Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s latest proposal to close the agency’s budget gap includes ending weekend service at 2 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, according to spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.
Service adjustments like this to Metrorail and Metrobus are expected to account for $8 million — 4 percent — of the budget gap reduction.
Metro’s Interim General Manager Richard Sarles also proposed fare and parking fee increases, bus and rail service adjustments, capital fund reallocations, departmental reductions, layoffs and increased contributions from local jurisdictions to close the $189 million budget gap for fiscal year 2011, according to a statement from Metro.
Fare adjustments account for $87.9 million of the budget. Changes to parking, bicycle locker and other fees are expected to bring in $13.8 million more in revenue, according to the statement.
The Board of Directors is scheduled to meet Thursday, but there is no way to predict if they will pass these changes, Farbstein said.
In January, the Board voted to increase Metro fares by 10 cents through June 30 in order to generate $9.6 million to help close the agency’s $40 million budget gap.
Other proposed fare changes include raising peak-hour rail fares from $1.65 to $1.90. A 10-cent surcharge would be added to fares during peak morning and evening periods, according to the press release.
These changes will not affect the proposed AU student discount because it would be subsidized through a private entity and not Metro’s budget, Student Government President Andy MacCracken said in an e-mail.
Alef Worku, the manager of transportation and maintenance, said he can’t conclusively say how this will affect the AU shuttle service, which usually stops running with the Metro. Worku said he believes it will end with the Metro schedule, unless there is a great need for shuttle service during that extra hour.
In the past, changes to Metro service hours have been followed by changes to shuttle services as well, Worku said.
One student said the Metro service changes to weekend hours will be an inconvenience to her weekend plans.
Nikia Wilkins, a junior in the Kogod School of Business, said this would cause her to come back earlier because of the cost of a cab.
However, sophomore in the School of Public Affairs Graham Brookie said he normally takes a cab home at that hour anyway because it is easier.
Although the change is inconvenient, it won’t make a huge impact on him, he said.
You can reach this staff writer at sdazio@theeagleonline.com.
