Metro to Be Open Until 1 A.m. on Weekends Under Staff Proposal

WASHINGTON — Metro would close at 1 a.m. on weekends and 11:30 p.m. on weeknights if the Metro Board approves final staff recommendations that were revealed Monday.

The recommended proposal would also see the system cut back two hours of service on Sundays to open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Metro staff say a review would be done next year of whether the cuts should continue beyond July 2019. The cuts, if approved, would take effect next summer.

Metro staff say the cuts would have a disproportionate impact on minority and low-income riders, but that the option was the most supported out of those Metro provided. Metro’s online survey did not have an option for “none of the above”.

Metro received more than 16,000 comments on the service cut proposals that General Manager Paul Wiedefeld argues are needed to provide adequate time for basic maintenance and inspection.

All riders and community groups who spoke at the public hearing on the issue opposed any service cuts and urged more evening single-tracking or specific line segment shutdowns instead.

Metro staff recommend adding some limited bus service after the system closes on Friday and Saturday nights at an estimated cost of about $2 million per year.

Today, Metro’s official hours are 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday.

Wiedefeld made a so-called temporary change in June to close the system at midnight every day. The public board votes expected in the next two weeks are required by federal civil rights laws for any change that lasts more than one year.

The post Metro to be open until 1 a.m. on weekends under staff proposal appeared first on WTOP.

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