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
December 19, 2012
Maintenance of existing system and increased capacity to support future growth cited by TPB as critical needs for increased funding. (Video clips included)
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News
December 11, 2012
Travelers in the Washington region will face considerably more roadway and transit congestion in coming decades if current planning and funding trajectories are...
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News
October 9, 2012
NOTE: The information in this article was accurate as of the date of publication. Specific details about routing and scheduling may have changed slightly since...
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News
September 25, 2012
More express and local transit buses that operate on the region's highways could eventually, in select locations and under certain traffic conditions, be...
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News
August 21, 2012
Carpool to the game. Ride Metro to a museum. Bike or walk to the grocery store. Combine errands. These are just a few of the ways that organizers of the...