Image by AFGE licensed under Creative Commons.

In her State of the District speech last night, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser talked about affordable housing, DC's relationship to the federal government, and much more. She also disagreed with the governors to the north and south about whether Metro needs another study before it can get funding:

Last week, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe announced a new independent panel to study WMATA's problems, headed by former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The panel will examine Metro's funding, operations, and governance. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and WMATA Board Chairman Jack Evans immediately praised the effort.

Bob McCartney and Faiz Siddiqui wrote, “Virginia hopes the LaHood panel will help head off efforts in Congress and the local business community to appoint a federal control board to take over Metro. [Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey] Layne said a control board might focus only on reducing costs and not on providing resources that the transit agency needs.” And if there's to be a study, LaHood is a great choice, having very effectively helmed the US Department of Transportation for four years under President Obama after a long career in Congress as a Republican.

Others, though, worry this is another way to kick the can down the road of not dealing with the system's acute funding needs. Virginia leaders have responded tepidly at best to calls so far for a dedicated and sustainable revenue source for Metro.

WMATA needs both more funding and internal reforms, and many have said General Manager Paul Wiedefeld is on a good course to improve the agency internally. Perhaps the region should let him run things instead of commissioning endless series of independent reports to tell him what to do? On the other hand, more information about WMATA's needs for reform could be valuable, but not if it means delaying the funding conversation.

WAMU reporter Martin di Caro, one of the region's foremost voices on Metro, agrees.

Martin makes a good point. Maybe this study will help; maybe it won't. I do fear this gives Virginia and Maryland leaders an excuse to not think about Metro's needs again for a year. Then Virginia will have a new governor (Virginia doesn't allow governors to serve more than one term), Maryland and DC will be in the throes of their own elections, and who knows if something can happen.

Tagged: transit

David Alpert created Greater Greater Washington in 2008 and was its executive director until 2020. He formerly worked in tech and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco Bay, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He lives with his wife and two children in Dupont Circle.