D.C. Metro Chief: If You Want More Service, We Need More Money

[marmar]

Metro's chief executive pleaded with regional leaders on Wednesday to lobby Congress for funding to complete the transit authority's ambitious plans to expand rail capacity and improve service over the next decade.

In remarks to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) board of directors, Metro general manager Richard Sarles said the transit authority would need $6 billion to fulfill its 2025 plan for all 8-car trains during rush hours, station improvements, more buses and a "Metrobus priority corridor network," additional tracks, and a "new Blue Line connection." Once the Silver Line opens this year, Blue Line service will be reduced to one train every 12 minutes during rush hours.

"Half of the $6 billion of Metro 2025 will be for the operation of all 8-car trains and for the related station-capacity and infrastructure improvements. Without the additional cars passengers per car will reach extremely crowded levels," Sarles said.

The COG board passed a resolution to call on Congress to help pay for Metro's 2025 plan, as well as its ongoing maintenance needs after 2020—which is when the current 10-year, $3 billion program expires. However, there are no promises coming from Congress, a reality Sarles acknowledged. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.wnyc.org/story/metro-upgrades-await-funding-decisions-locally-and-federal-level/

[LiberalEsto]

1. They've been raising fares for years

while service gets worse and worse.

Seems to me they should be getting financial aid from Congress.