Delivering the Transit System the Region Needs
Delivering the transit system that 
the region needs will require an unequivocal commitment of additional resources from internal and external stakeholders. Simply put, the rehabilitation work being accomplished at the time of the writing of this document will not be nearly enough to keep up with the region’s needs, and without additional resources it will be unlikely that the region can continue to enjoy a transit network that contributes to competitiveness and makes the Washington metropolitan area one of the most desirable places to live and work.
Metro – Doing Business Differently
Metro recognizes that rebuilding the region’s transit system also means rebuilding the region’s transit authority – and will continue to be hard at work on this task in preparation for the implementation of Momentum. In the near term this means revamping nuts and bolts elements of the authority, including but not limited to: identifying ways that Metro can do its job more efficiently while increasing performance; evaluating its contracting and procurement philosophy to emphasize lifecycle contract and asset management; engineering a budgeting process that allows Departments to strive to achieve the goals of Momentum within the context of tight fiscal and financial discipline; and a human capital strategy that must have the right talent in-place and in-queue. In the long term, this means completing the journey to a much more business-like operating and execution philosophy for the organization.
Metro 2025
This suite of system investments will maximize the utility of existing Metro assets and set the following regional transit priorities for 2025:
- Operate all eight-car trains (longest possible) during rush hour by acquiring additional railcars, power capacity, and railcar storage;
- Enhance and make bus service faster by completing the Metrobus Priority Corridor Network (PCN), which outlines a variety of improvement that allow buses to bypass traffic congestion;
- Expand or enhance high volume rail (transfer) stations in the Metro system core to ease congestion for existing customers and to accommodate more riders in the future. Build new pedestrian connections between selected stations to provide more convenient transfer options and alleviate core congestion;
- Become the regional hub for trip planning, payment, and farebox reconciliation, providing real-time trip planning information for the region’s transit customers across systems/modes. Upgrade communications infrastructure to provide better, more accurate, and audible information to riders in and beyond the system;
- Accommodate bus service growth on emerging corridors through fleet and facility expansion; and
- Build new infrastructure, such as tracks and stations, to provide system flexibility and reliability, which will improve service for customers.
Metro 2040
Implementing Metro 2025 means that the region will have the transit network that can serve the region in the next decade. However, it stops short of giving the region a transit system that is built with the future in mind. Questions about whether the region will live up to its growth potential without a transit system built to accommodate the world in 2040 are fair to ask – as is asking about the quality, conditions, and reliability of the system in 2040 should the region still rely on one built for 2025.
The intent of Metro 2040 is to ask current regional stewards to embrace the same boldness that their forefathers did and make decisions that are designed for the next several generations. Metro 2040 will emerge from the ongoing work of the Regional Transit System Plan, which is still in the planning phases as this long-range plan is still under development.
For more information:
Download both the full Momentum plan and the Executive Summary.
Regional support is important to making Momentum a reality! A number of regional stakeholders have already endorsed Momentum. Please sign on and add your name to endorse Momentum and send the message that public transit is vital to the National Capital Region.
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