[Related article: Metro sank into crisis despite decades of warnings]
Last year, Metro failed to meet its targets for on-time performance, employee and customer injuries, railcar reliability and customer satisfaction. The Metro board’s chairman Jack Evans and General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld said recently that the system was in such poor shape that segments of rail lines could shut down for weeks at a time for maintenance, and that much more additional funding is needed.
The challenges Metro faces resemble the labors of Hercules.

There were 712,843 weekday average boardings in Metro in 2015, versus the 750,431 peak of 2008.
2015 data includes Silver line.
2014
+14.7%
15%
D.C.
metro area
population
10
5
Metro average
weekday boardings
0
2006
2015
-0.1%

There were 712,843 weekday average boardings in Metro in 2015, versus the 750,431 peak of 2008.
2014
+14.7%
15%
D.C.
metro area
population
10
2015
-0.1%
Includes
Silver line data,
opened in
July 2014
5
Metro average
weekday boardings
0
2015
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

There were 712,843 weekday average boardings in Metro in 2015, versus the 750,431 peak of 2008.
2014
+14.7%
15%
D.C.
metro area
population
10
2015
-0.1%
Includes
Silver line data,
opened in
July 2014
5
Metro average
weekday boardings
0
2015
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
[A look inside past smoke and fire defects on the D.C. Metro]
Many different entities with different sensibilities, politics and priorities appoint the system’s board members: the District, Maryland, Virginia, and the cities and counties served by Metro, as well as the federal government.

8 voting members
Each entity selects two members
MARYLAND
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Jack
Evans
Corbett A.
Price
Keturah D.
Harley
Michael
Goldman
Chair
1st Vice Chair
VIRGINIA
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Mortimer L.
Downey
Harriet
Tregoning
Jim
Corcoran
Catherine
Hudgins
2nd Vice
Chair
Fairfax Co.
8 alternate members
Each entity selects two members
MARYLAND
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Tom
Bulger
Leif A.
Dormsjo
Malcolm
Augustine
Kathy
Porter
DDOT
P. George's Co.
Montgomery Co.
VIRGINIA
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Christian
Dorsey
Paul C.
Smedberg
Alexandria
Anthony E.
Costa
Anthony R.
Giancola
Arlington Co.

8 voting members
Each entity selects two members
MARYLAND
VIRGINIA
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Jack
Evans
Corbett A.
Price
Keturah D.
Harley
Michael
Goldman
Jim
Corcoran
Catherine
Hudgins
Mortimer L.
Downey
Harriet
Tregoning
1st Vice Chair
2nd Vice Chair
Chair
Fairfax Co.
8 alternate members
Each entity selects two members
MARYLAND
VIRGINIA
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Tom
Bulger
Leif A.
Dormsjo
Malcolm
Augustine
Kathy
Porter
Paul C.
Smedberg
Alexandria
Anthony E.
Costa
Anthony R.
Giancola
Christian
Dorsey
DDOT
P. George's Co.
Montgom. Co.
Arlington Co.

8
MARYLAND
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
VIRGINIA
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
voting
members
Each entity
selects two
members
Mortimer L. Downey
Harriet Tregoning
Keturah D. Harley
Michael Goldman
Jim Corcoran
Catherine Hudgins
Jack Evans
Corbett A. Price
1st Vice Chair
Chair
2nd Vice Chair
Fairfax Co.
8
alternate
members
Each entity
selects two
members
Malcolm Augustine
Christian Dorsey
Paul C. Smedberg
Alexandria
Kathy Porter
Anthony E. Costa
Anthony R.
Giancola
Tom Bulger
Leif A. Dormsjo
Prince George's Co.
Arlington Co.
Montgomery Co.
DDOT

OPERATING EXPENSES
(METRORAIL ONLY)
FY2017 proposed budget
$952.9m
$83.3m
D.C.
$89.2m
MD
$77.5m
VA
Covered with revenue
$702.93m
What Evans says Metro
needs for the future
Federal Gov.
contribution
$300m/year
Based on
each year’s
revenue
(for all
WMATA)
Same states and
local provisions
+increased
labor costs
CAPITAL BUDGET (ALL WMATA)
FY2017 proposed budget
$1,1828.3m
Others
$299.3m
$119.5m
Federal
Government
D.C.
$115.4m
MD
$469.5
$102.9m
VA
What Evans says WMATA
needs for the future
Add states and local
dedicated funding
for a total of
Renewing
all Federal
funding
$1 billion per year
beyond 2019

OPERATING EXPENSES (METRORAIL ONLY)
FY2017 proposed budget
$952.9m
Covered with revenue
Virginia
$77.5m
$702.93m
Maryland
D.C.
$83.3m
$89.2m
What Evans says Metrorail needs for the future
Covered with each
year’s revenue
Same states and
local provisions
Federal Government
contribution
$300m/year
+increased
labor costs
(for all WMATA)
CAPITAL BUDGET (ALL WMATA)
FY2017 proposed budget
$1,1828.3m
Others
$299.3m
D.C.
Virginia
Maryland
Federal Government
$119.5m
$115.4m
$102.9m
$469.5
What Evans says WMATA needs for the future
Add states and local dedicated funding for a total of
Renewing all Federal funding
$1 billion per year
beyond 2019

OPERATING EXPENSES (METRORAIL ONLY)
FY2017 proposed budget
$952.9m
Maryland
Virginia
D.C.
Covered with revenue
$83.3m
$89.2m
$77.5m
$702.93m
What Evans says Metrorail needs for the future
Covered with each
year’s revenue
Same states and
local provisions
Federal Government
contribution
$300m/year
+increased
labor costs
(for all WMATA)
CAPITAL BUDGET (ALL WMATA)
FY2017 proposed budget
$1,1828.3m
Federal
Government
D.C.
Virginia
Others
Maryland
$119.5m
$102.9m
$115.4m
$299.3m
$469.5
What Evans says WMATA needs for the future
Add states and local dedicated funding for a total of
Renewing all Federal funding
$1 billion per year
beyond 2019
Editor's picks
A look inside the smoke and fire defects that paralyzed D.C. Metro
GRAPHIC | Metro’s March 16 daylong shutdown was precipitated by a predawn fire two days before in a tunnel near the McPherson Square station
How D.C. Metro grew over the years
GRAPHIC | Since the Metro opened in 1976, six different lines have opened, totaling 117 miles with the opening of the Silver Line