Metro News Release
For immediate release: June 25, 2009
Metro Board approves more than $2 billion budget
Riders avoid major service cuts, fare increases
The Metro Board approved a new $2.1 billion budget today that avoided major service cuts and fare increases.
The budget, a $1.4 billion operating and a $740 million capital spending plan, begins July 1.
The transit agency faced a $154 million budget gap earlier this year due to rising operating costs and shrinking non-passenger revenues, such as rental and interest income. Metro officials plugged the hole by making $81 million in internal cuts, including the elimination of 313 positions, tapping into a reserve fund, increasing local government subsidies and cutting about $3 million in bus service in suburban Maryland and Virginia.
After a series of public hearings about service changes that would have impacted 72 bus routes, only about a dozen routes will change beginning Sunday, June 28.
Metro riders who climb aboard the J7, J9 I-270 Express buses in Montgomery County and the W19 Indian Head Express in Prince George’s County will be charged the $3.10 cash express fare or $3 if they pay with a SmarTrip card. Riders have been paying the regular $1.25 SmarTrip card fare or $1.35 cash fare for express service. The L7 (Connecticut Ave to Maryland line) route is being eliminated but extra buses are being added to the L8 route. The C7, C9 (Greenbelt to Glenmont) and some off-peak service on the Z2 (Colesville to Ashton) routes also are being eliminated. The 21 A, B, C, D and F (Landmark-Pentagon) routes are being consolidated into a single route.
Arlington County’s ART bus service also will take over operating the 22B on June 28 and the 24P in September. The George bus service in Falls Church, Va., will now be operated by Arlington Transit beginning July 3. The Fairfax Connector also will take over the 2W, 12A, 12C, 12D 12 E, 12G, 12L, 12M, 12R, 12S, 20F, 20W, 20X and 20Y routes. In Maryland, the NH1 end stop will move from Southern Avenue to Branch Avenue Metrorail station in August.
Metro’s new capital budget includes safety and security enhancements, upgrades to run more eight-car trains, track and platform repairs, escalator, elevator and facility maintenance. This is the final year of Metro’s six-year “Metro Matters” capital spending plan and Metro will be working with local governments to develop a new capital program for FY2011 and beyond. Metro has identified more than $11 billion of unfunded capital needs over the next decade, including nearly $1 billion to replace Metro's 300 oldest rail cars, known as the 1000 series rail cars.
Analysts project bus and train ridership will grow by 3 percent during the new fiscal year. Metro riders, the federal government, and the local governments served by Metro fund the operating and capital budgets.
Media contact for this news release: Candace Smith and Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
News release issued at 2:09 pm, June 25, 2009.