DMVMoves

In bringing these two boards together, we are creating a historic and crucial opportunity for leaders across the DC region to develop a shared vision and path forward. It’s not just for how the more than a dozen rail and bus systems can align transit needs across the District, Maryland, and Virginia, but also how we can collectively meet the challenge of sustainable and dedicated funding. WMATA plays a central role in the region’s growth and success, and our new effort will bring together our key decision makers to ensure great transit makes the metropolitan Washington area the premiere region for people to live and work, and for businesses large and small to set up shop.

Public transportation in the DMV benefits every segment of our region – residents, visitors, employees, employers, students, and more. We owe our communities the continued economic opportunity and environmental sustainability that comes from robust transit options. DMVMoves is our region’s roadmap to unifying, optimizing, and delivering the world-class transit network people expect and deserve. The future is now, and we must commit to investment, innovation, and a plan.

We need a best-in-class, fully integrated regional public transit system to remain globally competitive and meet the current and future needs of our residents and communities. We are excited to see regional stakeholders joining in a serious effort to develop and implement the strategies needed to meet these aspirations. This is an historic opportunity to ensure the long-term viability of our critical transit assets and it’s up to us to get the job done.

The most economically vibrant and competitive regions are those with seamless, connected transportation networks that provide residents and employees robust access to jobs, opportunities, and upward mobility. We look forward to partnering with regional leaders at COG and WMATA to maximize this opportunity for our region to rethink its transit system and create a more sustainable, equitable and innovative mobility network that enhances quality of life and matches our regional economic ambitions.

The vitality of our communities hinges on the strength of our transit systems. I am thrilled to join COG and WMATA’s new regional transit task force, recognizing the pivotal role of collaboration in shaping the future of public transit in our region. By uniting our efforts, we can craft a vision that not only addresses immediate challenges but also lays the foundation for sustainable, equitable, and efficient transit solutions for generations to come.

In Northern Virginia, transit generates over $1.5 billion in revenue for the Commonwealth. It is critical regional leaders work together to identify a sustainable path forward for our entire transit network, which is critical to our region’s economy and our quality of life.

This effort represents a major step forward for regional collaboration. For years, the TPB has drawn attention to how central transit is to meeting our broader transportation and environmental goals, and I am excited to join area leaders taking a holistic approach and committing to identifying the long-term strategies to shape a truly world-class network that reliably and safely serves residents, visitors and businesses.

Transit is a right and working class people, be they transit workers or the riding public, deserve a network that is extensive, just, and reliable. We need our representatives to treat it as such, finally giving it robust dedicated funding, enacting sensible planning, and keeping working people at the forefront. Local 689 members are proud to run world-class service that is the envy of the nation. Our leaders must not treat it as a mid-tier priority.

The Coalition for Smarter Growth welcomes the opportunity to contribute to creating a world-class transit vision for the Metropolitan Washington region. COG and local elected officials have long committed to a vision of a network of transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for our region to grow. We must prioritize an interconnected, frequent, and accessible transit network to support this vision. World-class transit will not only shape sustainable development, it will reduce household transportation costs, help our road network function, increase access to jobs and opportunity, enhance our economic competitiveness, and reduce our climate pollution.