Metro considering ‘severe’ budget cuts; asking for input

Gabby Allen
·2 min read

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is asking for the public to provide feedback on its proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Budget.

The authority said its budget includes drastic service cuts, fare increases, layoffs and other “severe” cost-cutting measures.

WMATA is facing an unprecedented $750 million budget shortfall in the coming year, the authority said in a press release. The shortfall is due to several factors, including the end of federal pandemic relief funds, historic inflation and slow ridership recovery.

Metro has taken steps to close the funding gap by reducing administrative costs, using capital funds to cover maintenance expenses and decreasing fare evasion. These steps have not been enough, however, said WMATA.

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The proposed budget reflects the significant cuts needed if WMATA’s local, state and federal partners are not able to supply the needed funding.

Pending funding, the budget proposal includes the following limitations and costs:

Fares

  • Up to 25 percent fare increase

  • 20 percent parking rate increase

Metrobus

  • Eliminate service on 83 of 184 routes

  • Reduce service on 51 of 184 routes

  • Shorten routes with rail service

Metrorail

  • Close 10 lower ridership stations

  • Turn back every other Red Line train at Grosvenor-Strathmore and Silver Spring

  • Turn back Silver Line trains at Stadium-Armory

  • Decrease service on all lines – weekdays every 15 minutes, weekends every 20 minutes

  • Decrease Hours of operation: Close the rail system at 10 p.m. or keep existing rail system hours and open earlier and close later on weekends: open at 6 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, close at 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays

MetroAccess

  • Reduced service area due to a reduction in fixed-route bus service

  • Approximately 20 percent of MetroAccess trips would no longer be served

You can provide comments through WMATA’s online survey tool or by attending an in-person or virtual public hearing. Comments should be submitted no later than March 5 at 5 p.m.

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