Regional Leaders Endorse Increased WMATA Funding
2/23/2026
Leaders in Virginia and Maryland endorsed recommendations from DMVMoves to increase regional funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA/Metro). Formed in 2024, DMVMoves proposed to increase WMATA/Metro’s annual capital budget by $460 million and to index the new funding to grow at 3 percent annually.
Local support came from Virginia leaders in Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, and Manassas. In Maryland, endorsement came from leaders in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and the cities of College Park, Greenbelt, and Rockville.
“We appreciate Virginia and Maryland leaders’ collective show of support to ensure America’s Metro system continues to deliver the world-class service our region deserves,” said WMATA/Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke. “I am confident with this new dedicated funding indexed to grow, we will continue to deliver the service this region deserves.”
The funding plan is the result of efforts by the DMVMoves Task Force, an initiative that brings together board officials from WMATA/Metro and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments as well as advisory groups representing area jurisdictions, transit service providers and agencies, and business, labor, and community organizations. Its focus is on addressing long-term transit needs and funding challenges as well as better integrating the region’s 14 transit operators.
“The unanimous endorsements of DMVMoves by our local governments in Maryland and Virginia send a clear signal that Metro and our entire network of transit systems are central to our region’s success and quality of life,” said Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Executive Director Clark Mercer. “We are committed to working with our members and partners to secure the new funding investment and implement all the recommendations to ensure a seamless, integrated, world-class transit network.”
Regional jurisdictions are now working through their governing bodies to identify how to advance the DMVMoves recommended capital funding investment.