Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski on Tuesday introduced a $1.5 billion funding bill that would provide upgrades to the Metro system over the next decade.
The complex and multijurisdictional legislation also is being sponsored by Virginia Sens. John Warner and Jim Webb.
A similar bill passed the House of Representatives’ Oversight and Government Reform Committee earlier in the year. Now the expectation is that the funding bill will speed through committee in the Senate on its way to passage.
“This is a big issue for the D.C. metro area, and there’s lots of strong support behind it,” Cardin press secretary Susan Sullam said. “We’re optimistic it will pass without problems.”
In addition to paying for needed rapid transit improvements for the next 10 years, the bill requires included state governments to provide a dedicated funding source for Metro. So far, Virginia and the District have taken this step. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, meanwhile, has said his state’s transportation trust fund should be considered a dedicated revenue source for Metro — a point disputed by some.
The $1.5 billion Metro bill also expands the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s board of directors and creates an Office of Inspector General of the Transit Authority.
Spurred by an Examiner report of high overtime payments to Metro employees, it also includes an amendment to drastically cut overtime and associated pension payments to Metro employees.
