Citing what he said were “very serious problems” with the Washington area’s transportation system, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Thursday he was ordering an independent review of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to study the troubled transit system’s governance and long-term financial needs.
The Democratic governor tapped former Obama transportation secretary Ray LaHood to head the panel, which will conduct a “top-down” assessment of Metro’s management and finances in an effort to find a regional solution to the system’s rising costs and declining ridership.
“We all know WMATA has faced some very serious problems over the past few years, and we need to take a hard look at where we can reform the agency to better support the region’s residents and its economy,” Mr. McAuliffe said in a statement.
“I have the utmost confidence in Secretary LaHood and I will support the recommendations that result from this top-to-bottom independent review. It’s long past time to make smart reforms that ensure WMATA’s financial stability and long-term success.”
Virginia will fund the panel, which will will issue a final report in November, Mr. McAuliffe’s office said.
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