Norton Pushes Metro To Account For Federal Dollars

By Alice Ollstein

Metro officials say the system is much safer today than when the Red Line crash happened a year ago. But they're telling Congress they're concerned about meeting their safety goals without more federal dollars.

The Red Line crash that killed nine people last June left Metro reeling. And now leaders are scrambling to make the changes recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board.

There are still aging cars to replace, communication systems to update, and a safety code to re-write that won’t punish employees for whistleblowing.

Metro Vice Chairman Catherine Hudgins says they need more funding to reach these goals.

"In this period of economic decline, many of our revenue sources have decreased, with fewer resources available," says Hudgins.

D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton says officials must first present a solid plan for the money they’ve already received.

"In a climate of extreme scarcity and great need, somebody has got to figure out where these scarce resources go," says Norton.

Other NTSB suggestions included reaching out to Metro riders for recommendations and stepping up federal oversight.