A capital crunch

摘要

Washington Metro has adopted a six-year, $3.3 billion capital program that falls short of meeting the needs of an aging rail system bursting at the seams with riders. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" wrote Charles Dickens in the memorable opening lines of his 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority head Richard A. White may well have similar thoughts as he faces today's problems on Metrorail, WMATA's rapid rail system. WMATA's best of times reflects completion of a world-class rail transit system that has profoundly affected its service area. The originally planned system, completed after 30 years and $9.4 billion worth of construction in 2001, has helped shape and develop the Washington area in ways that would have been unimaginable without it. Metrorail now transports a weekday average of 653,000 riders—the second-highest in the U.S., surpassed only by New York City. Passenger trips per vehicle-mile and a favorable farebox operating ratio (61.6% in 2002) are also second only to New York.