Six public hearings in the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia will be held on Nov. 13, 14 and 15 to receive the public’s input on proposed fare increases for Metrorail, Metrobus and parking that would take effect in January.
All of the hearings will begin at 7 p.m. There will be an open-house held at 6:30 p.m. before each hearing. The hearing dates and locations are as follows:
- Tuesday, Nov. 13 at the Bechtel Conference Center, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA (hearing number 525)
- Wednesday, Nov. 14 at Metro headquarters in the Jackson Graham Building, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC (hearing number 526)
- Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the Montgomery County Council Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD (hearing number 527)
- Thursday, Nov. 15 at St. Luke’s Center, 4923 East Capitol Street, SE in Washington, DC (hearing number 528)
- Thursday, Nov. 15 at the Arlington County Board Meeting Room, Courthouse Plaza, room 307, 2100 Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington, VA (hearing number 529)
- Thursday, Nov. 15 at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex, Town Hall Room, 8001 Sheriff Road in Landover, MD (hearing number 530)
Officials say the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) is faced with a significant budget shortfall for fiscal year 2009, which begins July 1, 2008. The cost of Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess services are funded in part by passenger revenues and, in part, by subsidies provided by the District of Columbia, the state of Maryland and local jurisdictions in Virginia.
The last Metro fare increased occurred on July 1, 2004.
— Special to Railfanning.org News Wire
