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Metro GM on possible new ‘Gold Line,’ Stadium-Armory improvements, bus fares

[audio mp3="https://wtop.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/nia_-clarke-audio-2_otter_ai.mp3" hide_author="true" title="WTOP's Nick Iannelli spoke with Metro CEO and General Manager Randy Clarke about upcoming plans for the transit agency." hide_date="true"][/audio]

Big changes are coming to two very different aspects of Metro’s system.

On buses, boarding riders will soon be greeted by the operator, who will now be directed to remind riders about the fare. Earlier this week, Metro said nearly seven in 10 bus riders still aren’t paying, costing the system tens of millions of dollars.

On the rails, the transit agency is planning large-scale improvements to the Stadium-Armory station ahead of the 2030 opening of the Washington Commanders stadium.

The system also has aspirations to establish a new “Gold Line” — a dedicated bus rapid transit line running from Union Station to the RFK campus.

WTOP’s Nick Iannelli spoke with Metro CEO and General Manager Randy Clarke about all these plans.

This Q&A was assembled from a portion of WTOP’s interview with Clarke discussing a wide range of topics surrounding Metro.

How Metro’s summer Red Line shutdown will affect commuters on Rockville Pike, Wisconsin Avenue

Metro's closure of three Red Line rail stations this summer will mean extra traffic on congested Maryland Route 355. WTOP checked out dedicated bus lanes Monday morning, which have been installed to keep shuttle buses moving during Metrorail's summer shutdown. From July 6 through Sept. 6, Metro will be doing major construction at three stations, which will be closed to the public and will not be served by Metrorail: Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center and Bethesda.
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