This guest column was contributed by David LaRock, a Loudoun County resident and member of the Loudoun Opt Out Group.
Spring is here, romance is in the air, and the arranged marriage between Loudoun County and D.C. Metro seems destined to take place. Although the courtship has spanned decades, the moment draws near when Loudoun must choose whether to whisper the final words of acceptance.
The people of Loudoun know a little about their persistent suitor, but do they know enough? Metro appears to have serious character and money problems.
Around 2004, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) initiated a fund-raising campaign to address an unfunded $1.5-billion, six-year capital program. Today, according to WMATA’s 2012 budget, the Capital Needs Inventory — the stuff that needs to be replaced as it wears out — has soared to $13.3 billion projected through 2020. That is a total increase of $11.8 billion over 8 years — an addition of $1.5 billion per year. Where will these funds come from?
Beyond 2020, where will the $1.5 billion per year come from to keep the 35-year-old, 106-mile Metro system in good repair? If there is a schedule or plan showing how WMATA will address the ongoing physical depreciation of equipment and facilities, it is nowhere to be found.
For all of its life, Metro has struggled with a lack of dedicated funding sources, relying heavily upon annually appropriated support from state and local governments. That dependence makes the agency vulnerable to recurring financial crises. What if anything, is being done to change that? Loudoun needs to know before tying the knot.
Metro has been hounded for many years by a series of setbacks: lethal accidents, mechanical problems and breakdowns on buses and trains, overcrowding, communications troubles, and ongoing elevator and escalator hassles. Is there any evidence to support the idea that this is changing? Loudoun is listening. Read more.