Politics & Government

Metro Lays Out Long-Term Vision

The Metro Momentum Plan sets out a vision for the system through 2025 and a framework for the future.

Written by Shaun Courtney

Anticipating a continued increase in ridership, Metro has laid out a strategic plan to guide the agency into 2040 and beyond.

Metro Momentum, as it is called, is the agency's first plan of its kind for the National Capital Region in more than a decade. It seeks to address the growing demand on a system originally built for a much smaller population.

“We applaud the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board for the development of its Momentum strategic plan," Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray said in a joint statement. 

They continued: "This initiative continues the governance reform work at WMATA. Momentum provides a framework which will help support the continued economic viability of Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia and across the region." 

In the 1970s, metrorail served 100,000 customers a day, according to the plan. Today, an expanded system serves 750,000 customers a day — 20 million trips each year. And in the next three decades, the Washington region's population is expected grow another 30 percent.

The new transit plan aims to increase efficiency within the system and expand capabilities in an improved system. 

Momentum divides projects and investments into short-term and long-term goals — projects maximizing the existing system, to be completed by 2025, and long-term goals to help expand it by 2040 or 2050.

"As the regional leaders work to develop an implementation strategy and plan, we encourage WMATA’s management to continue its focus on further enhancing productivity and efficiency as it has over the last three years,” McDonnell, O’Malley and Gray said stated.

In issuing the plan, Metro also made it clear that maintenance and improvement to meet future demand comes with hefty price tag.

Reconstructing and maintaining the existing system alone comes with an annual estimated $1 billion cost in 2012 dollars. Metro 2025 proposals to "expand the core and system capacity" will require on average an additional $500 million annually through 2025. 

“While this is a forward looking plan, it will benefit today’s passengers who know that many of our trains, stations and buses in the peak periods are bursting at the seams,” Metro General Manager Richard Sarles said in a statement.

Read more about Metro Momentum on Patch:


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