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WMATA could be facing cuts to service amid budget shortfall
Metro officials are warning folks that if they can't close a massive hole in their budget, bus routes could be scrapped, Metrorail hours could decrease, stations could close, and they may even have to stop hiring.
WASHINGTON - Metro officials are warning folks that if they can't close a massive hole in their budget, bus routes could be scrapped, Metrorail hours could decrease, stations could close, and they may even have to stop hiring.
A combination of factors have created the current situation for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
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Ridership is still rebuilding after the pandemic and the emergency funding from the pandemic that helped Metro afloat is coming to an end.
The result?
A $750 budget hole that could come at the expense of riders and Metro workers.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 27: A Metro train rounds a corner in NE with the US Capitol visible in the background, on November, 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
At a Metro Board meeting Thursday, officials laid out the possibilities. Close to 95 of WMAT's 134 bus routes may be cut, wait times could climb 20–30 minutes, and all service could end at 9:30 p.m. during the week.
Plus, ending metrorail services entirely on Saturdays or Sundays is being considered.
Metro budget gap could mean layoffs, service cuts, WMATA says
WMATA says layoffs, a hiring freeze and service cuts could be just months away if a large budget deficit isn't addressed.
WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke says that right now, these are options – not plans. But they speak to how serious the budget deficit is.
"We’re showing the board and the public options around fare and service," Clarke said Thursday. "All the service options are bad. Even the stuff that’s targeted and smaller, everyone dislikes those as well, because they actually impact people and therefore they impact the community."
"We have to think about what the region looks like in 2040, 2050 at the same time we have to think about how we keep the lights on next year and keep that going," he continued. "That’s kind of why we’re looking at it that way. It’s not like we’re out saying we’re going to build a Georgetown Metro next week."
It’s not clear right now if the $750 million dollar budget gap will remain this high or if Metro will be able to avoid these cuts in 2025.
The general manager says that they have completed a third of an efficiency review aimed at reducing costs, and discussions are ongoing with officials from D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and the federal government to secure additional funding.