Feds direct Metro to fix immediate safety lapses

The Federal Transit Administration has mandated that Washington’s Metrorail system fix immediate safety concerns that were uncovered during a recent federal inspection.

{mosads}FTA, which was granted temporary safety oversight of Metro’s rail operations in the fall, began a safety blitz following a March tunnel fire near the McPherson Square stop. The incident prompted Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) officials to shut down the entire rail system for 24 hours for emergency inspections.

In a letter to Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld on Monday, FTA directed the transit system to immediately inspect and correct the “degraded condition of fire/life safety equipment and features in the Metrorail tunnels,” as well as hold a safety briefing for employees.

Metro’s own inspection identified 27 emergency defects that were repaired and over 300 “non-emergency” repairs that are now underway.

“We are requiring WMATA to take immediate action to address critical concerns identified during our recent track integrity safety blitz,” Carolyn Flowers, FTA acting administrator, said in a statement. “FTA’s WMATA safety oversight team is on the job, and will continue to oversee the transit agency’s safety activities until the local jurisdictions take responsibility.”

Some of the hazards uncovered by FTA include fire extinguishers that don’t work, broken tunnel lights, emergency walkways filled with construction debris and missing signage.

The discoveries are particularly alarming given that rail disruptions and cable fires continue to persist. Passengers were evacuated from a train car last week that was stuck in a tunnel for nearly an hour.

The findings also raise questions about how Metro has implemented critical safety recommendations since a January 2015 incident in which smoke from a cable fire near L’Enfant Plaza filled a stalled train car and killed one passenger.

Wiedefeld, who testified in front of Congress last week, is expected to unveil a new maintenance plan to address safety concerns and restore rider confidence in the coming weeks.