Steve Burns
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON – (WMAL) D.C.’s representatives were never fans of the plan to curtail Metro’s operating hours once Safe Track is over, and now that it appears continuing 3am weekend closures is not in the cards, Metro Board Chairman Jack Evans is threatening to use veto powers to reject the new plan altogether.
Metro announced its staff had settled on a plan to close the system at 1am Friday and Saturday nights starting next July, following months of public input on the issue. They say a plurality – 45 percent – of respondents favored the 1am option. Maryland and Virginia representatives were on board for the most part, but the District, which has more extensive hospitality and nightlife interests, balked at the idea.
The plan originally called for the new hours to take effect in July 2017, effective for two years. Evans on Tuesday said he would prefer one year.
“My opinion is that we do not do anything on a permanent basis,” Evans told his colleagues on the D.C. Council Tuesday. “We will agree to a one-year extension, and at the end of one year, July 1, 2018, it reverts back to 3am.”
He said if other Board members reject that idea, he would resort to using a jurisdictional veto, bringing back the 3am closures next year.
Jurisdictional vetoes come into play in cases where two members from the same jurisdiction vote against a proposal, even if a majority of the board votes for it.
General Manager Paul Wiedefeld had called for more track maintenance time to complete a two-year preventive maintenance plan once Safe Track is over. It remains to be seen if his plan would be modified should he have half the time to do it.
A Metro Board committee is set to vote on the new hours on Thursday, with the full Board voting in two weeks.
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: WMATA)
