Read about the proposed cuts

Here's an article that discusses the proposed cuts:

Metro wants public opinion on fare increases, service cuts
March 21, 2010 - 7:53pm
WASHINGTON - Metro is asking you to weigh in on proposals to close a $189 million budget gap.

Metro says the deficit is mostly because of increased expenses and revenue losses since less people rode the trains that was expected.

Metro has developed a list of proposals to close the gap and wants to get feedback on what riders want. The proposals are a combination of fare increase, service reductions, changes to the fare structure and service area for MetroAccess customers, layoffs, increased money from local jurisdictions that fund Metro and using capital funds.

The Board is also including suggestions from the Riders' Advisory Council, different rider groups, and a local union during the public hearings.

Any of the fare increases, service cuts and MetroAccess changes wouldn't take effect until June 27.

There's a online questionnaire you can fill out. It should take about 5-10 minutes to complete and those results will be put into a final report to Metro's Board in April.

You can also submit written comments by mailing them to the Office of the Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001 or emailing them to public-hearing-testimony@wmata.com. Metro asks that you reference a hearing number (listed below). The deadline for written comments is 5 p.m. April 6.

Here are the proposals:

Fare Increases

Metrorail

* Increase the peak period fare from $1.65 to up to $2
* Increase the maximum peak period fare from $4.50 to up to $5.45
* Implement a surcharge of up to $0.50 for "peak-of-the-peak" trips from 7:30-9 a.m. and 4:30-6 p.m. during the week
* Increase the off-peak boarding charge from $1.35 to up to $1.65
* Increase Metrorail passes so the price is consistent with boarding charges.


Metrobus

* Increase the cash boarding charge from $1.35 to up to $1.70
* Increase the SmarTrip boarding charge from $1.25 to up to $1.60
* Impose a surcharge of up to $0.50 for "peak-of-the-peak" trips from 7:30-9 a.m. and 4:30-6 p.m. during the week
* Increase the express cash boarding charge from $3.10 to up to $4.10
* Increase the express SmarTrip boarding charge from $3 to up to $4
* Increase the SmarTrip boarding charge on the Dulles (5A) and BWI (B30) shuttles from $3.10 to up to $6
* Increase Metrobus passes so the price is consistent with boarding charges.


MetroAccess

* Increase the base fare from $2.50 to up to twice the comparable fixed route fare
* Increase the supplemental fare for service in Zone 1 from $1 to up to $5
* Increase the supplemental fare for service in Zone 2 from $2 to up to $10
* Increase the supplemental fare for service in Zone 3 from $3 to up to $15
* Increase the supplemental fare for service in Zone 4 from $4 to up to $20


Other

* Increase all daily parking rates by up to $1.15
* Increase the hours that Metro charges for daily parking and charge parking fees 24 hours a day, Monday-Friday.
* Increase the fee for reserved parking from $55 to up to $65
* Increase the bicycle locker yearly rental fee from $80 to up to $200
* Institute a special fare of no more than five times the normal rate for fares and passes on Metrobus and Metrorail and to charge up to $25 for parking for special events such as a Presidential Inauguration, historic or political event, major sporting or entertainment event and to implement special emergency fares.


Service Cuts
Metrorail

* Increase intervals between trains as follows:
o Reduce weekday service from 6-6:30 a.m. by increasing intervals between trains from six to eight minutes
o Reduce weekday midday and evening service by increasing intervals between trains from 12 to 15 minutes during weekday midday hours and from 20 to 30 minutes during weekday evening hours
o Reduce weekend service by increasing intervals between trains from 12 to 15 minutes during the day Saturday, from 15 to 20 minutes during the day Sunday, and from 20 to 30 minutes at night on Saturdays and Sundays.
* Reduce weekday rush hour service by operating only six-car trains
* Reduce service on holidays and during the holiday season by operating fewer trains
* Restructure rush-hour service on the Red Line from 2.5 to 3 minute intervals between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Silver Spring and from five to six minute intervals between Silver Spring and Glenmont and between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Shady Grove
* Close one Metrorail station entrance at stations with low ridership and multiple entrances during evenings and weekends:
o One station entrance at the following five Metrorail stations would close at 8 p.m. weeknights: Friendship Heights, King Street, McPherson Square, Shaw-Howard U and Stadium-Armory Metrorail stations
o One station entrance at the following 10 Metrorail stations would close on weekends: Anacostia, Friendship Heights, King Street, L'Enfant Plaza, Navy Yard, New York Ave, Shaw-Howard U, Silver Spring, Stadium-Armory and U St/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo
o Close the following three Metrorail stations with low ridership on weekends: Cheverly, Deanwood and Morgan Boulevard.
* Reduce the hours of Metrorail service:
o Open the Metrorail system at 5:30 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. on weekdays
o Open the Metrorail system at 8 a.m. instead of 7 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays
o Close the Metrorail system at midnight, 1 or 2 a.m. instead of 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights
* Reduce Yellow Line Metrorail service late night weekdays and on weekends to a Metrorail shuttle between Huntington and King Street
* Eliminate the Yellow Line extension to Fort Totten


Metrobus

* Reduce the frequency of service at certain times on the following bus routes: 7B, 7C, 7E, 7X, 7W, 8X, 8W, 8Z, 9E, 10A, 10B, 16G-W, 52, 53, 54, 62, 64, 70, 80, 94, A12, B8, G2, G8, H6, H8, L1, L2, N6, P6, V8, W2 and W3
* Alter or eliminate certain trips on the following bus routes: 1C, B24, C4, C11, C22, C26, D12, D14, F2, F12, F13, H12, H13, J1, J2, J4, J11, J12, K6, K11, K12, K13, P12, R2, R4, T2, V12, V14, V15 and Y9
* Eliminate entire routes or portions of routes on the following bus routes: 1E, 2T, 3T, 13A, 13B, 15M, 16G-W, 17A, 17B, 17F, 17M, 18P, 18R, 18S, 23C, 24T, 42, 52, 53, 54, 60, 80, A9, B27, B29, B31, C8, C12, C14, H1, J1, K1, L4, M2, N3, N8, P2, P17, P18, P19, V5, W13, W14, X1 and X3
* Restructure service on the following bus routes: 7W, 7X, 16F, 16H, 16W, 18P, 25C, 28G, 28T, 28X, C2, C4, C8, E6/M4, F4, F6, H2, H3, H6, J5, N2, N4, N6, R3, R12, T16 and T17
* Eliminate overlap with local service on the following bus routes: 7A, 18E, 18F, 29K, 29N, 38B, and 70


MetroAccess

* Reduce the MetroAccess service area (within Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines) to reflect actual fixed-route bus and rail service areas reflecting the actual time, day and location
* Charge a premium for service provided to locations beyond the .75 mile corridor around fixed-route services. The premium for zones would be up to $5 for zone 1, up to $10 for zone 2, up to $15 for zone 3 and up to $20 for zone 4
* Align the MetroAccess fare structure to the maximum allowed under the ADA definition (twice the equivalent of fixed-route fare)
* Restrict the use of the Free Ride Program to only those MetroAccess certified persons with conditional eligibility

If you want to speak at any of the public hearings you have to register first. Metro asks that you mail your name, address, telephone number and any organization affiliation to the Office of the Secretary, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, 600 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. You can also fax requests to 202-962-1133 or email them to public-hearing-testimony@wmata.com. You're limited to one speaker's information per letter or email and you have to reference the hearing number.

Public officials will go first and have 5 minutes each. All other speakers will be given 2 minutes each.

If you haven't registered but show up at the hearing you can be heard after all the registered speakers.

If you need a sign-language interpreter or another type of accommodation to participate call Danise Peña at 202-962-2511 or TTY: 202-638-3780.

Here are the hearings scheduled (all locations are wheelchair accessible):

Monday, March 22
Hearing No. 548
Oakton High School Lecture Hall, 2900 Sutton Road, Vienna, VA

Wednesday, March 24
Hearing No. 549
St. Francis Xavier Church, Bailey Room, 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, D.C.

Monday, March 29
Hearing No. 550
Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, 5120 Whitfield Chapel Road, Lanham, MD

* Shuttle service to the hearing will be provided by Prince George's County TheBus from the east side bus bays of the New Carrollton Metrorail station.

Wednesday, March 31
Hearing No. 551
Arlington County Board Room, 3rd Floor, 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, VA

Thursday, April 1
Hearing No. 552
All Souls Unitarian Church, Pierce Hall, 1500 Harvard Street, NW, D.C.

Thursday, April 1
Hearing No. 553
Montgomery County Executive Office Building, Cafeteria, 101 Monroe Street (entrance on Jefferson Street), Rockville, Md