Examining the Safety and Service of D.C. Metro

PURPOSE:

• To examine Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (WMATA) most significant challenges and the issues that led to a complete shutdown of the system.

BACKGROUND:

• WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld suspended all Metrorail services on Wednesday, March 16, for emergency inspections following an electrical fire in a tunnel near the McPherson Square Station two days prior.
• WMATA identified 27 emergency repair defects, which were all repaired, and 338 locations requiring non-emergency repairs defects, which were all repaired, and 338 locations requiring non-emergency repairs.
• The Committee held previous hearings on metro safety on February 13, 2015 and July 21, 2015.