DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) Executive Director Neil O. Albert on Aug. 7 co-authored an op-ed for The Washington Post on the recent proposal to end late-night weekend service for Metrorail.
The op-ed, co-authored with David Alpert, founder and president of Greater Greater Washington, asks the Washington Metropolitan Area Transity Authority (WMATA) to provide more information on the decision-making behind this proposal and to consider alternatives to ending late-night weekend service.
Excerpt below:
“Since 2007, Metro has stayed open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and midnight on Sundays. This important service helps workers at late-night businesses return home, brings tax revenue to the District and jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia, and keeps people out of cars who aren’t in a condition to drive.
“Many peer public-transit systems operate late hours or even 24/7 service. But Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld wants to close Metro at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and 10 p.m. on Sundays. That is not in the best interest of the District and our region.
“Wiedefeld argues this is necessary to provide time for vital repairs. We absolutely believe Metro needs to replace and repair its aging systems, and we want to be open-minded about any plan to do this. However, riders, businesses, local governments and others deserve to hear the logic and data behind this proposal and possible alternatives, such as closing only one line at a time. (There are only so many tracks workers can be fixing at once.)”