NVTC ENDORSES BOLD RECOMMENDATIONS TO STABILIZE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT
If enacted into law, recommendations will end the boom-and-bust cycle for public transit funding
Arlington, Va. - The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission endorsed two bold efforts to protect the region's public transit network from financial insecurity and ensure that Northern Virginia's 2.1 million weekly riders will enjoy safe and reliable transit for years to come.
The Commission backed the recommendations of the General Assembly's SJ 28 Northern Virginia Growing Needs of Public Transit Joint Subcommittee and DMVMoves, the task force convened by Metro and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, during its November meeting.
NVTC worked closely with the two committees as they each spent nearly two years studying ways to establish long-term sustainable funding for public transit in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Greater Washington region, reaching thoughtful conclusions about fiscally responsible ways to maintain the current transit network and lay out a framework for improvements in bus and train service.
NVTC supports recommendations to:
- Prioritize sustainable and growing revenues to meet Virginia's $153 million Metro operating subsidy need starting in FY 2027.
- Fund the $400 million a year and growing FY 2028 need for Metro, Virginia Railway Express and the bus systems within the NVTC and Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) districts using existing funding structures, while creating new regional funds. (Including the $153 million needed in FY 2027.)
- Support bus priority implementation along high-priority corridors to improve bus speeds and reliability for riders and lower long-term operating costs.
The recommendations are intended to guide new legislation in the 2026 Virginia General Assembly Session, set to begin in January.
"The work of the Northern Virginia Growing Needs of Public Transit Joint Subcommittee and DMVMoves has the potential to be transformational for public transit in Northern Virginia, ending the boom-and-bust cycle of funding for operating, maintaining and constructing the region's transit system," said NVTC Chair David F. Snyder. "If implemented, these recommendations will provide much needed stability for the cities and counties of Northern Virginia that provide annual financial commitments to Metro, VRE and the local bus systems. Sustainable funding for public transit also means more options for commuters, reducing traffic congestion and benefitting the environment by limiting greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to working with members of the General Assembly to guide these recommendations into law next year."
NVTC's Commissioners also thank the elected officials and staff who dedicated their time to both committees to produce these detailed recommendations.
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