Washington Metrorail's Troubles Shared by Many U.S. Transit Systems

Despite the fact that Metrorail has suffered several accidental deaths this summer, it is but a minnow in a sea of troubled urban transit systems, according to a report issued yesterday by a transportation advocacy group.

The report, by Transportation for America, documents soaring fares and service cutbacks in scores of cities across the country, even as high gas prices and a recession motivate more people to use public transportation. David Goldberg, a spokesman for the group, said that in troubled times, federal and local governments should permit more flexibility so that transit agencies can convert some capital funding to meet operating shortfalls.

In the Washington area, advocates said a change in Virginia's public-transit funding formula is a priority in meeting Metro's funding needs. While Maryland's contribution to the transit agency comes primarily from the state, in Virginia, cash-strapped local governments provide most of the funding. Stewart Schwartz of the Coalition for Smarter Growth acknowledged that with Virginia facing a $2.6 billion transportation shortfall over the next six years, mass transit won't get a larger share anytime soon. But, he said, "it's an unlevel playing field when the state funds 100 percent of highway maintenance."

-- Ashley Halsey