Metro News Release
For immediate release: December 2, 2010
Metro to accelerate projects to address NTSB recommendations
Board committee gives preliminary approval to reprogram $15.7 million in FY2011
The Metro Board Finance and Administration Committee today, Dec. 2, signaled its support to reprogram $15.7 million in Metro’s FY2011 Capital Improvement Program to accelerate projects that address National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations.
“Reprogramming these funds will allow us to enhance safety at Metro and accelerate projects that address NTSB safety recommendations sooner than expected by using all available funds as efficiently as possible,” said Catherine Hudgins, Chair of the Metro Board Finance and Administration Committee. “Our investment focus is safety first.”
The budget modification recommended by staff calls for reprogramming funds that had been slated to purchase track maintenance equipment. Because of time taken to refine specifications and scopes, expenditures for the track maintenance equipment instead will occur in FY2012, when the equipment is received.
“This action reflects Metro’s efforts to identify every opportunity to advance safety critical improvements,” said Metro Interim General Manager Richard Sarles. “We are committed to investing more than a billion dollars over the next several years to address NTSB recommendations.”
Metro staff proposed to use the $15.7 million, in addition to $10.3 million that had been previously set aside, to fund 14 projects in the current fiscal year that address NTSB recommendations. The full Board is expected to vote on the proposal at its December 16 meeting.
With the budget modification, Metro staff has proposed funding NTSB-related projects starting in FY2011, including:
• Replace the 1000-series rail cars;
• Replace track circuits manufactured by General Railway Signal Company;
• Install onboard event recorders on 1000-series and 4000-series rail cars;
• Replace power cables and isolate communications cables; and
• Conduct a comprehensive safety analysis of the Automatic Train Control system.
In addition, the funds will address findings of the March 4, 2010 Federal Transit Administration audit of Metro and the Tri-State Oversight Committee (TOC). The audit recommended establishing comprehensive data review, developing and implementing a safety reporting program, reviewing hazard identification and resolution and establishing a formal process for corrective action.
In November, Metro staff presented the Finance Committee with a preliminary FY2012-FY2017 Capital Improvement Program (CIP), which commits more than a billion dollars to address NTSB recommendations during the next six years and prioritizes safety and state of good repair projects. Final adoption of the FY2012-FY2017 CIP is scheduled for June 2011.
News release issued at 10:57 am, December 2, 2010.