U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) called a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) draft maintenance plan “aggressive but necessary” on Friday.
WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld released a draft plan that outlines needed repairs and enhancements to the Metro rail system serving Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas.
“The general manager’s plan, as he’s outlined it to me, is aggressive but necessary,” Comstock said. “It is focused on safety, accountability and customer service. We know serious actions must be taken to restore Metro to the world-class system its customers and hard-working taxpayers deserve. Mr. Wiedefeld recognizes the system is failing with increasing rapidity, and that is why this draft plan aims to implement three years’ worth of repairs in one year. He explained that if the plan were not so aggressive, the backlog of issues would grow faster than the rate of repair.
Comstock was briefed on the draft Safe Track Plan by Wiedefeld on Friday.
“Metro repairs and delays are something my constituents already live with on a near-constant basis, year after year,” Comstock said. “If this plan is executed as outlined, there is no doubt it will be disruptive and frustrating. But the general manager is committed to do this in an open and transparent manner so that Metro riders can know exactly when their typical routes will be affected so they can plan their commutes accordingly. I am still reviewing this draft plan and will be in regular contact with Metro to offer my views as well as the suggestions of my constituents as we work through the process of making Metro safer and more accountable.”