<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3bAunq_0vjemBae00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3bAunq_0vjemBae00" width="1600" height="1200" ><figcaption>A train at the Vienna Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)</figcaption></figure>More than 80% of people surveyed in the National Capital Region said they “support more and better transit services, even if it requires higher investment by the region,” according to a survey conducted by two advisory groups associated with a regional task group’s effort to create a new funding plan for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro).Under a proposed funding plan known as Scenario 1, the advisory groups said the region would have to generate an additional $645 million to cover all the transit agencies in fiscal year 2028, with 70% of the funds for capital investments.According to Scenario 2, the region would need to raise $835 million. The figures are based on assumptions for future inflation, project costs, regional ridership growth and sustained commitments from funding jurisdictions.However, how Virginia would meet those possibilities is uncertain. Earlier this year, the state legislature allocated $144.7 million in funding to pay for Metro’s $750 million shortfall with the General Fund, which can vary based on the amounts of tax collections.The commonwealth commonly supports areas of transportation from its non-General Fund.“Whether we can continue that General Fund support is unknown because it’s a little unprecedented,” Del. Mark Sickles, D-Arlington, told The Mercury on Monday. Sickles, a member of the task force, was involved in Virginia’s final budget discussions this year.Lawmakers and leaders from around the region gathered at Metro’s office in New Carrollton Monday to hear the recommendations from two advisory groups representing the area’s community organizations and governments to meet the goal of developing “stronger coordination” among the 14 different transit systems, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) said in a statement.In May, Metro and MWCOG launched a joint initiative known as DMVMoves, dedicated to creating a “unified vision” for transit service in the metro region that encompasses part of Virginia after Metro’s financial challenges to maintain services surfaced during the most recent budget season.Metro is supported by ridership and fare revenue, which has steadily increased since the pandemic when travelers stayed home. The agency also receives contributions from localities, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, who serves on the task force, said the goal is to develop a regional funding solution so Metro has a sustainable, long-term revenue source. He said this would help minimize the budget negotiations in the commonwealth, which occur every few years.“It just seems like every six or seven years Metro has another funding crisis because our region has punted on a permanent solution down the field another 70 yards instead of dealing with it head-on,” Surovell said after the meeting.Under Scenario 1, the least expensive option, the plan focuses on all providers maintaining the existing service and limiting capital investments to keep the transit system efficient and reliable with repairs and maintenance.Scenario 2 would be in addition to Scenario 1, plus improve services by supporting Maryland’s MARC Train and Maryland Transit Administration, or MTA, commuter bus, as well as fund increases for local bus services, optimize Metrorail service by increasing service frequency, using 8-car trains, and expanding weekend operating hours.The scenario also includes implementing the first phase of the Better Bus Visionary Network, which is Metro’s commitment to improving service and connections using the existing resources.The task force will be briefed on the two remaining scenarios, which focus on expansion, maximizing service, and modernizing assets, at the Nov. 14 meeting.Some potential ideas for localities to consider when creating new public revenues include taxes, collecting revenue from assessments, real estate transfers, and vehicle registration fees.According to transit leaders, determining how revenue would be collected from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia is still challenging since each jurisdiction has its own funding mechanism and operates its budgets differently.Representatives from the community and government advisory groups also suggested the task force consider several suggestions to improve the transit service.Some of these included integrating and aligning fare policies to provide consistent customer experience, improving wayfinding, customer information and amenities at transit stops, and exploring shared use of resources and assets and grouped procurements.The task force is expected to vote on the group’s recommendations Nov. 14.An area not included in the list of recommendations was the idea of consolidating Northern Virginia’s bus services with Metro, something some Virginia leaders vocally supported.Surovell said he did not have to travel on multiple transit systems when he traveled out of the country and visited different cities.“You buy one ticket, and you go from one train, one bus, and whatever, and it’s simple,” he said, adding, “It strikes me that one solution to having a better functioning system is one system.”Phyllis Randall, chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, added, “I think when people are trying to move throughout this area, if you want to go from Loudoun to Alexandria, you don’t want to have to go on three different bus systems to do that.”Loudoun County operates a bus service for commuters around the county and to other parts of Northern Virginia and Washington.Simultaneously, as the task force is working to develop a model, state leaders in Virginia are meeting to study the growing transit needs in Northern Virginia studying sustainable, dedicated operations and capital funding for Metro.State leaders will hear several presentations on short–and long-term needs for transit agencies, trends and funding ideas.This article was reported and written by the Virginia Mercury, and has been reprinted under a Creative Commons license.</div></body>

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Virginia weighs in as Metro area task force considers solutions to support region’s transit network

More than 80% of people surveyed in the National Capital Region said they “support more and better transit services, even if it requires higher investment by the region,” according to a survey conducted by two advisory groups associated with a regional task group’s effort to create a new funding plan for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro).