This post was written by Hatchet reporter Lauren Gomez.
After last week’s safety checks, WMATA is out an estimated $2 million, the Washington City Paper reported.
The D.C. metrorail was closed for 29 hours starting last Wednesday in reaction to recent safety concerns. During the lockdown, WMATA inspected hundreds of cables and made necessary repairs, with one of the most substantial repairs needed at the Foggy Bottom-GWU station.
A WMATA document that was presented to the Metro’s board on Thursday listed that they lost $2 million, noting the combined loss of metrorail fare and parking revenue.
The document proposed that Paul Wiedefeld, the general of the Metro, would have the authority to “temporarily reduce fares during a declared emergency” in the future. For future emergency events, like last month’s fire at McPherson Square Station, the document suggested temporary fare reductions and waivers, so the system will not lose as much revenue in the future.
Along with a 15-minute entry and exit grace period that the Metro plans to implement in July, the proposed action argues that “future incidents may arise where additional flexibility is needed to waive fares during times of emergency.”