Metro News Release
For immediate release: February 19, 2010
Metro publishes Capital Needs Inventory for next decade
Key needs include replacing old sections of the rail system, rail cars, buses
Metro has published its Capital Needs Inventory (CNI), detailing more than $11 billion of capital improvements that are necessary over the next 10 years to maintain the transit system’s safety and reliability.
The report provides an in-depth look at necessary investments to address Metro’s physical assets, including vehicles, fleet maintenance facilities, operating systems, information technology, rail system track, passenger facilities, maintenance equipment and support facilities.
“The Capital Needs Inventory describes each project in detail, explains why these needs are so important and reinforces Metro’s commitment to transparency and accountability,” said Nat Bottigheimer, Metro’s Assistant General Manager of Planning and Joint Development.
The Capital Needs Inventory includes two major categories of needs: performance projects, which total $7.6 billion, and customer/demand projects, which total $3.8 billion.
Key performance projects include rehabilitation of sections of the rail system that are more than 30 years old, replacement of older rail cars and buses, and replacement/rehabilitation of three of Metro’s oldest bus garages. Information technology system upgrades also are critical needs.
Key customer demands that also are high on the list include rail fleet expansion and power upgrades that would allow the full use of eight-car trains on all rail lines, safety and security enhancements, such as building a police training facility and installing bumpy domes at the edges of all Metrorail station platforms, and expanding the Metrobus and MetroAccess fleet of vehicles.
The Capital Needs Inventory is available on Metro’s Web site, www.wmata.com, under the Planning and Development Web page. The direct link to the report is http://www.wmata.com/pdfs/planning/CNI_02.19.10.pdf.
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Media contact for this news release: Angela Gates or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
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News release issued at 2:02 pm, February 19, 2010.