Feb. 2026 NVTA Update

Travel Trends - Data Behind How NoVA Moves

NEW at NVTA: NoVA Travel Trends Dashboard! Discover how people are moving across the region with interactive visuals highlighting traffic volumes, travel time reliability and transit ridership throughout Northern Virginia.

Celebrating Leadership During Black History Month:

NVTA CEO Monica Backmon Honored

This Black History Month, we proudly recognize CEO Monica Backmon for her outstanding contributions to transportation and the community.

◆ 2026 Virginia Black Business Leader – Named by Virginia Business, this award honors leaders driving growth, innovation and opportunity across the Commonwealth. Monica is among 29 honorees celebrated for her career achievements, mentorship and community impact.

◆ Woman in the Spotlight – Recognized by the National Association of Black Women in Construction (NABWIC), Monica was highlighted as a trailblazer in the transit industry during the NABWIC 2026 Billion Dollar Luncheon. NABWIC champions strategic business opportunities to strengthen communities.

Monica’s leadership exemplifies the values and vision celebrated this month: inspiring growth, equity and opportunity across Northern Virginia and beyond.

All Things BRT 🚏

Sree Nampoothiri, PhD, AICP, Senior Transportation Planning & Programming Manager, NVTA, recently spoke during The Road Gang meeting alongside partners from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

Dr. Nampoothiri highlighted NVTA’s regional vision for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), including more than $880 million in current BRT investments and the BRT Action Plan, which outlines 28 routes to better connect Northern Virginia.

NVTA's BRT Webpage Refreshed!

NVTA’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) webpage was updated with new resources and features that make exploring BRT in Northern Virginia more engaging than ever! Visitors can now navigate through an interactive story map to learn more about NVTA’s BRT Action Plan.

A New Face at NVTA

Introducing NVTA's new Regional Transportation Planner, Ethan Van Berkel! We're thrilled to have him as part of the team.

Background: Ethan is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia, with experience across the Commonwealth working for Kimley-Horn in Richmond, the Town of Leesburg and the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) in Charlottesville. He has worked on long-range transportation planning efforts, safety action plans, and transit projects, particularly the Greater Richmond Transit Company’s (GRTC) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) initiatives.

What He's Excited About: Ethan is excited to get involved in all things Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and contribute to transportation decision-making in the area where he grew up.

Fun Fact: Ethan plays five instruments and was a member of his college marching band.

Upcoming: NVTA's 11th Annual Northern Virginia

Transportation Roundtable on March 25

Join us in person on March 25 for NVTA's 11th Annual Northern Virginia Transportation Roundtable event! Connect with regional leaders, experts and partners to discuss how emerging technologies and innovative practices are transforming mobility across the region.



Featured speakers include:

◆ Paul Comfort, Chief Customer Officer, Modaxo; YouTuber & Podcaster, Transit Unplugged

◆ Brad Stertz, Director, External Affairs, Audi / VW Group; Chairman, Partners for AV Education (PAVE)

◆ Christopher Arabia, Manager of Statewide Commuter Programs, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT)

◆ Ruochang Huang, PMP, AICP, PTP, Transit Signal Priority Program Manager, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

◆ Scott Gross, Assistant Director, Transit, Fleet and Commuter Services, Loudoun County Government



◆ Nhan Vu, PE, Signal & Freeway Operations Engineer, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)

NVTA Spotlight

We’re excited to introduce💡𝘕𝘝𝘛𝘈 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, a new newsletter series published on LinkedIn, spotlighting NVTA initiatives shaping Northern Virginia’s transportation future.

Subscribe on LinkedIn to learn more about NVTA’s ongoing work to move the region forward.

Finance Committee

Thursday, March 12, 2026

5:30 p.m.



The Finance Committee meets every second Thursday of the month. Watch the meeting live on our YouTube channel.

Governance and Personnel Committee

Thursday, March 12, 2026

6:15 p.m.

The Governance and Personnel Committee meets every second Thursday of the month. Watch the meeting live on our YouTube channel.

Authority Meeting

Thursday, March 12, 2026

7:00 p.m.

Authority members meet every second Thursday of the month. Watch the meeting live on our YouTube channel.