Metro has quietly proposed major reductions to the long-term projects that keep the system running.
The transit agency’s capital spending plan calls for spending $4.57 billion over six years — even though the agency has projected $11.4 billion in needs over the next decade. That means the agency would be left with more than $6.8 billion in projects to cover in just four years.
» $34.9 million eliminated for canopies over the remaining exposed rail station entrances, a key provision for avoiding escalator breakdowns
» $4.4 million in canceled bicycle and pedestrian improvements, including bike lockers, racks and paths for pedestrians at stations
» $15.5 million delayed for a plan to allow riders to pay fares directly with bank cards
» $33.6 million less for police stations, leaving police to operate out of a trailer and an “overcrowded” facility
» $60 million for a test track for the agency to make sure new rail cars meet standards, meaning that new rail cars would be added to the system more slowly
» $76.1 million less to buy about 100 replacement buses plus increase the fleet for expanded capacity
» $4.5 million less for priority bus corridors
Source: Metro
The proposed deferments add up to $460 million less than planned earlier this year. The difference means no more canopies over station entrances that protect the chronically broken escalators; delays to power upgrades that allow more eight-car trains to run; and no test track for Metro to make sure new trains meet their standards, meaning delays for getting new trains running when they are shipped to the agency.
The Transit First coalition of riders, unions and environmentalists called the reductions to Metro’s previous commitments “unacceptable,” and said it was “deeply disturbed” by the proposal.
The plan arrived the same week that new interim General Manager Richard Sarles testified at a congressional oversight committee about the importance of keeping Metro in a state of good repair. “The most effective action we can take to improve reliability is to improve the physical condition of our system,” he said.
The plan arrived the same week that new interim General Manager Richard Sarles testified at a congressional oversight committee about the importance of keeping Metro in a state of good repair. “The most effective action we can take to improve reliability is to improve the physical condition of our system,” he said.
But the next day, when the agency presented its scaled-back plan, he warned the board of directors of what limiting their local contributions means: “We are not going to be making the significant progress on the state of good repair that we should,” he said.
The move is just the latest step to undercut the funds that pay for the system’s upkeep:
» Maryland warned the agency that it cannot afford to pay $28.7 million due this year toward Metro’s capital fund until 2012, because of falling revenues in its transportation trust fund.
» Sarles has proposed borrowing an additional $30 million from the capital fund to help pay for daily operating costs, bringing the total to $60 million tapped.
» The board is using the annual $300 million to displace about $138 million of the local contributions by jurisdictions, says Jack Corbett, of the MetroRiders.org transit group. “Congress intended this as new money, not replacement money,” he said.
