Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In
Streetsblog USA

D.C. Metro Shutdown Should Be a Wakeup Call: Spend Smart on Transit

Today's emergency 24-hour shutdown of the D.C. Metro system is a transit embarrassment of epic proportions. The shutdown follows an electrical fire in a subway tunnel Monday, and will allow for system-wide safety inspections. Metro has been under federal control following a smoke inhalation death caused by a similar problem last year.

Is the Metro shutdown a preview of things to come? Photo: Mike on Flickr va GGwash
Is the Metro shutdown a preview of things to come? Photo: Mike on Flickr va GGwash
false

David Alpert at Greater Greater Washington wonders how the region's transportation system will hold up for today's commute (the word from early reports: badly). Even acknowledging Metro's abysmal management failures, Alpert is struck by how things got this bad:

[Action Committee for Transit's] Ronit Dancis said, "Elected officials take note: this is what happens when you don't fund maintenance of public infrastructure and public utilities."

While many riders often rightly blame past WMATA managers and safety officials, there's no doubt that this situation was able to become so dire over time because local and federal governments underfunded maintenance for decades after the system was built. They were able to put less into upkeep without penalty, because things weren't breaking. Now, so much is broken.

Indeed, the nation's largest transit systems face $102 billion in unfunded maintenance obligations, according to a 2015 report from the Regional Plan Association. But WMATA's investment actually outpaces transit systems in other big cities, like Boston and Chicago, reports Transit Center:

[T]he National Transit Database shows that the D.C. rail system is firmly in the middle of the pack in capital investment terms, not far behind the New York City subway in capital spending per track-mile over the last five years.

Average Capital Expenditures '10-'14Track MilesCap Expenditure/Mile
LA$611,676,00999.2$6,166,089
BART$484,618,245107$4,529,142
NYC Subway$2,680,521,976660.75$4,056,787
Washington$331,364,631117$2,832,176
Miami$56,540,47324.4$2,317,233
Atlanta$100,382,30048$2,091,298
Boston$237,454,946185$1,283,540
Chicago$260,288,231224.1$1,161,483

Notably, these figures do not even include much of the money spent constructing WMATA’s new Silver Line, as that undertaking is being managed by Washington’s airports authority and was recorded separately by the NTD.

The data suggest that Metro’s problems lie elsewhere, such as poor spending of the money WMATA already has and ineffective monitoring of the system’s infrastructure and equipment.

Nevertheless, Metro's troubles could be the canary in the coal mine for other transit systems. Transit Center notes that "all of the systems... have significant unmet capital needs and should be investing more," and that Metro "is hardly the only subway system in the country that could see significant trouble ahead."

Elsewhere on the Network today: The Transportationist says replacing asphalt with brick streets could be a win for traffic calming. And Vibrant Bay Area explains why education isn't enough when it comes to pedestrian safety.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

First OC Streetcar Arrives

The $649 million 4.1-mile OC Streetcar light rail line is 92 percent complete, and now anticipated to open in spring 2026

May 8, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines

California and Trump continue to spar and more news from up and down the state.

May 8, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: ‘Normal’ is Not Correct, Someone Died Here

After a crash, the debris is quickly cleaned up and everyone moves on (usually too quickly). But these two experts are asking us to all slow down.

May 8, 2025

Metro Names Bill Scott as Chief of Police

Chief Scott and Metro leadership emphasized that keeping Metro transit safe would require a multi-faceted approach that included the deployment of officers as well as collaboration with the community, ambassadors, and service providers. "Sometimes enforcement is the answer," Scott said. "Sometimes it's not."

May 7, 2025

State Supreme Court Reinforces Rules that Cities Must Maintain Safe Roads

When Ty Whitehead was injured in a crash caused by a pothole in Oakland, it sparked an eight-year legal battle that is still being waged.

May 7, 2025
See all posts