Metro News Release
For immediate release: January 27, 2014
Public hearings start tomorrow to collect feedback on Metro's proposed budget, fares
Metro’s Board of Directors will begin a series of six public hearings tomorrow evening to collect feedback from riders on the proposed FY15 budget and fare changes, as well as Metro's Capital Improvement Program. Public input is an important part of the process, and all feedback will be taken into consideration by the Metro Board before finalizing the budget and fare plan.
Each public hearing will be preceded by an informal “Information Session,” starting at 6 p.m. The Information Sessions provide the public with an opportunity to learn about Metro’s current work to improve service and to provide comments and suggestions on any topic, including subjects that are not on the docket. Public hearings will begin at 6:30 p.m. to provide an opportunity to give formal testimony on the docket of proposed budget actions. To review the docket, visit wmata.com/hearings.
The proposed FY15 budget and Capital Improvement Plan would invest $3 billion in providing safer, better, and more service for Metro riders, while preparing for the region’s future with funding for many key initiatives in Metro’s 2025 strategic plan, called Momentum. In addition to providing improvements to current rail and bus services, the budget includes funding for:
- Delivery of safer service by continuing to close NTSB recommendations,
- Continuing the rebuilding of the Metrorail system to improve safety and reliability,
- Purchase of new 7000-series railcars to replace the oldest cars on the system and allow for more trains,
- Operation of the first full fiscal year of Silver Line service between Reston and Largo Town Center,
- Implementation of a new comprehensive Customer Care program,
- Initiation of new Metrobus Priority Corridor Network (PCN) and State of Good Operations (SOGO) improvements; and
- Investments to prepare for more 8-car trains to increase capacity and station capacity improvements at key stations
- Implementation of the fatigue management program for employees,
Metro’s fiscal year 2015 budget, and any approved fare changes, would take effect July 1, 2014.
The hearings are scheduled as follows:
Wednesday, Jan. 29
Greenbelt Marriott – Hearing 589
6400 Ivy Ln
Greenbelt, MD
Free shuttle to/from Greenbelt Station
Thursday, Jan. 30
Hilton Springfield – Hearing 590
6550 Loisdale Rd
Springfield, VA
Free shuttle to Franconia-Springfield Station after 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 3
Matthews Memorial Baptist Church – Hearing 591
Fellowship Hall
2616 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE
Washington, DC
Free shuttle to/from Anacostia Station
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Montgomery County Executive – Hearing 592
Office Building Cafeteria
101 Monroe St
Rockville, MD
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Arlington Central Library – Hearing 593
1015 N Quincy Street
Arlington, VA
Thursday, Feb. 6
Metro Headquarters Building – Hearing 594
600 5th Street, NW
Washington, DC
Members of the public can also give feedback through an online survey at wmata.com/budgetsurvey. The survey is open until 5 p.m. on February 11, and is provided as an option to submitting a verbal or written statement for the record. Survey results will be presented to the Board as part of the public record.
How to register to speak at the public hearing
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 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.
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: 202-962-2033 as soon as possible in order for Metro to make necessary arrangements.
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 Tuesday, February 11. 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.
News release issued at 10:59 am, January 28, 2014.