PUBLIC TRANSIT
Our Commitment
Reducing carbon pollution and traffic by funding public transit options.
THE ISSUE
Virginia needs a cleaner, more equitable public transit system. For decades, funds have primarily gone to road projects to the detriment of safer, healthier, and greener choices. As a result, transportation is Virginia’s largest source of carbon pollution and there are few alternatives to driving, especially in under-resourced communities. Despite some recent progress, transportation planning and funding continues to focus heavily on highway expansion and construction. Virginia must support the development of public transportation to improve the speed, frequency, and reliability of service; extend service to new places; modernize stations, further reduce their environmental impact, and improve multimodal connections to them.
New Laws: Better Bus Stops to Increase Ridership
On July 1st, all bills from the 2024 General Assembly session became law in Virginia, including one that streamlines the process for improving bus stops. This law allows local building officials to review and approve plans for bus shelters, benches, and sidewalks.
First Draft of Transportation’s Six-Year Improvement Program Plan
The Virginia Department of Transportation and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation recently shared their Six-Year Improvement Program (SYIP) draft plans with the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
Bill of the Day: Better Bus Stops
Virginia must continue to invest in transportation infrastructure to provide Virginians with a comfortable, convenient, and safe access to public transit.
Land Use & Transportation Policy: 2023 General Assembly Review
Policies to defend Clean Car Standards, make streets safer for people who walk and bike, and support public transit funding.
Full Steam Ahead: Expanding Passenger Rail Service Across the State
Spanning across the entire state, the Commonwealth Corridor east-west railway would speed rail travel, slash travel time, and connect Virginia's people and resources from western Virginia all the way to the beach!
10 Key Findings for Modern, Equitable Transit
Our public transit systems are severely underfunded, leaving many Virginians with few or unsafe options for moving around their communities without a car.
RESOURCES
Transportation Equity Dashboard
TransitCenter recently updated their Transportation Equity Dashboard, a tool which tracks how well transit connects people to opportunities in the seven regions with the largest transit systems, including Washington, D.C..
Report: Virginia Passenger Rail
A comprehensive examination of the current state of passenger rail in Virginia and a roadmap for its expansion and enhancement.
DASH Free Fares Program Annual Report
In the first year of the public transit free fares program, DASH saw tremendous success by nearly every performance metric.
Transit Equity and Modernization Study Summary
See Chesapeake Climate Action Network's summary of the Transit Equity and Modernization Study here.
2021 State of Transit Report
See RVA Rapid Transit's 2021 State of Transit Report here.
Virginia Transit Tool
The Community Climate Collaborative released their Virginia Transit Tool, which provides data and metrics that support community efforts to organize and advocate for better transit and contribute to an improved environment.