This winter’s record-breaking snowstorms have cost Metro more than $20.4 million and counting, busting the agency’s $2.5 million snow removal budget for the year.
The February storms alone have cost $8 million to clear the snow, officials said Thursday, plus $9.7 million in lost revenue as Metro limited its service to mainly underground rail service much of last week.
Those costs are on top of the $2.7 million tally for snow removal and lost fares from the December snowstorm, the agency said.
More than a week after the last major snowfall, mounds continue to block parking spaces at Metro’s lots, angering riders and further reducing the agency’s revenue as parking fees can be as much as $4.75 a day.
Taubenkibel estimates that clearing the lots is nearly 85 percent done but may take another day or two to finish. The crews are working with two front-end loaders and six dump trucks for the entire system, he said. Plus, some parking garages have weight restrictions on the trucks that can work on the top decks, limiting Metro’s ability to clear the snow.
During the latest storms, Metro had to pay overtime, hotel costs and private contractors, plus costs for fuel, de-icing chemicals and salt.
During the latest storms, Metro had to pay overtime, hotel costs and private contractors, plus costs for fuel, de-icing chemicals and salt.
Train ridership fell far below the typical February level of about 735,000 trips per weekday, with last week’s ridership ranging from a high of 524,054 trips Friday to a low of 36,097 Wednesday.
Metro officials have been grappling with financial troubles because of lower ridership than expected this year, prompting the agency to approve a 10-cent surcharge on all trips to cover a $40 million shortfall starting Feb. 28.
The transit agency said Thursday it is trying to recoup some of the snow costs through federal disaster aid. D.C. congressional Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton wrote a letter to federal officials asking for flexibility on Metro’s behalf so the agency does not have to rely on getting reimbursements filtered down from the District, Virginia and Maryland.
