them.”
Transportation planners emphasized the importance of increasing high-frequency bus service that crosses jurisdictional lines and the Potomac River. Several members of the DMV Moves task force pointed out that building a more frequent and reliable cross-jurisdictional service could attract new riders.
“A safe, reliable and a more seamless network is essential,” Allen stated.
Some positive developments are taking place in this regard, such as the launch of new Fairfax Connector service between Tysons and Bethesda, which is timed ahead of the anticipated late-2025 opening of extended toll lanes on I-495. Nonetheless, the absence of dedicated bus lanes means that travel times remain vulnerable to traffic fluctuations around the American Legion Bridge.
The potential costs of creating a regionwide bus network remain unclear, although during the task force’s discussions, an informal estimate of an additional $70 million annually on top of existing funding was suggested. Webster reassured members that the benefits in the long term would outweigh these costs, asserting, “There’s really an opportunity here to invest.”
As localities pursue bus rapid transit (BRT) projects, which often necessitate dedicated lanes and specific features, funding becomes a significant barrier. For instance, the anticipated BRT project along Route 7 spanning from Tysons to Alexandria is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, while a proposal for BRT along Route 1 could reach nearly a billion dollars.
Efforts in Virginia aim to link the Route 7 and Route 1 BRT lines through the West End Transitway in Alexandria and the Metroway in Arlington. However, projects requiring coordination across state lines—particularly between Maryland and Virginia or Virginia and D.C.—face increased complexity.
As Sarah Kline, a transportation research consultant representing the federal government on the WMATA board of directors, remarked, “We currently just don’t have the mechanisms in place to deliver the priority network we need at the speed at which we need it.”
Simultaneously, Kline raised concerns surrounding the implications of assigning broad authority to a new panel for planning and financial decisions. “I share the questions about who manages it, where the money is allocated,” she emphasized.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay urged regional leaders to dismantle existing barriers between jurisdictions, asserting, “We absolutely need to come up with a system.” He called for the establishment of a common policy to guide bus priority across jurisdictional borders but expressed hesitance regarding the potential loss of control over the Fairfax Connector, the largest local bus network in Northern Virginia, which is managed by the private contractor Transdev.
Tracy Hadden Loh, a representative of D.C. on the WMATA board, indicated that any collaboration should be “right-sized” to alleviate resistance from individual jurisdictions while still promoting the overall initiative. She noted, “Improvements are not going to get done as long as each jurisdiction is acting on its own.”
Some task force members suggested that it might be wiser to postpone further action until there is a more in-depth discussion about financing transit upgrades later this year.
“I think that’s a January discussion, not a ‘now’ discussion,” indicated Matt de Ferranti, a member of the Arlington County Board.
Allen proposed temporarily delegating the task of fleshing out operational mechanics for a regional coordinating body to COG’s regional Transportation Planning Board.
This conversation takes place against a backdrop of local leaders facing uncertainties regarding the economy and the potential future of federal transit funding amid changing political landscapes.
Loudoun County Board Chair Randall pointed out, “We have no idea what we’re going to be looking at in the next 5 to 10 to 20 years. The federal money right now is not always reliable.”
Despite these concerns, WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke relayed that there have yet to be any disruptions to federal funding streams. “We’ve seen no impacts yet,” he stated. “Not to say we could not have problems, but we have not seen them yet.”
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