The region's extensive highway and road network forms the backbone of its transportation system. Every day, millions of people travel by car or truck to access jobs, schools, and medical care, as well as shopping, entertainment, and recreational opportunities. Roads also carry the majority of goods deliveries to homes, schools, businesses, and stores in the region.
The region also boasts one of the premier public transit systems in the country. Metro moves hundreds of thousands of people—commuters, students, and tourists—each work day. Commuter railroads in Maryland and Virginia and dozens of local bus and other transit providers move many thousands more. Together, these transit services play a critical role in sustaining economic vitality, serving the needs of low-income and other disadvantaged populations, providing high-quality alternatives to driving, building communities, and reducing environmental impacts.
COG and the TPB lead numerous efforts to monitor and manage traffic on area roadways, promote highway and traffic safety, forecast future travel demands, and coordinate long-term planning of roadway improvements. In addition, COG and the TPB analyze regional ridership trends and forecasts, coordinate long-term planning of major transit improvements, and organize programs to promote greater use of transit as a commute alternative. COG and the TPB also bring transit operators together from around the region to share best practices for improving short-term operations and to highlight long-term funding needs.
News & Multimedia
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News
October 20, 2015
In October, U.S. Representative Barbara Comstock (VA-10) briefed the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors on her vision for...
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News
September 2, 2015
Metro, in partnership with Complete Coach Works (CCW), and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), hosted a demonstration on August 24 of a...
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News
July 23, 2015
Metro, with support of the COG Fire Chiefs Committee, announced the addition of a full-time fire/rescue liaison in its Rail Operations Control Center. The...
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March 31, 2015
Every afternoon, more than 200 commuter buses ferry office workers from downtown Washington and major job centers in Arlington County to their homes in suburban...
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News
March 3, 2015
NOTE: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that a majority of public comments received on the I-66 proposal sought more details and greater...