Metro News Release

For immediate release: May 12, 2005

Metro aims to lessen traffic headaches after major service disruptions

Metro is taking steps to avoid major traffic jams on the surface if rail service is disrupted underground. The transit agency’s Board approved spending a $335,261 Department of Homeland Security grant Thursday to train hundreds of the region’s first responders for better management of pedestrian and vehicular traffic after any evacuations of Metrorail stations.

Major service disruptions - dating back to the Foggy Bottom tunnel fire in April 2000 and including the March 2004 Red Line cable fire - prompted the training course.

"The biggest challenge after an incident has been the continuous movement of traffic. Getting the first responders to the scene; getting emergency buses to the scene; getting evacuated customers to the next station. The course will address these issues," said Metro Transit Police Capt. Jeff Delinski, who is organizing the training.

American Traffic Safety Services Association will offer the day-long course to 1,500 of the region’s police, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, departments of transportation and Metro operations personnel. The training will cover mitigation, evacuation, transportation of evacuated rail riders and recovering from incidents, such as fires, crashes and acts of terrorism. Metro has held joint training sessions with the region’s police and fire departments over the last several years, but the course is more focused on coordination, Delinski said.

Classes will begin this month and run through November.

The grant money also will be used to purchase four portable electronic message boards that will be used to direct pedestrians to evacuation routes and bus stops. About 3,000 field guides with highlights of the course will be distributed to the region’s first responders.

News release issued on May 12, 2005.