From a train derailment that could have been avoided to asbestos to half a billion dollars of debt, this year has definitely been a doozy for the Metro and especially its riders. The state of the Metro has become so bleak to the public that over 1,000 people signed a petition just to get the Pope to bless it. Now, it looks like the federal government is planning on taking the Metro into its own hands to try to make some long overdue improvements. As first reported by NBC4, the National Transportation Safety Board will encourage the U.S. Department of Transportation to place Metrorail under the watch of the Federal Railroad Administration. This will be a first-of-its-kind move, according to NBC4, and the current oversight group, Tri-State Oversight Committee, is expected to be heavily criticized. No comments yet from the Metro.
· NTSB to Recommend Metrorail Be Placed Under Federal Oversight, Sources Say [NBC4]