Metro News Release
For immediate release: October 16, 2012
Metro seeks public input on proposed Metrobus service changes
Public hearings scheduled Oct. 22 to Oct. 30
Metro will host a series of public hearings Oct. 22 to Oct. 30, and one additional public meeting on Oct. 25 about proposed changes to Metrobus service that will improve service for many customers without increasing operating expense. The Metrobus service adjustments are part of Metro’s commitment to invest $5 million to provide customers with ‘better bus’ service, the biggest improvement to bus service in five years.
The current proposal includes input from bus route studies, feedback from customers and the jurisdictions, as well as data on population, ridership and development. Customer input through public hearings will help shape the final plan before it is implemented. Under the current plan, 15 customers will see improvements for every one customer who might experience an adverse impact.
For complete information, please see the Public Hearing Docket.
The public hearing portion of the sessions will provide an opportunity for comment on the docket of proposed Metrobus service changes. To review the docket, visit www.wmata.com/hearings. Open houses will precede the public hearings. The open forums present an opportunity for members of the public to learn about Metro’s current work to improve service and comment on any topic, including subjects that are not on the docket.
Details and directions for transit travel to the public sessions are available on Metro’s website. Open houses begin at 6 p.m., followed by the public hearings at 6:30 p.m. The hearings will take place as follows:
Monday, Oct. 22
Dept of Housing & Community Development – Hearing No. 576
1800 Martin Luther King Ave, SE
Washington, DC
Wednesday, Oct. 24
Shirlington Library – Hearing No. 577
4200 Campbell Ave
Arlington, VA
Monday, Oct. 29
New Carrollton Library – Hearing No. 578
7414 Riverdale Rd
New Carrollton, MD
Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School Cafeteria – Hearing No. 579
7130 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA
Tuesday, Oct. 30
Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library – Hearing No. 580
5401 South Dakota Ave, NE
Washington, DC
Additionally, Metro is hosting a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25 at the Cheverly Town Hall at 6401 Forest Road in Cheverly, MD. At the public meeting, members of the public will be able to learn about the proposed Metrobus service changes. Comments will not be part of the public record.
How to register to speak at the public hearings
To establish a witness list for the public hearings, individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to be heard at the hearings are asked to provide in writing their name, address, telephone number and organization affiliation, if any, to Office of the Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. Alternatively, requests to speak may be faxed to 202-962-1133 or e-mailed to speak@wmata.com. Please submit only one speaker’s name per letter and reference the hearing number. Lists of individual speakers will not be accepted. Others present at the hearing may be heard after people who have registered have spoken. Please note that this information may be releasable to the public under the WMATA Public Access to Records Policy (PARP). The PARP can be viewed on WMATA’s website at http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/public_rr.cfm under the link marked “Legal Affairs.” Public officials will be heard first and will be allowed five minutes each to make their presentations. All other speakers will be allowed three minutes each. Relinquishing of time by one speaker to another will not be permitted.
How to submit written comments
Written statements and exhibits may be sent to the Office of the Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001, or e-mailed to writtentestimony@wmata.com. Statements also may be faxed to 202-962-1133. Please reference the hearing number. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5. Please note that any personal information such as name, e-mail address, address, or telephone number you provide in the statement may be releasable to the public under the WMATA Public Access to Records Policy, available at http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/public_rr.cfm.
The locations of all public hearings are wheelchair accessible. Any individual who requires special assistance such as a sign language interpreter or additional accommodation to participate in the public hearings, or who requires these materials in an alternate format, should contact Danise Peña at 202-962-2511 or TTY: 202-638-3780 as soon as possible in order for Metro to make necessary arrangements.
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News release issued at 2:18 pm, October 16, 2012.