COG and Metro boards endorse plan to provide $460M to modernize Metro, transform regional transit

Today, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) boards jointly endorsed recommendations from the DMVMoves Task Force and called on regional leaders to advance funding solutions to support Metro’s long-term modernization and strengthen coordination among the region’s 14 transit operators, including Metro, MARC, VRE, and local bus systems.

The recommendations outline a unified regional vision for a modern, seamless, and world-class transit network that supports economic growth, efficiency, and safe, reliable access across the National Capital Region. A key proposal includes $460 million in new annual capital funding for Metro, beginning in Fiscal Year 2028. This investment would allow Metro to reinvest in and modernize its bus and rail system.

“This is a pivotal moment for our region,” said Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke, “A reliable and well-funded Metro system is essential to our region’s economic vitality. These recommendations provide a roadmap to modernize our transportation network, deliver safer and more reliable service, and ensure Metro continues to connect people to opportunities for generations to come.”

In addition to the new capital funding for Metro, the Task Force recommended a set of actions to make transit more efficient and easier to use across the regional network of Metro, commuter rail, and local bus. These actions include implementing bus priority projects along high-priority corridors to improve bus speeds and reliability for riders and lower long-term operating costs, integrating fare policies, such as consistent discounts for low-income riders and free fares for children, and improving customer information, like standard bus stop designs.

“The DMVMoves plan is a major milestone for our region, but it isn’t an end point,” said COG Executive Director Clark Mercer. “Our region has produced some great plans in the past whose goals were not fully achieved. This time, COG, Metro, and our partners have outlined the path forward to ensure these recommendations are implemented and that we hold ourselves accountable to delivering our shared vision for world-class transit.”

In endorsing the investment plan for Metro, the DMVMoves Task Force recommended that the funding should be unencumbered and grow by 3 percent annually to ensure the system’s long-term financial stability. If secured, the funding would ensure:

• Ongoing repair, maintenance, and modernization of assets, systems, and technologies;
• Deployment of rail modernization—modern signaling, compatible fleet upgrades, and selective platform screen doors—to improve safety, reliability, capacity, and efficiency;
• The creation of a sustainable bond program to support long-term investments, maintain the system’s state of good repair, and strengthen overall financial stability.

“The DMVMoves Task Force has shown what’s possible when our region comes together to plan for the future,” said Rodney Lusk, COG Board of Directors Chair and a Fairfax County Supervisor. “Transit propels our region’s economy forward, and this collaboration is a clear call to action. We must move forward together to secure a sustainable future for everyone who depends on Metro and our entire transit network.”

“Our region’s prosperity depends on having a safe, resilient, and reliable Metro—the world-class transit system our communities deserve,” said Metro Board Chair Valerie Santos. “Together, the COG and Metro boards support the vision articulated in the DMVMoves plan and urge our regional and state partners to work together to secure the sustainable, dedicated funding necessary to make that vision a reality for our Washington metropolitan area.”

Following today’s joint endorsement, regional advocacy will begin to seek the enactment of funding legislation by the DC Council and the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures.

DMVMoves was created in May 2024 by the Boards of Directors of COG and Metro to create a unified vision and sustainable funding model for the region’s transit network. This unprecedented regional effort was led by a task force of officials appointed by COG and Metro and chaired by COG Board Vice Chair and DC Councilmember Charles Allen and Metro Board Vice Chair Paul Smedberg. It was also supported by two advisory groups representing government and community partners, chaired by Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill and Greater Washington Board of Trade President and CEO Jack McDougle respectively.

About COG

The Council of Governments is an independent, nonprofit association where area leaders address regional issues affecting the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

About Metro

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), known as Metro, is the region’s leading public transportation provider, serving a population of approximately four million people across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia within a 2,054-square-mile jurisdiction. With a network of six rail lines, 98 stations, 125 bus routes, and a door-to-door paratransit service, Metro is the second busiest transit system in the United States with a $5 billion operating and capital budget.

Since 2022, Metro has completed multiple transit-oriented development projects that have brought $15 million in tax revenue to the region from housing, office, and retail space in our community. Safety and security are a priority at Metro. Over 30,000 cameras monitor the system, and Metro is currently at an 8-year crime low with fare evasion down 82%. 

In 2025, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) named Metro the Transit Agency of the Year in recognition of industry-leading ridership growth, record high customer satisfaction, a newly redesigned Bus network, expanded rail service, and improved customer experience